Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product are therefore provided for providing natural guidance using one or more location graphs based on a context of a user. Methods may include: receiving an indication of a location of a user; identifying a location graph of location objects proximate the location of the user; establishing a context of the user; establishing a path among the location objects of the location graph based, at least in part, on the context of the user; generating natural language guidance based on the path among the location objects; and providing natural language guidance to the user. The location of a user may include a location along a route between an origin and a destination, where identifying a location graph of location objects may include identifying a location graph of location objects proximate the route between the origin and the destination.

Abstract: A method is provided for the creation of parking lot geometry that can be used to provide guidance to a vehicle through the parking lot. Methods may include: generating a road network of a parking lot based on a plurality of probe data points; map matching the plurality of probe data points to road links of the parking lot; identifying parking lot accessor road links; identifying a building affinity link; identifying primary parking lot road links, where primary parking lot road links include at least one of a trajectory count, probe count, or average or median probe speed that is higher than a respective trajectory count, probe count, or average or median speed of non-primary parking lot road links; establishing a route from a parking lot accessor road link to the building affinity link; and providing for guidance of a vehicle along the route.

Abstract: Systems and methods for evaluating vehicle occupant behavior are provided. For example, a method of evaluating vehicle occupant behavior includes analyzing behavior of an occupant of a vehicle associated with a trip in the vehicle. The method also includes determining one or more aspects of the trip in the vehicle. The method also includes determining a score of the behavior of the occupant of the vehicle based on the analysis and the one or more aspects.

Abstract: Disclosed is an approach to improve data collection for a radio-based positioning system. The disclosed approach may involve processor(s) (e.g., of positioning server(s) and/or of a mobile device) obtaining radio data associated with the mobile device, where the radio data is collected while the mobile device is located within a particular vehicle during a time of commute. The processor(s) may determine a particular location of the particular vehicle representing where the particular vehicle is or was located during the time of commute. And the processor(s) may then use the particular location of the particular vehicle to geo-reference the radio data collected while the mobile device is located within the particular vehicle during the time of commute.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product for detecting a start location and an end location of a bridge are described herein. In the context of a method, one or more sequences of images, at least one sequence of images corresponding with a side barrier portion of the bridge, may be identified from image data corresponding with a probable location of the bridge. Each side barrier portion may comprise a plurality of side barrier segments. The method may identify one or more characteristics of the plurality of side barrier segments. The method may determine the start location and the end location of the bridge based at least in part by identifying characteristic differences of the plurality of side barrier segments. The method may cause transmission of information corresponding with the start location and the end location of the bridge for updating a mapping or navigation system.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product provide a map layer of one or more temporary dynamic obstructions. For example, the apparatus is configured to receive vehicle/driver behavior data associated with a vehicle at a portion of a road, determine a likelihood of a temporary dynamic obstruction existing proximate to the portion based on the vehicle behavior data, and update a datapoint of a map layer based on the likelihood. The datapoint indicates a state of existence of the temporary dynamic obstruction at the portion.

Abstract: Systems and methods for traffic control and route guidance are provided. In some aspects, a method for controlling traffic includes receiving vehicle information for a vehicle navigating a location on a road network and identifying a maneuver of the vehicle at the location based on the vehicle information. The method also includes determining an intrusiveness of the maneuver made by the vehicle, and controlling traffic at the location based on the intrusiveness of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method, a system, and a computer program product may be provided for generating map data associated with one or more objects in a region. The method includes receiving point cloud data associated with the region. The method further includes generating a georeferenced top down raster image of the region, based on the point cloud data. The georeferenced top down raster image is indicative of a top surface of each of the one or more objects. The method further includes determining boundary data of the top surface of each of the one or more objects, based on the georeferenced top down raster image and generating the map data associated with the one or more objects, based on the boundary data of the top surface of each of the one or more objects.

Abstract: A vehicle apparatus onboard a vehicle identifies a human operator-free trip trigger corresponding to a human operator-free trip the vehicle is to take. The vehicle is located at an origin location of the human operator-free trip. Responsive to the vehicle apparatus identifying the human operator-free trip trigger, a candidate destination location for the human operator-free trip is identified. A candidate route from the origin location to the candidate destination location is generated. The vehicle apparatus provides a trip request including the candidate route to an approval apparatus. The vehicle apparatus receives a message from the approval apparatus. Responsive to determining that the message comprises an approval of the candidate route, the vehicle apparatus controls one or more systems of the vehicle to cause the vehicle to traverse the candidate route from the origin location to the candidate destination location.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product are provided for determining a state of visibility of a road object, such as a road sign, using vehicle sensor data. For example, the apparatus determines whether one or more sensors of a first vehicle observes a road sign. If the road sign is not observed by the one or more sensors, the apparatus determines whether one or more second vehicles is obscuring the road sign. If the one or more second vehicles is not obscuring the road sign, the apparatus determines whether the road sign is obscured due to a weather condition. If the road sign is obscured due to the weather condition, the apparatus generates a signal indicating that the road sign was obscured due to the weather condition.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for encoding objects in a camera-captured image with a deep neural network pipeline including multiple convolutional neural networks or convolutional layers. After identifying at least a portion of the camera-capture image, a first convolutional layer is applied to the at least the portion of the camera-captured image and multiple subregion representations are pooled from the output of the first convolutional layer. One or more additional convolutions are performed. At least one deconvolution is performed and concatenated with the output of one or more convolutions. One or more final convolutions are performed. The at least the portion of the camera-captured image is classified as an object category in response to an output of the one or more final convolutions.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product provide a route using a map layer of one or more sound events. For example, the apparatus receives a user preference indicating a sound type, identifies a road segment associated with the sound type from a plurality of road segments, selects a subset from the plurality of road segments as a route based on association of the subset with respect to the road segment, and outputs the route.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining piece(s) of calendar information indicative of at least one appointment taking place in a space and extracting a set of space identifiers representing space(s) of the venue. The space identifier(s) for one or more spaces are extracted based on an indoor map of the venue. The method also includes determining or triggering determining whether at least a part of the set of space identifiers or one or more spaces of the set of space identifiers match(es) the at least one space as represented by the piece(s) of calendar information; and if a match is found: determining one or more reference location estimates. A respective reference location estimate is indicative of a location of the space that was determined to be a match. A corresponding apparatus, computer program product and system are also provided.

