Off-road map creation using vehicle data

Abstract

Disclosed embodiments include systems, vehicles, and computer-implemented methods for recording location coordinates and additional data for unmapped routes. In an illustrative embodiment, a system includes: a computing device including: a positioning system configured to determine location coordinates of the positioning system; a processor; and a computer-readable medium configured to store computer-executable instructions configured to cause the processor to: responsive to determining that the location coordinates indicate that the positioning system is operating on an unmapped route that is not included in existing map data accessible by the processor, record location coordinates for each of a plurality of points along the unmapped route in a new map data set; record additional data for at least a portion of the unmapped route in the new map data set; and transmit the new map data set to a remote data repository from which the new map data is accessible by another user.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to a system, vehicle, and computer-based method for creating off-road maps using vehicle data. Background Technology

[0002] There exists a detailed database mapping most roads. Therefore, when a vehicle is operating on a road, the navigation system can use this database to accurately identify the vehicle's position relative to the current route, other roads, and other landmarks or potential points of interest. In contrast, when a vehicle is traveling on an unmapped route, such as when it begins off-road driving, the existing road database can provide little or no information about the terrain being traversed. Therefore, the vehicle operator may have little or no information about the off-road terrain before or while the vehicle is traversing it.

[0003] The statements in this section are provided only as background information in connection with this disclosure and do not constitute prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The disclosed implementation includes systems, vehicles, and computer-based methods for recording location coordinates and other data for unmapped routes.

[0005] In an exemplary embodiment, a system includes: a computing device comprising: a positioning system configured to determine location coordinates of the positioning system; a processor; and a computer-readable medium configured to store computer-executable instructions configured to cause the processor to: in response to determining location coordinates indicating that the positioning system is operating on an unmapped route, record location coordinates for each of a plurality of points along the unmapped route in a new map dataset, the unmapped route not included in existing map data accessible to the processor; record additional data for at least a portion of the unmapped route in the new map dataset; and transmit the new map dataset to a remote data repository from which another user can access the new map data.

[0006] In another exemplary embodiment, a vehicle includes: a body; a drive system; and a computing device including: a positioning system configured to determine the location coordinates of the positioning system; a processor; and a computer-readable medium configured to store computer-executable instructions configured to cause the processor to: in response to determining the location coordinates indicating that the positioning system is operating on an unmapped route, record the location coordinates of each of a plurality of points along the unmapped route in a new map dataset, the unmapped route not included in existing map data accessible to the processor; record additional data for at least a portion of the unmapped route in the new map dataset; and transmit the new map dataset to a remote data repository from which another user can access the new map data.

[0007] In another exemplary embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes: determining when a computing device travels an unmapped route that is not included in existing map data; and in response to determining that the computing device is traveling an unmapped route: recording the location coordinates of each of a plurality of points along the unmapped route in a new map dataset; and recording additional data for at least a portion of the unmapped route in the new map dataset; and transmitting the new map dataset to a remote data repository from which another user can access the new map data.

[0008] Other applicable features, advantages, and areas will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that this specification and specific examples are intended for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0009] The accompanying drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure in any way. Components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but rather the emphasis is on illustrating the principles of the disclosed embodiments. In the drawings:

[0010] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a system used to record location coordinates and additional data for unmapped routes;

[0011] Figures 2 to 4 yes Figure 1 A diagram of the system's attributes;

[0012] Figures 5 to 7 It is a block diagram of an exemplary system and exemplary screen display used to record location coordinates and additional data in a new map dataset;

[0013] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a scoring system used to assign scores to routes described in a new map dataset;

[0014] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing how users access new map datasets over the network;

[0015] Figure 10 It is a block diagram of an exemplary system and exemplary screen display for following routes described by a new map dataset;

[0016] Figure 11 It includes Figure 1 A block diagram of a partial schematic representation of an exemplary vehicle in the system;

[0017] Figure 12 and Figure 13 They can be equipped with Figure 1 A partial schematic block diagram of electric vehicles and internal combustion engine-powered vehicles in the system;

