Patents Assigned to Tomtom Global Content B.V.
  • Patent number: 10036640
    Abstract: A method for providing map data composed of providing geospatial map data pre-rendered into a plurality of raster graphic files, where each of the raster graphic files comprising a plurality of image pixels each having pixel data information Additional map data is embedded into at least one of the raster graphic files by altering the pixel data information The additional map data is then delivered simultaneously with the raster graphics files.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: TOMTOM GLOBAL CONTENT B.V.
    Inventor: Michael Hardt
  • Patent number: 10030980
    Abstract: A computerized method of creating map data from a plurality of trips where each trip comprises position data derived from the positions of at least one navigation device over a period of time, the method comprising using a processing circuitry to perform the following steps: i. processing the position data; ii. calculating, from the processing of the position data, trip terminal positions at which the navigation device started to generate positions and/or stopped generating positions and which provide an end point of a trip; iii. performing statistical analysis on the terminal positions in order to determine origin locations at which trips commonly terminate and/or originate; iv. generating further map data, which comprises the origin locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: TOMTOM GLOBAL CONTENT B.V.
    Inventors: Wojciech Tomasz Nowak, Sven Coppens
  • Patent number: 9891059
    Abstract: A method is disclosed involving receiving GPS data from a personal portable training device. A smoothing operation is performed on the GPS data to generate a more accurate representation of the route travelled for display to a user (504). In the smoothing operation, a cubic spine algorithm is used to obtain an initial estimate of the route representation (500). The estimate is then subjected to a refinement using at least received user motion data recorded by the personal training device (502). In addition one or more of: data indicative of the GPS accuracy; historical route data; and digital map data, such as building footprints and bodies of water, may be used in refining the estimate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: TOMTOM GLOBAL CONTENT B.V.
    Inventors: Marcin Michal Kmiecik, Rafal Jan Gliszczynski
  • Patent number: 9880010
    Abstract: A method of and arrangement for mapping first range sensor data from a first range sensor to image data from a camera are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method includes: receiving time and position data from a position determination device on board a mobile system, as well as the first range sensor data from the first range sensor on board the mobile system and the image data from the camera on board the mobile system; identifying a first points cloud within the first range sensor data, relating to at least one object; producing a mask relating to the object based on the first points cloud; mapping the mask on object image data relating to the same object as present in the image data from the at least one camera; and performing a predetermined image processing technique on at least a portion of the object image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: TOMTOM GLOBAL CONTENT B.V.
    Inventors: Krysztof Miksa, Rafal Jan Gliszczynski, Lukasz Piotr Taborowski
  • Patent number: 9843810
    Abstract: A method of processing camera data of a mobile mapping system is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method includes a) obtaining camera data from at least one camera of the mobile mapping system, b) detecting at least one region in the camera data, c) applying a compression technique on the camera data in a first region, and d) obtaining range sensor data from at least a first range sensor. The range sensor data may at least partially correspond to the camera data. Also, in at least one embodiment, b) includes using the range sensor data to identify the at least one region in the camera data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: TOMTOM GLOBAL CONTENT B.V.
    Inventors: James E. Hagan, Arkadiusz Wysocki, Marcin Michal Kmiecik
  • Patent number: 9797740
    Abstract: A method of determining trajectories (1810-1813) through at least one junction of a transportation network for display on a visual representation of a digital map, the digital map comprising data that is a digital representation of the transportation network. The method comprises obtaining positional information relating to the movement of a plurality of mobile devices with respect to time on the transportation network through an area (1801) comprising the at least one junction, the border of the area being divided into a plurality of segments. The positional information is used to create an entry histogram (1802) by determining a count of positional information that enters the area at each segment of the border and an exit histogram (1804) by determining a count of positional information that exits the area at each segment of the border; the histograms subsequently being used to define one or more entry (1806) and exits (1808) gates into and out of the area (1801).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: TomTom Global Content B.V.
    Inventors: Koen Verheyen, Chris Poppe, Joachim De Witte
  • Patent number: 9746335
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method includes at least one of obtaining and receiving information regarding at least one location reference at a server (302) for transmission to at least one remote device; determining at least one path of the at least one location reference corresponding to at least one pair of points within mapping information at the server (302); computing at least one focusing factor at the server (302) based upon encoded information corresponding to the determined at least one path of the at least one location reference, and enhancing the at least one location reference by the computed at least one focusing factor; and transmitting the at least one location reference enhanced by the computed at least one focusing factor from the server (302) to the at least one remote device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: TomTom Global Content B.V.
