Method, apparatus, and computer program product for anonymizing trajectories

A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code portions stored therein, the computer-executable program code portions comprising program code instructions configured to:

• receive a sequence of probe data points defining a trajectory having an origin location and a destination location;
• determine, from the origin location, an origin area that includes the origin location, wherein the origin area and a respective size thereof are automatically determined based on underlying map data including one or more of a population density, a building density, or a zoning;
• determine, from the destination location, a destination area that includes the destination location, wherein the destination area and a respective size thereof are automatically determined based on underlying map data including one or more of a population density, a building density, or a zoning;
• determine an origin timestamp based on a first probe data point of the trajectory outside of the origin area, wherein the origin timestamp is determined based on a generalization of an actual timestamp of the first probe data point of the trajectory outside of the origin area;
• determine a destination timestamp based on a last probe data point of the trajectory outside of the destination area, wherein the destination timestamp is determined based on a generalization of an actual timestamp of the last probe data point of the trajectory outside of the destination area;
• generate a shared trajectory beginning with the first probe data point of the trajectory outside of the origin area and ending with the last probe data point of the trajectory outside of the destination area, omitting probe data points corresponding to locations within the origin area and within the destination area;
• and
• publish the shared trajectory including the origin timestamp and the destination timestamp to a location-based service provider.

A method comprising:

• receiving a sequence of probe data points defining a trajectory having an origin location and a destination location;
• determining, from the origin location, an origin area that includes the origin location, wherein the origin area and a respective size thereof are automatically determined based on underlying map data including one or more of a population density, a building density, or a zoning;
• determining, from the destination location, a destination area that includes the destination location, wherein the destination area and a respective size thereof are automatically determined based on underlying map data including one or more of a population density, a building density, or a zoning;
• determining an origin timestamp based on a first probe data point of the trajectory outside of the origin area, wherein the origin timestamp is determined based on a generalization of an actual timestamp of the first probe data point of the trajectory outside of the origin area;
• determining a destination timestamp based on a last probe data point of the trajectory outside of the destination area, wherein the destination timestamp is determined based on a generalization of an actual timestamp of the last probe data point of the trajectory outside of the destination area;
• generating a shared trajectory beginning with the first probe data point of the trajectory outside of the origin area and ending with the last probe data point of the trajectory outside of the destination area, omitting probe data points corresponding to locations within the origin area and within the destination area;
• and
• publishing the shared trajectory including the origin timestamp and the destination timestamp to a location-based service provider.