System and method for map matching GNSS positions of a vehicle

A system for map matching Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positions of a vehicle with location information from a digital road map, comprising:

• a GNSS position sensor configured to capture a plurality of GNSS positions of the vehicle along a route of the vehicle;
• a vehicle sensor configured to detect a distance between two captured, successive GNSS positions of the vehicle of the plurality of GNSS positions, and recording the distance;
• and
• at least one computing device configured to:
• receive and record the plurality of GNSS positions and the distance between the two captured, successive GNSS positions;
• and
• map match the distance between the two captured, successive GNSS positions of the vehicle with a route length between the two captured, successive GNSS positions of the vehicle in the digital road map,
• wherein the map matching further comprises calculating a probability density for a transition from a first matching candidate location ct,i in the digital road map in a time step t to a second matching candidate location ct+1,j in the digital road map in a time step t+1 using the following equation:
• p
• ⁡
• (
• r
• ,
• d
• )
• =
• 1
• σ
• ⁢
• 2
• ⁢
• π
• ⁢
• e
• -
• 1
• 2
• ⁢
• (
• r
• -
• d
• σ
• )
• ⁢
• 2
• where r is a route length of a quickest route in the digital road map between ct,i and ct+1,j, d is a distance traveled by the vehicle between the time step t and the time step t+1, p(r,d) is the probability density, σ is a standard deviation of the plurality of GNSS positions, and i and j are numeric placeholders for location information,
• wherein the at least one computing device is further configured to:
• periodically receive a current speed and/or a current average speed of a plurality of vehicles;
• and
• use the current speed and/or the current average speed of the plurality of vehicles to calculate traffic information,
• wherein using the current speed and/or the current average speed of the plurality of vehicles to calculate traffic information further comprises calculating an expected time of arrival and/or average speeds of road sections.

A non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium having stored thereon a computer program that, when executed by at least one computing device, cause the at least one computing device to perform a method comprising:

• capturing a plurality of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positions of a vehicle along a route of the vehicle using a GNSS position sensor;
• detecting, using a vehicle sensor, a distance between two captured, successive GNSS positions of the vehicle of the plurality of GNSS positions;
• and
• map matching the distance between the two captured, successive GNSS positions of the vehicle with a route length between the two captured, successive GNSS positions of the vehicle in a digital road map,
• wherein the map matching comprises calculating a probability density for a transition from a first matching candidate location ct,i in the digital road map in a time step t to a second matching candidate location ct+1,j in the digital road map in a time step t+1 using the following equation:
• p
• ⁡
• (
• r
• ,
• d
• )
• =
• 1
• σ
• ⁢
• 2
• ⁢
• π
• ⁢
• e
• -
• 1
• 2
• ⁢
• (
• r
• -
• d
• σ
• )
• ⁢
• 2
• where r is a route length of a quickest route in the digital road map between ct,i and ct+1,j, d is a distance traveled by the vehicle between the time step t and the time step t+1, p(r,d) is the probability density, σ is a standard deviation of the plurality of GNSS positions, and i and j are numeric placeholders for location information,
• wherein the method further comprises:
• periodically transmitting a current speed and/or a current average speed of a plurality of vehicles to the server outside the vehicle;
• and
• using, by the server outside the vehicle, at least the current speed and/or the current average speed of the plurality of vehicles to calculate traffic information, and
• wherein using the current speed and/or the current average speed of the plurality of vehicles to calculate traffic information further comprises calculating an expected time of arrival and/or average speeds of road sections.