[0018] Figure 14 It is possible to access Figure 1 A perspective view of the vehicle's cabin;

[0019] Figure 15 It is used for execution Figure 1 A block diagram illustrating the functions of a computing system;

[0020] Figure 16 It communicates with one or more remote computing systems. Figure 1 A block diagram of one or more exemplary systems; and

[0021] Figure 17 This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for recording location coordinates and additional data for unmapped routes. Detailed Implementation

[0022] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form part of the detailed description. In the drawings, like reference numerals generally identify like parts unless the context otherwise indicates. The exemplary embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not intended to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized and other changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented herein.

[0023] By way of non-limiting introduction and overview, various disclosed embodiments include systems, vehicles, and computer-implemented methods for recording location coordinates and other data for unmapped routes. In various embodiments, an exemplary system includes a computing device comprising: a positioning system configured to determine the positioning system's location coordinates; a processor; and a computer-readable medium configured to store computer-executable instructions configured to cause the processor to: in response to determining location coordinates indicating that the positioning system is operating on an unmapped route, record the location coordinates for each of a plurality of points along the unmapped route in a new map dataset, the unmapped route not included in existing map data accessible to the processor; record additional data for at least a portion of the unmapped route in the new map dataset; and transmit the new map dataset to a remote data repository from which another user can access the new map data. In other words, using the positioning system and other data capture devices associated with the positioning system, the positioning system can map its off-road travel by recording location coordinates and other information. This information can then be accessed to present a map of the route for subsequent off-road travel. Location coordinates can be used to draw routes, while additional data provides details about the nature of the route, the difficulty of the terrain, or other information that can be used in considering or traveling the route.

[0024] Now that a general overview has been given, the details of the various implementation schemes will be explained through non-restrictive examples given only as examples and not as limitations.

[0025] refer to Figure 1 System 100 includes a computing device 110 that can be associated with a vehicle, as further described below, and is used to capture data to create a new map dataset for a route not included in existing map data. The computing device 110 includes a processor 112 that operates according to computer-executable instructions 120 stored in a computer-readable medium, such as a non-transitory, non-volatile solid-state, or disk-based storage device. The computing device 110 includes a positioning system 116, such as a Global Positioning System (GPS) or a similar system, as referenced below. Figure 3 Further description. In various embodiments, the positioning system 116 may be integrated with the processor 112 and other devices described herein within a single computing device. Alternatively, the positioning system 116 may be a separate device communicating with the processor 112. In any embodiment, the positioning system 116 communicates with the processor of the computing device 110, as described below.

[0026] In various implementations, the positioning system 116 is configured to access existing map data 122, which can be used to assist the positioning system 116 in providing navigation assistance for known routes by associating location coordinates with the existing map data 122. Using the location coordinates, the positioning system 116 is able to identify its location, which is its position relative to a known route and / or an identifiable destination in the existing map data 122. Using this information, a route to the desired destination, estimated travel time, suggested route planning instructions, and other information can be generated, such as that familiar to users to navigation systems provided by GPS devices, smartphones, vehicle navigation systems, and similar systems.

[0027] In various implementations, positioning system 116 may also use existing map data 122 to identify when positioning system 116 is traveling a route not included in existing map data 122. In various implementations, as further described below, computing device 110 may use positioning system 116 to collect location coordinates of routes in a repository for new map data 124. New map data 124 may store one or more new map datasets 130 for one or more routes not included in existing map data 122. One or more new map datasets 130 may then be accessed to allow a user ( Figure 1 (Not shown in the image) can consider traveling and / or navigating one or more routes described in the new map dataset 130. Similar to the computer-executable instructions 124, the existing map data 122 and the new map data 124 can be stored in a computer-readable medium such as a non-transitory, non-volatile solid-state or disk-based storage device. As further described below, the existing map data 122 and the new map data 124 can be stored in a remote storage device (…). Figure 1 Data can be accessed from and / or stored from the remote storage device in a local storage device (not shown) and / or in a local storage device within the computing device 110.

