Patents by Inventor Ralf-Peter Schäfer

Ralf-Peter Schäfer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20100312472
    Abstract: A method of creating map data is disclosed, the map data including a plurality of navigable segments representing segments of a navigable route in the area covered by the map with each segment being arranged to have speed data associated therewith. In at least one embodiment, the method includes processing speed data relating to a plurality of the segments of the navigable route covered by the map to generate a set of generated speed profiles, with each generated speed profile within the set being an approximation to traffic speed along one or more of the segments of the navigable route and each speed profile varying with respect to time; and associating at least one speed profile from the set with a navigable segment within the map data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventors: Geert Hilbrandie, Karine Hilbrandie, Ralf-Peter Schäfer, Peter Mieth, Ian Malcom Atkinson, Martin Wolf, Ben Rutten
  • Publication number: 20100299064
    Abstract: A method of processing positioning data to create map data is disclosed, the map data including a plurality of navigable segments representing segments of a navigable route in the area covered by the map with each segment being arranged to have speed data associated therewith. In at least one embodiment, the method includes processing the speed data to categorise the speed data into a plurality of time periods for the navigable segment with which the speed data is associated; and averaging the speed data within each time period in order to generate a measured speed profile for the navigable segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventors: Geert Hilbrandie, Karine Hilbrandie, Ralf-Peter Schäfer, Ian Malcolm Atkinson, Martin Wolf, Ben Rutten, Peter Mieth
  • Publication number: 20100299055
    Abstract: A method of processing speed data is disclosed for use in the provision of enhanced map data including a plurality of navigable segments which together may define a navigable route in an area covered by a digital map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventors: Geert Hilbrandie, Karine Hilbrandie, Ralf-Peter Schäfer, Peter Mieth, Ian Malcom Atkinson, Martin Wolf, Ben Rutten
  • Publication number: 20100286907
    Abstract: A server arranged to process GPS data to generate enhanced map data is disclosed. The enhanced map data includes a plurality of navigable segments representing segments of a navigable route in an area covered by a map. In at least one embodiment, the server is connected with a wireless telecommunications transceiver arranged to receive GPS fixes by wireless telecommunication from a plurality of navigation devices and send the received GPS fixes to the server, the server includes a processor arranged to generate at least one speed profile for each segment from the GPS fixes from at least two of the plurality of navigation devices, each speed profile comprising an expected speed of travel through the segment, and the server is arranged to subsequently cause the transceiver to send the speed profiles to the navigation devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Inventors: Geert Hilbrandie, Ralf-Peter Schäfer, Peter Mieth, Ian Malcom Atkinson, Martin Wolf, Ben Rutten
  • Publication number: 20100250127
    Abstract: A method is disclosed, for processing positioning data to generate map data which includes a plurality of navigable segments representing segments of a navigable route in the area covered by the map, with each segment being arranged to have speed data associated therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Geert Hilbrandie, Karine Hilbrandie, Ralf-Peter Schäfer, Peter Mieth, Ian Malcom Atkinson, Martin Wolf, Ben Rutten
  • Publication number: 20090177373
    Abstract: A method of providing a graphical indication of traffic congestion along a stretch of physical road notionally divided by a traffic information provider into one or more road segments is disclosed. The invention also covers a navigation system, portable navigation device, and or software capable of implementing such a method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventors: Lucien Groenhuijzen, Ralf-Peter Schaefer, Nick Cohn, Stefan Lorkowski, Peter Mieth, Rob Schuurbiers