Apple Inc.
Detecting Changes in Map Data Based on Device Location Data

Abstract:

In some implementations, a computing device evaluates map data used by a mapping application to determine whether the map data represents a current road. The computing device gets probe data from mobile devices including probe points representing location and compares probe data against the stored map data (e.g., for the road segment corresponding to the probe points). A vector field is generated across the probe points and road segment to induce directionality. The computing device calculates a normal distance from probe points to the road segment. The computing device calculates map accuracy values from the comparison and normal distance. The values include a vector shift and a cosine similarity value between the stored road segment and the actual road. In some implementations the values are used to conform the map data to the actual road. Road segment data is updated to reflect probe data.