[0028] In various embodiments, system 100 also includes a display 140, such as an interactive touchscreen display typically included in navigation systems, which a user can use to view map data or other data and / or interact with system 100. In various embodiments, system 100 also includes an audio output device 142 for providing auditory signals to the user, such as suggested route planning instructions. In various embodiments, system 100 also includes an audio input device 144 for enabling the user to provide verbal commands for engaging with or controlling system 100.

[0029] Furthermore, in various embodiments, system 100 includes a data capture device 150, which system 100 can use to collect information about the route being traveled. In various embodiments, in addition to the location coordinates provided by positioning system 116, data capture device 150 is also used to collect information about the route. Data capture device 150 can be used to collect information about the nature and / or severity of the route, as referenced below. Figure 4 Further description is provided in the accompanying drawings. In various embodiments, components of computing device 110 and other devices included in system 100 communicate via bus 114 or a similar conduit for exchanging data between devices. It should be understood that although components of computing device 110 and other devices included in system 100 are shown as communicating via… Figure 1 Communication can be achieved through a single bus 114, but multiple shared buses and / or dedicated buses or communication lines for specific components or devices can also be used.

[0030] For further reference Figure 2 In various implementations, existing map storage device 122 and new map data 124 may reside within computing device 110, and / or may reside in remote existing map data 222 and remote new map data 224 accessible by one or more remote computing devices 110. Remote existing data 222 can provide updates to existing map data 122, and can provide updates to system 100 (…). Figure 1Map data is provided for areas that are not frequently traversed and is therefore stored discontinuously in existing map data 122 residing within computing device 110. Similarly, when one or more new map datasets 130 are created in computing device 110, the new map datasets 130 can be copied or otherwise transferred to remote new map data 224. New map datasets 130 can be transferred to remote new map data 224 continuously or periodically, or when a particular new map dataset 130 is completed, such as when an off-road trek ends, or when system 100 resumes trekking on a route included in existing map data 122 or 222. Furthermore, the new map datasets 130 stored in remote new map data 224 can be accessed via computing device 110, enabling users of computing device 110 to view, consider, and / or navigate routes described by one or more new map datasets 130, as further described below. In various implementations, remote existing map data 222 and remote new map data 224 are configured to operate as virtual storage devices or cloud storage devices. Therefore, the exchange of information between computing device 110 and remote computing device 210 is transparent to the user, requiring no user action to transfer data between devices 110 and 210 or to inform the user which device the data resides on. Computing device 110 and remote computing device 210 can communicate via wide area network 250, as described below. Figure 16 Further description.

[0031] For further reference Figure 3 The positioning system 116 may include components that can be used to determine the location of system 100. Figure 1 The positioning system 116 may include one or more different systems for determining the location coordinates of the positioning system. In various embodiments, the positioning system 116 may include a Global Positioning System 316 and a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) that triangulates the location of the positioning system in two- or three-dimensional space by communicating with three or more geostationary satellites. In various embodiments, in addition to the Global Positioning System 316, the system 100 may also include a geolocation system 318. The geolocation system 318 may communicate with transmission sources such as cellular communication towers or other wireless networks. By assessing signal strength and / or triangulating these transmission sources, the geolocation system 318 may also determine the location coordinates of the positioning system 116. The Global Positioning System 316 and the geolocation system 318 may operate independently or collaboratively, wherein one of the systems 316 or 318 may supplement location information obtained from the other system 316 or 318 to provide location coordinates with greater accuracy.

[0032] For further reference Figure 4In various implementations, data capture device 150 includes one or more devices configured to capture data that can be used to represent and / or evaluate new routes taken. System 100 ( Figure 1 One or more data capture devices 150 can be combined, and / or the system 100 can be coupled to the data capture device 150, such as a vehicle associated with the system. Figure 4 (Not shown) These data acquisition devices may be included. In various embodiments, data acquisition device 150 includes an inertial measurement unit 452. The inertial measurement unit 452 may include one or more of an accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, or other devices configured to detect and measure acceleration, force, angular rate, angular orientation, or other data in one or more planes. Thus, the inertial measurement unit 452 can determine the slope of a ramp, the abruptness of a turn, or other aspects of a route that may represent its severity and drivability.