Abstract: An approach is provided for providing mobility insight data related to shared vehicles for a point of interest (POI). The approach involves retrieving shared vehicle data for the POI. The shared vehicle data indicates one or more shared vehicle events that have occurred, that are occurring at a given time, or a combination thereof within a threshold proximity of the POI. The approach also involves processing the shared vehicle data to determine mobility insight data. The mobility insight data includes a shared vehicle usage pattern, a shared vehicle availability pattern, or a combination thereof under one or more contexts for travel to or from the POI. The approach further involves presenting the mobility insight data in a location-based user interface.

Abstract: Disclosed is an approach to enable radio map download for Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-denied areas. In particular, processor(s) (e.g., of positioning server(s)) could identify GNSS-denied area(s) in an initial radio map, the GNSS-denied area(s) being (i) one or more areas in which at least one GNSS signal is or was unavailable and (ii) a subset of a plurality of areas represented by the initial radio map. Subsequently, the processor(s) could generate a partial radio map representing radio data only for the GNSS-denied area(s) identified in the initial radio map, and could then transmit the partial radio map to a mobile device for storage at the mobile device. In this way, the mobile device could optimize resource usage and perform radio-based position estimations at least in the GNSS-denied area(s) that were identified.

Abstract: Various methods are provided for facilitating map update to an environment map using gradient thresholding. One example method may include detecting an observed feature associated with a first feature decay and generating an interpolated feature that approximates the observed feature associated with a second decay. The method also includes determining a gradient difference between the interpolated feature and a stored map feature. The stored map feature represents an encoding of the observed feature associated with a third decay associated with an environment map. The method also includes determining a relationship between the gradient difference and a feature gradient update threshold, and, based upon the relationship, updating the environment map by at least replacing the map feature representation associated with the environment map with the approximated feature representation.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product utilize digital signatures to efficiently identify objects of interest within images and cause graphical presentation data to be accurately displayed for the objects of interest. The method receives one or more images generated by an image capture device. The method determines one or more digital signatures associated with one or more objects within the one or more images. Based on the one or more digital signatures, the method also determines graphical data placement information comprising one or more graphical data placement regions for the one or more objects. The method also receives graphical presentation data comprising one or more graphical assets. The method also causes display of the graphical presentation data that includes overlaying at least one graphical asset of the one or more graphical assets on the at least one graphical data placement region.

Abstract: An approach is provided for providing probe anomaly detection. The approach, for example, involves determining an expected vehicle volume for a geographic region over a time epoch. The expected vehicle volume is calculated from historical vehicle volume data. The approach also involves determining an actual vehicle volume for the geographic region over the time epoch. The actual vehicle volume is based on current vehicle volume data collected from a plurality of vehicles traveling in the geographic region. The approach further involves computing a vehicle volume change based on the expected vehicle volume and the actual vehicle volume. The approach then involves providing the vehicle volume change as an indicator of a probe anomaly in the geographic region.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to improve the positioning performance of a positioning application. The method receives particular radio signal propagation information regarding received radio signal propagation parameter of a respective signal collected by a mobile device following transmission by a beacon on a sub-channel. The method also receives past radio signal propagation information regarding the received radio signal propagation parameter of signals previously transmitted by the beacon and collected by the mobile device on one or more sub-channels. Based on the particular radio signal propagation information and the past radio signal propagation information, the method determines a value for representing the respective signal that is different from the received radio signal propagation parameter of the respective signal.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer readable storage medium are provided for determining the installation positions of radio devices. Signal propagation time parameters are obtained with each signal propagation time parameter associated with an installation position and an observation position. Each signal propagation time parameter represents a respective signal propagation time value of radio signal(s) traveling between the respective installation and observation positions. A signal propagation time parameter is selected for defining a coordinate system. First point coordinates are selected to represent the installation position associated with the selected signal propagation time parameter, and second point coordinates are selected to represent the observation position associated with the selected signal propagation time parameter.