    Inventor: Tsia Kuznetsov
  • Patent number: 9746336
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a navigation system, comprising data storage means arranged to store at least digital map data, traffic state information, and places of interest data, and a route planning module operably coupled to the data storage means and arranged to provide access to the digital map data and calculate a route to a destination, a traffic state interrogator operably coupled to the data storage means and arranged to access said traffic state information and to determine traffic status information relevant to said calculated route to the destination, a places data interrogator operably coupled to the data storage means and arranged to access said places of interest data and to determine relevant information portions about places of interest on the calculated route dependent on the determined traffic status information, and a navigation instruction generator operably coupled to the data storage means and arranged to generate navigation instructions including the relevant informa
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignees: TomTom Navigation B.V., TomTom Global Content B.V.
    Inventors: Ben Rutten, Lucien Groenhuijzen, Peter van Zuylen
  • Patent number: 9679362
    Abstract: A method of producing a textured or pseudo-3D image of one or more map objects is provided comprising acquiring at least one image representing at least part of the one or more map objects. Laser scan data is acquired for the at least one map object, the laser scan data representing distances from a laser scanner to one or more points on at least one surface of the at least one map object. Texture or lighting data associated with the at least one map object is generated from the laser scan data, and the texture or lighting data and the image is processed in order to generate at least one textured or pseudo 3D image at least partially representing the one or more map objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: TomTom Global Content B.V.
    Inventors: Radoslaw Pawel Chmielewski, Michal Wysokinski
  • Patent number: 9599476
    Abstract: A system and method for generating a seamless road network of a large geographical area includes a plurality of GPS probe traces extending across a geographical area. The probe traces are divided into sub-sets base on criteria, such as accuracy. A plurality of threads simultaneously employ the sub-sets traces to generate an independent network of the entire geographical area. The networks generated using sub-sets having a high accuracy are preferred over networks generating using sub-sets having a lower accuracy. The independent networks are combined to form a seamless networks of road segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: TomTom Global Content B.V.
    Inventors: Heiko Mund, Hannes Scharmann
  • Patent number: 9235993
    Abstract: A computerized method is disclosed of creating map data from position data derived from the positions of at least one vehicle over a period of time, the map data including a plurality of navigable segments representing segments of a navigable route in the area covered by the map and the map data also including intersections between navigable segments representing intersections in the navigable route. In at least one embodiment, the method includes using a processing circuitry to perform the following: i. processing the position data; ii. calculating from the processing of the position data a transit time or set of transit times for at least some of the intersections in the map data; and iii generating further map data, which for at least some of the intersections therein, contains the calculated transit time or set of transit times associated with the intersection for which the calculation was made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: TomTom Global Content B.V.
    Inventors: Alexandru Serbanescu, Volker Hiestermann
  • Patent number: 8884962
    Abstract: A computer arrangement is disclosed, including a processor and a memory that stores a computer program, object data originating from a first source and including object location data, and laser samples originating from a second source, including a sub-set of laser samples relating to the object and including laser sample location data as to each laser sample. In at least one embodiment, the processor compares the object location data and the laser sample location data of the sub-set of laser samples, and matches the object location data to the laser sample location data of the sub-set of laser samples based on this comparison, and thereby corrects for relative positional errors between the first and second sources of location data. The object may be a building façade, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: TomTom Global Content B.V.
    Inventors: Marcin Michal Kmiecik, Wojciech Tomasz Nowak
  • Patent number: 8847982
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for generating an orthorectified tile. In at least one embodiment, the method includes retrieving source images obtained by way of a terrestrial based camera; retrieving position data associated with the source images; retrieving orientation data associated with the source images; and converting source image by means of corresponding position data and orientation data to obtain the orthorectified tile. Orthorectified tiles are used to generate an orthorectified mosaic. As such, images recorded by terrestrial based camera may be used to generate a map of a road surface with corresponding road signs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: TomTom Global Content B.V.
    Inventors: Marcin Michal Kmiecik, Wojciech Tomasz Nowak
  • Patent number: 8773458
    Abstract: A method of generating a junction view is disclosed. The method includes, in at least one embodiment:—acquiring a first junction from a map database;—acquiring a second junction from the map database, wherein the first and second junction are connected by way of an intermediate road segment;—determining a characteristic of the intermediate road segment between the first and second junction from the map database; and—if the characteristic of the road segment applies to a predefined condition:—adjusting the road geometry resulting in a shorter intermediate road segment; and—generating the junction view image visualizing the first and second junction using the shorter intermediate road segment. At least one embodiment of the method provides a solution to visualize in one image two decision points which will follow each other in a short time when traveling through the two decision points, i.e. two junctions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: TomTom Global Content B.V.