[0033] In various embodiments, the data acquisition device 150 may also include a compass 454 for measuring orientation relative to the Earth's magnetic field. In various embodiments, an altimeter 456 may measure the height of a point (independently or in conjunction with data provided by the positioning system 116). In various embodiments, one or more cameras 458 may be used to capture image data representing terrain or a scene. In various embodiments, other devices 460 may also include information for measuring the roughness, slippage, or severity of the terrain, or other information of interest when evaluating a particular route.

[0034] The following description further illustrates the use of System 100 in motion. Figures 1 to 4 The operation of the device. For illustrative purposes, it is assumed that system 100 and at least a portion of the device described herein are associated with a vehicle traveling on a known route included in existing map data 122 and on a route not included in existing map data 122.

[0035] For further reference Figure 5 System 100 consists of vehicles ( Figure 5 (Not shown in the image). The vehicle's position 500 is represented on a map 505 displayed on a display 140 of the system 100. The vehicle's position 500 is located on a known route 520, which, along with several other known routes 525, are included in the existing map data 122 of the system 100. In various embodiments, the positioning system 116 generates position coordinates 550 that describe the vehicle's position 500 in a two-axis space (x, y) describing the vehicle's lateral location or in a three-axis space (x, y, z) describing the vehicle's lateral and elevation locations. The system 100 is configured to attempt to correlate the position coordinates 550 with the existing map data 122.

[0036] Because the system determines that the vehicle's location 500 is on a known route 520 included in the existing map data 122, the system 100 can provide navigation assistance using only the existing map data 122 without consulting the new map data 124 (therefore it can...). Figure 5 (Indicated by dashed lines). It should be understood that map 505 may also include at least one open area 530 that does not include any of the known roads 520 and / or 525. The open area 530 may include unmapped terrain, bodies of water, and / or other geographical features not crossed by the known roads 520 and / or 525.

[0037] For further reference Figure 6 The vehicle's position 600 indicates that the vehicle has deviated from the known road 520 and is now located in an open area 530. The positioning system 116 generates position coordinates (x', y', z') 650, and the system 100 determines that these position coordinates are off the known road 520 and / or 525. Therefore, the vehicle's position 600 is no longer in the existing map data 122 (and thus it is in...). Figure 6 The location is described within the dashed line and is situated on the unmapped route 605. In various embodiments, in response to system 100 determining that the vehicle's position 600 is not included in the existing map data 122, system 100 records the position coordinates 650 of position 600 and other coordinates for travel on the unmapped route 605 for inclusion in the new map dataset 630.

[0038] In various implementations, in addition to recording position coordinates 650, 660, and 670 along the unmapped route 605, system 100 also uses data capture device 150 ( Figure 1 and Figure 4 Data is collected to gather additional data 651, 661, and 671 at points along the unmapped route 605, respectively. In various embodiments, the additional data 651 collected for position coordinates 650 may include data collected by inertial measurement unit 452. Figure 4 The pitch 652 of the slope or the roll 653 of the surface, determined by a compass 454 or another device. In various embodiments, additional data 651 may also include orientation 653, such as relative to the compass 454. Figure 4The compass direction of travel is determined by a 360-degree reference frame. In various embodiments, supplementary data 651 may also include angular acceleration 655 recorded at the capture point to reflect the force acting on the vehicle at position coordinate 650, determined by inertial measurement unit 452 or another device. In various embodiments, supplementary data may include still or moving images 656, which capture views of the unmapped route 605 from a forward, rear, or side camera. In various embodiments, position coordinates 650, 660, and 670 and supplementary data 651, 661, and 671 are stored in a new map dataset 630 to record a detailed record of the unmapped route 605 for later analysis and consideration, as further described below.

