Abstract: An approach is provided for transforming curvature values into bin values for comprehensible description. The approach involves causing, at least in part, an application of at least one transformation function to one or more data values to transform the one or more data values into one or more bin values. The approach also involves causing, at least in part, a binning of the one or more bin values into one or more respective bins based, at least in part, on the one or more continuous bin values. The approach further involves processing and/or facilitating a processing of the one or more bin values in the respective one or more bins to determine statistical information for the respective one or more bins. The approach also involves causing, at least in part, a re-transformation of the statistical information, the one or more bin values, or a combination thereof into the one or more data values following the determination of the statistical information.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for non-occluding overlay of user interface or information elements on a contextual map. A method is provided including receiving a two dimensional image associated with a geographic area or object, receiving geometry model associated with the associated with the geographic area, generating an embossing map based on ambient occlusions associated with the geometry model, and generating a composite image based on the two dimensional image and the embossing map.

Abstract: One or more systems, devices, and/or methods for emphasizing objects in an image, such as a panoramic image, are disclosed. For example, a method includes receiving a depthmap generated from an optical distancing system, wherein the depthmap includes position data and depth data for each of a plurality of points. The optical distancing system measures physical data. The depthmap is overlaid on the panoramic image according to the position data. Data is received that indicates a location on the panoramic image and, accordingly, a first point of the plurality of points that is associated with the location. The depth data of the first point is compared to depth data of surrounding points to identify an area on the panoramic image corresponding to a subset of the surrounding points. The panoramic image is altered with a graphical effect that indicates the location.

Abstract: An approach is provided for comparing experienced curvatures with geometry-based curvatures to identify road environments. The approach involves causing, at least in part, an aggregation of a plurality of curvature samples collected from one or more vehicles traversing one or more travel segments. The approach also involves processing and/or facilitating a processing of the curvature samples to determine at least one experienced curvature for the one or more travel segments. The approach further involves determining at least one geometry-based curvature for the one or more travel segments. The approach also involves determining one or more differences between at least one experienced curvature and the at least one geometry-based curvature.

Abstract: An approach is provided for efficiently capturing, processing, presenting, and/or associating audio objects with content items and geo-locations. A processing platform may determine a viewpoint of a viewer of at least one content item associated with a geo-location. Further, the processing platform and/or a content provider may determine at least one audio object associated with the at least one content item, the geo-location, or a combination thereof. Furthermore, the processing platform may process the at least one audio object for rendering one or more elements of the at least one audio object based, at least in part, on the viewpoint.

Abstract: An approach is provided for comparing experienced curvatures with geometry-based curvatures to identify road environments. The approach involves causing, at least in part, an aggregation of a plurality of curvature samples collected from one or more vehicles traversing one or more travel segments. The approach also involves processing and/or facilitating a processing of the curvature samples to determine at least one experienced curvature for the one or more travel segments. The approach further involves determining at least one geometry-based curvature for the one or more travel segments. The approach also involves determining one or more differences between at least one experienced curvature and the at least one geometry-based curvature.

Abstract: In one embodiment, navigational features of a navigation device are activated or deactivated according to the accuracy of the geographic data. The navigation features may be predictive features related to upcoming portions of a path curve. The path curve is compared to measured data. For example, a first curve is accessed from a map database and a second curve is based on measured position data collected while traversing the path. The first curve and the second curve correspond to the same geographic area. A difference of an attribute between a section of the first curve and a section of the second curve is used to assign a confidence factor to the section of the first polycurve based on the difference. The attribute may be heading, position, curvature, or another aspect of the path curves.

Abstract: In one embodiment, navigational features of a navigation device are activated or deactivated according to the accuracy of the geographic data. The navigation features may be predictive features related to upcoming portions of a path curve. The path curve is compared to measured data. For example, a first curve is accessed from a map database and a second curve is based on measured position data collected while traversing the path. The first curve and the second curve correspond to the same geographic area. A difference of an attribute between a section of the first curve and a section of the second curve is used to assign a confidence factor to the section of the first polycurve based on the difference. The attribute may be heading, position, curvature, or another aspect of the path curves.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for calculating a virtual touch position that is off the physical touch screen display. A user may provide a first swiping gesture in a main portion of a physical touch screen display, and an extended swiping gesture within a predefined threshold distance of an edge of the physical touch screen display. The extended swiping gesture is a continuation of the first swiping gesture. The virtual touch position may be calculated based on a trajectory of the first swiping gesture and/or the distance of the extended swiping gesture. An extended swiping gesture may continue around the edges to enable calculation of a virtual touch position regardless of size constraints of the physical touch screen display.

Abstract: A method and system for generating and using open sky data is described. A vehicle equipped with a range-finding device travels on a road network in a geographic region. The range-finding device transmits a pulse at a given position and obtains range data associated with the position. The system uses the range data to generate data representing visibility of open sky at the given position and at other positions along the road network. For example, the system may determine transmission angles of pulses transmitted at positions that did not encounter a physical object and then use the determined transmission angles to generate data representing visibility of open sky at these positions. The system then stores the data representing the visibility of open sky. The system then associates the data representing the visibility of open sky with data representing physical features.

