# US 2021/0241614 A1 · Method, apparatus, and system for automatic closure verfication using multiple possible vehicle paths > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0241614 A1 - Document ID: US20210241614A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/778,835 - Filed: 2020-01-31 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-31 - Assignees: HERE Global B.V. - Applicants: Here Global B.V. - Inventors: Omer MUBAREK; Colin WATTS-FITZGERALD - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210241614A1 ## CPC - G01C 21/3691: {Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions (arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09)} - G08G 1/0133: {for classifying traffic situation} - G08G 1/0112: {from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]} - G08G 1/0116: {from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons} - G08G 1/012: {from other sources than vehicle or roadside beacons, e.g. mobile networks} - G08G 1/0141: {for traffic information dissemination} - G08G 1/096716: {where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control} - G08G 1/096816: {where the complete route is transmitted to the vehicle at once} - G08G 1/096827: {where the route is computed onboard} - G08G 1/096838: {where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality} - G08G 1/096844: {where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data} - G08G 1/096866: {where the complete route is shown to the driver} - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) ## Abstract An approach is provided for automatically verifying a road closure using multiple possible vehicle paths between two probe points. The approach involves, for example, processing probe data to determine a possible path of a vehicle over a road graph, wherein the road graph represents a road link and one or more other road links entering or exiting the road link. The approach also involves calculating a path probability for the possible path, wherein the path probability indicates a likelihood that the possible path is a true path of the vehicle over the road graph. The approach further involves assigning a weighted vehicle count to the road link and/or one or more other road links contained in the possible path, wherein the weighted vehicle count is based on the path probability. The approach further involves detecting a traffic anomaly occurring on the road link based on the weighted vehicle count. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: processing probe data to determine at least one possible path of a vehicle over a road graph, wherein the road graph represents a road link and one or more other road links entering or exiting the road link; calculating a path probability for the at least one possible path, wherein the path probability indicates a likelihood that the at least one possible path is a true path of the vehicle over the road graph; assigning a weighted vehicle count to the road link, the one or more other road links, or a combination thereof contained in the at least one possible path, wherein the weighted vehicle count is based on the path probability; and detecting a traffic anomaly occurring on the road link based on the weighted vehicle count. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: verifying a road closure on the road link based on the detected traffic anomaly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: monitoring other probe data from at least one other vehicle traveling over the road graph; and iterating the calculating of the path probability and the assigning of the weighted vehicle count over the other probe data, wherein the traffic anomaly is detected further based on the iterating over the other probe data. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: discarding a path from the at least one possible path based on determining that the path probability for the path does not meet a probability criterion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the probability criterion includes a minimum probability threshold. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the probability criterion is based on how many times a maximum probability can be greater than the path probability. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: normalizing the weighted vehicle count after the discarding of the path from the at least one possible path. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: maintaining the weighted vehicle count as unchanged after the discarding of the path from the at least one possible path. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one possible path includes a plurality of possible paths, and wherein the probability criterion includes keeping a designated number of the plurality paths and discarding any paths more than then the designated number. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the keeping of the designated number of the plurality of paths, the discarding of the any paths, or a combination thereof is based on a magnitude of path probability values for the plurality of paths. ### Claim 11 An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following, process probe data to determine at least one possible path of a vehicle over a road graph, wherein the road graph represents a road link and one or more other road links entering or exiting the road link; calculate a path probability for the at least one possible path, wherein the path probability indicates a likelihood that the at least one possible path is a true path of the vehicle over the road graph; assign a weighted vehicle count to the road link, the one or more other road links, or a combination thereof contained in the at least one possible path, wherein the weighted vehicle count is based on the path probability; and detect a traffic anomaly occurring on the road link based on the weighted vehicle count. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to: verify a road closure on the road link based on the detected traffic anomaly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to: monitor other probe data from at least one other vehicle traveling over the road graph; and iterate the calculating of the path probability and the assigning of the weighted vehicle count over the other probe data, wherein the traffic anomaly is detected further based on the iterating over the other probe data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to: discard a path from the at least one possible path based on determining that the path probability for the path does not meet a probability criterion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the probability criterion includes a minimum probability threshold. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the probability criterion is based on how many times a maximum probability can be greater than the path probability. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus is further caused to: normalize the weighted vehicle count after the discarding of the path from the at least one possible path. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus is further caused to: maintain the weighted vehicle count as unchanged after the discarding of the path from the at least one possible path. ### Claim 19 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps: processing probe data to determine at least one possible path of a vehicle over a road graph, wherein the road graph represents a road link and one or more other road links entering or exiting the road link; calculating a path probability for the at least one possible path, wherein the path probability indicates a likelihood that the at least one possible path is a true path of the vehicle over the road graph; assigning a weighted vehicle count to the road link, the one or more other road links, or a combination thereof contained in the at least one possible path, wherein the weighted vehicle count is based on the path probability; and verifying a road closure on the road link based on the weighted vehicle count. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform: monitoring other probe data from at least one other vehicle traveling over the road graph; and iterating the calculating of the path probability and the assigning of the weighted vehicle count over the other probe data, wherein the road closure is further verified based on the iterating over the other probe data.