[0039] It should be understood that data for the unmapped route 605, including position coordinates 650, 660, and 670 and corresponding supplementary data 651, 661, and 671, can be sampled at any desired rate and in any desired manner. In various embodiments, sampling can be performed at predetermined time intervals or predetermined distance intervals, or the intervals can vary based on speed, slope, angular acceleration, user preference, or other considerations. In various embodiments, each type of supplementary information 651, 661, or 671 can be collected at each of the associated position coordinates 650, 660, and 670. In various embodiments, multiple types of supplementary information 651, 661, or 671 can be sampled at some predetermined portions of the associated position coordinates 650, 660, and 670. For example, image 656 may not be collected at each of the position coordinates 650, 660, and 670, but it can be sampled based on time, distance traveled, or other parameters. Sampling can be predetermined or adjustable based on user preference. There are no limitations on the sampling rate or the type of data collected.

[0040] For further reference Figure 7 In various implementations of completing unmapped route 605, a new map dataset 630 is uploaded to new map data 224 at a remote computing device 210. In various implementations, unmapped route 605 is considered complete when the vehicle's position 700 is again determined to be on a known road, such as a known road 520 included in existing map data 122. A wide area network 250 can be used. Figure 2 The new map dataset 630 is transmitted to the remote computing device 210. In various implementations, as data is collected, the data included in the new map dataset 630 can also be transmitted continuously to the remote computing device 210, or the data can be transmitted at selected or predetermined intervals.

[0041] It should be understood that although a vehicle leaves known roads 520 and / or 525, it may be outside the range of WAN 250, and therefore cannot upload the new map dataset 630 while traveling on unmapped route 605. Therefore, it may be expected that the new map dataset 630 will be uploaded after travel on unmapped route 605 is completed. Furthermore, it should be understood that not every known route 520 and / or 525 is within the communication range of WAN 250; therefore, the new map dataset 630 may remain on system 100 until transmission on WAN 250 becomes available. Transmission of the new map dataset 630 may also be expected when system 100 is within range of a Wi-Fi network to avoid using bandwidth on a cellular network or other WAN 250. The implementation is not limited to any specific process or timing for transmitting the new map dataset 630 to remote computing device 210.

[0042] For further reference Figure 8 In various implementations, the scoring system 800 can be used to assign scores 810 to unmapped routes 605 represented in the new route dataset 630. Figure 6 and Figure 7 In various implementations, the scoring system 800 may include software modules executed on computing device 110 and / or remote computing device 210 that evaluate elements of the new route dataset 630 to assess the level of challenge or difficulty presented by the unmapped route 605.

[0043] In various implementations, the scoring system 800 can evaluate additional data 651, 661, and 671 associated with each of the corresponding location coordinates 650, 660, and 670, and assign scores based on any parameter (such as pitch 652, roll 653, angular acceleration 655, or other parameters) exceeding various thresholds. When the new route dataset 630 does not include any parameter exceeding any of the thresholds, the scoring system 800 can assign a score 810, thereby indicating the unmapped route 605 ( Figure 6 The route 605 is not difficult. In contrast, if the new route dataset 630 includes parameters exceeding increasingly higher thresholds, which could indicate a more difficult route, a score 810 indicating a higher difficulty coefficient can be assigned by the scoring system 800. The score 810 can be associated with the new route dataset 630 for the unmapped route 605. Therefore, when a user considers the unmapped route 605 as described below, the score 810 can help the user decide whether to proceed with the unmapped route 605.

[0044] For further reference Figure 9If a new route dataset 630 is available via remote computing device 210, a user may operate the vehicle to generate the new route dataset 630, or another user may access the new route dataset 630. For example, user 910 of computing device 110 associated with the vehicle may search for available new route datasets 905, which may include the new route dataset 930. Available new route datasets 905 may be searchable by location, duration, distance, difficulty level, or other parameters. User 901 of computing device 110 may search for unmapped routes 605 associated with the new route dataset 630. Figure 6 In their vehicle near the location, using WAN 250 to access remote computing device 210, user 901 can find new route dataset 930 and decide to proceed with unmapped data route 605.