Abstract: One or more systems, devices, and/or methods for generating path side imagery are disclosed. For example, a method includes receiving optical data measured in three-dimensional geographic coordinates and image data from at least one image bubble. The optical data is projected onto at least one predefined two-dimensional plane. A pixel value for a point of the optical data on the two-dimensional plane is calculated according to the image data. The pixel value may correspond to color or another graphical attribute. The two-dimensional plane is stored or displayed as street side imagery or other path side imagery. An image file including the pixel value for each point of the optical data may be stored in memory or a map database.

Abstract: An approach is provided for comparing experienced curvatures with geometry-based curvatures to identify road environments. The approach involves causing, at least in part, an aggregation of a plurality of curvature samples collected from one or more vehicles traversing one or more travel segments. The approach also involves processing and/or facilitating a processing of the curvature samples to determine at least one experienced curvature for the one or more travel segments. The approach further involves determining at least one geometry-based curvature for the one or more travel segments. The approach also involves determining one or more differences between at least one experienced curvature and the at least one geometry-based curvature.

Abstract: An approach is provided for transforming curvature values into bin values for comprehensible description. The approach involves causing, at least in part, an application of at least one transformation function to one or more data values to transform the one or more data values into one or more bin values. The approach also involves causing, at least in part, a binning of the one or more bin values into one or more respective bins based, at least in part, on the one or more continuous bin values. The approach further involves processing and/or facilitating a processing of the one or more bin values in the respective one or more bins to determine statistical information for the respective one or more bins. The approach also involves causing, at least in part, a re-transformation of the statistical information, the one or more bin values, or a combination thereof into the one or more data values following the determination of the statistical information.

Abstract: An approach is provided for converting voluminous sensor datasets into manageable distance based buckets for slope and curvature map updates. The approach involves causing, at least in part, a map-matching of one or more data sessions with one or more map links, wherein the one or more data sessions represent one or more location data packages associated with a vehicle. The approach also involves causing, at least in part, a division of the one or more map links into one or more buckets at one or more intervals. The approach further involves processing and/or facilitating a processing of the one or more buckets for variance statistics to determine reliability information for acceleration slope values, acceleration curvature values, or a combination thereof calculated from the one or more location data packages. The approach also involves causing, at least in part, an updating of one or more maps based, at least in part, on the reliability information.

Abstract: An approach is provided for determining road surface friction data for at least one travel segment via sensor data and/or guideline friction map to cause at least one response action. The approach involves processing and/or facilitating a processing of sensor data to determine at least one road-vehicle friction change associated with at least one travel segment. The approach also involves causing, at least in part, a comparison of the at least one road-vehicle friction change to at least one guideline friction map. The approach further involves determining at least one response action to the at least one road-friction change based, at least in part, on the comparison.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for non-occluding overlay of user interface or information elements on a contextual map. A method is provided including receiving a two dimensional image associated with a geographic area or object, receiving geometry model associated with the associated with the geographic area, generating an embossing map based on ambient occlusions associated with the geometry model, and generating a composite image based on the two dimensional image and the embossing map.

Abstract: An approach is provided for determining a position of a vehicle relative to a travel path based on driving behavior. An estimation platform processes driving information associated with a vehicle, mapping information associated with a segment of the travel path in use by the vehicle, or a combination thereof to determine a behavior trace to associate with the vehicle. The estimation platform also determines an offset between the behavior trace of the vehicle and the behavior trace of one or more other vehicles based on a matching between the behavior trace of the vehicle and the behavior trace of the one or more other vehicles relative to the segment of the travel path.

Abstract: An approach is provided for predicting driving behavior. A prediction platform determines driving characteristic information for one or more vehicles in association with a segment of a travel path navigated by each of the one or more vehicles. The prediction platform also processes driving characteristic information to determine one or more response types, one or more behavior types, or a combination thereof associated with the segment of the travel path and associates the one or more response types, the one or more behavior types, or a combination thereof with mapping information for specifying the segment of the travel path, a behavior connection link-chain, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: An approach is provided for presenting comprehensible representation of travel segments based, at least in part, on velocity information. The approach involves processing and/or facilitating a processing of traffic information, velocity information, or a combination thereof for one or more travel segments, characteristic information for one or more vehicles, or a combination thereof to determine the one or more travel segments within a velocity threshold level. The approach also involves causing, at least in part, a filtering of the one or more travel segments based, at least in part, on the velocity threshold level. The approach further involves causing, at least in part, a presentation of at least one mapping user interface depicting one or more representations for the one or more travel segments within the velocity threshold level.

Abstract: An approach is provided for presenting comprehensible representation of traffic flow information for various travel segments based on class levels. The approach involves causing, at least in part, a classification of one or more travel segments into one or more class levels. The approach also involves causing, at least in part, a designation of one or more representations of traffic flow information for the one or more travel segments based, at least in part, on the one or more class levels, wherein the one or more representations include, at least in part, a link-based traffic flow representation, a heat-map representation, or a combination thereof. The approach further involves causing, at least in part, a presentation of at least one user interface depicting the one or more representations of the traffic flow information for the one or more travel segments based, at least in part, on the designation.