Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for incrementally updating an existing digital map of a client device in a digital map update system. The digital map update system comprises, for each of one or more baseline digital maps, at least one digital map update repository comprising data which may be communicated to one or more remote client devices for use by the or each remote client device in incrementally updating an existing digital map of the device. Each repository includes one or more digital map forward update journals in respect of a respective given version of the baseline map to which the digital map update repository relates. The forward update journal comprises data indicative of a set of one or more incremental updates that may be used to update the given version of the baseline map to a later version.

Abstract: Parking lot (18, 20) locations and geometries are discerned from probe data (22) and integrated with a digital map (12) for use in navigation and other map-related activities. The steps of this invention include: identifying the positions in the probe data (22) where cars are probably parked, detecting the positions of parking lots (18, 20), determining the extension and shape of the detected parking lots (18, 20), and adjusting the parking lots (18, 20) into the road network (14). Optionally, the parking lot (18, 20) can be classified and additional attributes computed. Finally, a topological connection of the parking lot (18, 20) is made to the road network (14) during which entrances (34) and exits (36) are identified.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a digital map database wherein multiple instances of geocoded objects pertaining to points of interest (POI) and/or three-dimensional (3D) objects contained within one or more building blocks are compared to find undesirable duplicate geocoded objects. Cross-referencing information is stored and preference information about which geocoded object or object property/attribute should be used is assessed to determine priority for selection or presentation on the display screen of a navigation device or other suitable computing device. Cross-references can be pre-calculated at compile time or calculated on-the-fly by the navigation application at run time and may be persistently stored in dedicated data structures. When duplicate geocoded objects are found, only the most accurate information or a super set of (attribute) information is used by applications or presented to a user thereby preventing confusion.

Abstract: A digital map update system includes a digital map update server in communication with each one of a plurality of remote client devices for providing data indicative of a set of one or more digital map incremental updates thereto for use by the client devices in incrementally updating respective existing digital maps of the devices. The system comprises two or more digital map update repositories, each update repository comprising data indicative of a plurality of digital map incremental updates for use in incrementally updating a client device, and each being in respect of a different digital map incremental update profile. In use, the digital map update server provides a set of one or more digital map incremental updates from a given one of the update repositories to a remote client device for use by the device in incrementally updating an existing digital map of the device in accordance with the update profile of the given update repository.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for incrementally updating an existing digital map of a client device in a digital map update system. The digital map update system comprises, for each of one or more baseline digital maps, at least one digital map update repository comprising data which may be communicated to one or more remote client devices for use by the or each remote client device in incrementally updating an existing digital map of the device. Each repository includes one or more digital map forward update journals in respect of a respective given version of the baseline map to which the digital map update repository relates. The forward update journal comprises data indicative of a set of one or more incremental updates that may be used to update the given version of the baseline map to a later version.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a digital map database wherein multiple instances of geocoded objects pertaining to points of interest (POI) and/or three-dimensional (3D) objects contained within one or more building blocks are compared to find undesirable duplicate geocoded objects. Cross-referencing information is stored and preference information about which geocoded object or object property/attribute should be used is assessed to determine priority for selection or presentation on the display screen of a navigation device or other suitable computing device. Cross-references can be pre-calculated at compile time or calculated on-the-fly by the navigation application at run time and may be persistently stored in dedicated data structures. When duplicate geocoded objects are found, only the most accurate information or a super set of (attribute) information is used by applications or presented to a user thereby preventing confusion.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a digital map database wherein multiple instances of geocoded objects pertaining to points of interest (POI) and/or three-dimensional (3D) objects contained within one or more building blocks are compared to find undesirable duplicate geocoded objects. Cross-referencing information is stored and preference information about which geocoded object or object property/attribute should be used is assessed to determine priority for selection or presentation on the display screen (12) of a navigation device (10) or other suitable computing device. Cross-references can be pre-calculated at compile time or calculated on-the-fly by the navigation application at run time and may be persistently stored in dedicated data structures. When duplicate geocoded objects are found, only the most accurate information or a super set of (attribute) information is used by applications or presented to a user thereby preventing confusion.

Abstract: Parking lot (18, 20) locations and geometries are discerned from probe data (22) and integrated with a digital map (12) for use in navigation and other map-related activities. The steps of this invention include: identifying the positions in the probe data (22) where cars are probably parked, detecting the positions of parking lots (18, 20), determining the extension and shape of the detected parking lots (18, 20), and adjusting the parking lots (18, 20) into the road network (14). Optionally, the parking lot (18, 20) can be classified and additional attributes computed. Finally, a topological connection of the parking lot (18, 20) is made to the road network (14) during which entrances (34) and exits (36) are identified.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a digital map database wherein multiple instances of geocoded objects pertaining to points of interest (POI) and/or three-dimensional (3D) objects contained within one or more building blocks are compared to find undesirable duplicate geocoded objects. Cross-referencing information is stored and preference information about which geocoded object or object property/attribute should be used is assessed to determine priority for selection or presentation on the display screen (12) of a navigation device (10) or other suitable computing device. Cross-references can be pre-calculated at corn-pile time or calculated on-the-fly by the navigation application at run time and may be persistently stored in dedicated data structures. When duplicate geocoded objects are found, only the most accurate information or a super set of (attribute) information is used by applications or presented to a user thereby preventing confusion.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for combining a first partition from a first digital map database and a second partition from a second digital map database, wherein the first and second digital map database are associated with a coordinate reference system, wherein the first and second partition include an interaction with each other in a common region in the first and second digital map database.

Abstract: Method for generating a location reference and method for mapping information to a position within a digital map database are disclosed. At least one embodiment of the invention relates to a method for generating a location reference for mapping information to a position within a digital map database. The digital map database includes map objects having unique map object references associated therewith. The method includes: selecting a map object in the digital map database based on the information, selecting a unique map object reference of the selected map object, generating the location reference including the unique map object reference of the identified map object. The method further includes: determining a relative position of the position in the digital map database the information relates to with respect to the selected map object, and the location reference further includes the relative position.

Abstract: At least one embodiment of a method is described including: (1) collecting probe sensor data in an area containing roads and other drivable features; (2) processing the probe sensor data in a first manner so as to create a geospatial map database including road segments, and in a second manner to derive a subset of data related to at least one segment within the geospatial map database and being indicative of an attribute thereof, (3) statistically processing the subset data per road segment to determine one or more inferred attributes thereof, (4) comparing the created geospatial map database, in particular the road segments identified therein and said inferred attributes thereof with a pre-existing geospatial map database containing road segments and attributes thereof, and where an inconsistency in the presence or absence of a road segment, or in its geometry or topology, or in any of its attributes, is identified, (5) effecting a further action, being one of: (a) Generating a change notification, (b) Gene

Abstract: A digital map with line features is stored on a storage medium into parcels, each covering a certain area of the map. A parcel has around it standard border a border region bounded by an inner border and an outer border. A line feature crossing the standard border between two neighboring parcels is only divided into two new line features if it completely crosses the border region, i.e. if it crosses the outer border of both neighboring parcels.