    Inventors: Marcin Cuprjak, Michal Rosikiewicz, Marcin Bialas, Radoslaw Chmielewski
  • Patent number: 8712676
    Abstract: Probe data is analyzed to derive Longitudinal Speed Profiles (LSPs) and an Optimal Longitudinal Speed Profile (18) for each road segment or link in a digital map network. The Longitudinal Speed Profiles (LSPs) profiles are calculated during defined time spans whereas the Optimal Longitudinal Speed Profile (18) is based on the LSP for the time span corresponding only to free flow traffic conditions. All of the LSPs can used to create a respective energy cost for each time span, or only the OLSP (18) can be used (or alternatively the RRDSL 16 or LRRDSL 17) to calculate an energy cost for the free flow conditions only. The energy cost can be used to predict the energy required by a vehicle to traverse the link. Navigation software can use the energy cost to plan the most energy efficient route between two locations in the digital map. Sensory signals can be activated if a driver strays from the Optimal Longitudinal Speed Profile (18) to achieve extremely high levels of energy efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: TomTom Global Content B.V.
    Inventors: Volker Hiestermann, Robert Joannes Van Essen, Edwin Bastiaensen, Stephen T'Siobbel
  • Patent number: 8639654
    Abstract: A method for updating speed limit, service stop location, or other attributes for road segments in a digital map (18) by extrapolating probe data from a subset of probe data which has been profiled to have originated from trustworthy probe traces. Probe measurements from a plurality of probes is collected and profiled against known information. From this, a subset of trustworthy probes is identified, comprising those probe traces which observe the known attribute of interest within an acceptable range for a majority of the driving time. These trustworthy probe traces are tracked during travel on other road segments whose attribute data is unknown or unreliable. A specification for the unknown or unreliable attribute on the other road segments can be extrapolated based on the collected information from all of the trustworthy probe traces as they travel that road segment. The digital map (18) can then be updated by setting attribute information in relation to the extrapolated behavior data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: TomTom Global Content B.V.
    Inventors: Gert Vervaet, Tim Bekaert, Pascal Clarysse
  • Patent number: 8571354
    Abstract: A method of reducing the spatial resolution of images is disclosed. At least one embodiment of the method includes: —acquiring an input image including image parts having a spatial resolution larger than SR pixels/meter; —acquiring a depth map associated with the input image; —determining for each pixel p(x,y) a spatial resolution value by means of the depth map; —processing a region of pixels of the input image for which holds that the spatial resolution value is larger than a predefined threshold corresponding to SR pixels/meter to obtain a corresponding region of pixels having a spatial resolution smaller then or equal to SR pixels/meter in an output image. The method enables to removes privacy information from images by reducing the spatial resolution to a level that the privacy information cannot be recognized in the image anymore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Tomtom Global Content B.V.
    Inventors: Krzysztof Miksa, Marcin Michal Kmiecik
  • Patent number: 8422736
    Abstract: A method of producing lane information for use in a map database is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method includes acquiring one or more source images of a road surface and associated position and orientation data, the road having a direction and lane markings parallel to the direction of the road; acquiring road information representative of the direction of said road; transforming the one or more source images to obtain a transformed image in dependence of the road information, wherein each column of pixels of the transformed image corresponds to a surface parallel to the direction of said road; applying a filter with asymmetrical mask on the transformed image to obtain a filtered image; and producing lane information from the filtered image in dependence of the position and orientation data associated with the one or more source images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: TomTom Global Content B.V.
    Inventors: Marcin Michal Kmiecik, Lukasz Piotr Taborowski
  • Patent number: 8396255
    Abstract: A computer arrangement is disclosed, including a processor that can communicate with a memory. The memory stores a computer program that can be run by the processor, and stores a set of laser scan samples including a sub-set of laser scan samples relating to a façade of a building and stores location data as to each laser scan sample. The memory also stores a picture of the same façade including location data as to pixels of the picture. The picture includes data as to a wall of the façade and data as to texture elements in the wall. In at least one embodiment, the processor automatically identifies the wall and the texture elements in the picture while using the laser scan samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Tomtom Global Content B.V.
    Inventors: Marcin Michal Kmiecik, Rafal Jan Gliszczynski
  • Patent number: 8351704
    Abstract: A method of producing linear features along a reference-line across a surface for use in a map database is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Tomtom Global Content B.V.
    Inventors: Marcin Michal Kmiecik, Wojciech Tomasz Nowak