Locating a client device using ground truth image rendering

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program instructions executable by a processor to perform operations for estimating a location of a client device, the operations comprising:

• receiving, from a client device, a global positioning system (GPS) trace used to identify a pickup location estimate in a geographic region where the client device is located;
• determining that the geographic region matches a region determined to be associated with erroneous GPS traces, the region determined to be associated with the erroneous GPS traces based on at least a number of GPS traces that are received from client devices located within vehicles and indicate that the client devices are at locations without road access;
• causing display at the client device of a user interface prompt that, when selected, initiates a process for improving the pickup location estimate;
• in response to detecting a selection of the user interface prompt, causing display of a prompt to capture, by the client device, an image of a vicinity of the client device;
• receiving, from the client device, a rendering of the image captured by the client device;
• determining, by comparing the received rendering to entries in a database of renderings, each entry including a respective rendering and a respective associated location, that
• the received rendering matches a respective rendering included in a respective entry in the database of renderings;
• and
• transmitting a location associated with the matching rendering to the client device, wherein a visual indication of a location of the client device based on the transmitted location is displayed on a user interface of the client device.

A system, comprising:

• a processor for executing computer program instructions;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program instructions executable by the processor to perform operations for estimating a location of a client device, the operations comprising:
• receiving, from a client device, a global positioning system (GPS) trace used to identify a pickup location estimate in a geographic region where the client device is located;
• determining that the geographic region matches a region determined to be associated with erroneous GPS traces, the region determined to be associated with the erroneous GPS traces based on at least a number of GPS traces that are received from client devices located within vehicles and indicate that the client devices are at locations without road access;
• causing display at the client device of a user interface prompt that, when selected, initiates a process for improving the pickup location estimate;
• in response to detecting a selection of the user interface prompt, causing display of a prompt to capture, by the client device, an image of a vicinity of the client device;
• receiving, from the client device, a rendering of the image captured by the client device;
• determining, by comparing the received rendering to entries in a database of renderings, each entry including a respective rendering and a respective associated location, that
• the received rendering matches a respective rendering included in a respective entry in the database of renderings;
• and
• transmitting a location associated with the matching rendering to the client device, wherein a visual indication of a location of the client device based on the transmitted location is displayed on a user interface of the client device.