[0045] In various implementations, users can also search for available new route datasets 905 from other devices. For example, user 902 of computer 912 (whether a desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, or other computing system capable of accessing remote computing device 210 via WAN 250) can also study unmapped routes 605 described by the new route dataset 630. Similarly, user 903 of smartphone 913, who can access remote computing device 210 via WAN 250, can also study unmapped routes 605 described by the new route dataset 630. Thus, according to various implementations, users can use system 100 to capture new route datasets 630 about previously unmapped routes, allowing them to revisit those routes. In various implementations, the new map dataset 630 can be made available to others, allowing them to follow routes recorded by the original user in the new route dataset 630.

[0046] For further reference Figure 10 Once a user finds a new route dataset 630, the user can access the new route dataset 630 to travel on the unmapped route 630 described by the new route dataset 630. Using a navigation system such as system 100, the user can retrieve the new route dataset 630. In various embodiments, system 100 presents a route 605 described by the new route dataset 630 on display 140, similar to how system 100 presents a route to a selected destination from existing map data 122. In various embodiments, the user can select along route 605 (e.g., by using number 1010) to retrieve data about locations on route 605, such as location coordinates 1050 and additional data 1051, which may include pitch 1052, roll 1053, orientation 1054, and angular acceleration 1055. The user may also be able to retrieve an image 1056 captured and associated with location coordinates 1050.

[0047] In various implementations, system 100 can be integrated into a vehicle, such as a car, truck, SUV, minivan, or recreational vehicle. In various implementations, the vehicle may also include a motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle, or electric-assisted bicycle or bicycle.

[0048] For further reference Figure 11 In various embodiments, vehicle 1100 includes a system 100 as described herein for recording location coordinates and additional data for unmapped routes. In various embodiments, vehicle 1100 includes a body 1102, which may include a cabin 1104 capable of accommodating an operator, one or more passengers, and / or cargo, and a cargo area 1106 separate from the cabin 1104, such as a trunk or cargo box, capable of transporting cargo. System 100 is accessible from the cabin 1104. Vehicle 1100 includes a drive system 1120, as further described below, which can selectively engage one or more front wheels 1122 and / or one or more rear wheels 1124 to enable vehicle 1100 to start, accelerate, decelerate, stop, and steer. In various embodiments, vehicle 1100 also includes a data capture device 1150, such as those previously referenced. Figure 4 The data capture devices described. In various embodiments, system 100 may communicate with both data capture device 1150 and drive system 1120, which may include sensing devices or data capture devices that can also be used to collect data about the terrain being traveled.

[0049] For further reference Figure 12 In various embodiments, system 100 can be used with electric vehicle 1200. Wheels 1212 and / or 1214 can be actuated by one or more electric drive systems 1220 and / or 1224, such as motors, operatively coupled to wheels 1212 and / or 1214. Drive systems 1222 and 1224 draw power from a battery system, which can also be used to power system 100.

[0050] For further reference Figure 13 In various embodiments, system 100 can be used with an internal combustion engine-powered vehicle 1300. Wheels 1312 and / or 1314 can be driven by an internal combustion engine or hybrid engine 1320 connected to a fuel tank 1310 via a fuel line 1311. Engine 1320 can be coupled to wheels 1312 and / or 1314 respectively via mechanical linkages 1330 and 1340, which include an axle, drive axle, or other transmission system to provide rotational force to power wheels 1312 and / or 1314. It should be understood that... Figures 11 to 13 A four-wheeled land vehicle is shown. However, as previously mentioned, it should be understood that system 100 can be integrated with other land vehicles.

[0051] For further reference Figure 14 In various implementations, system 100 can be integrated into the dashboard or console 1410 within the vehicle's cabin. Display 140 ( Figure 1 The display can be fixed to a dashboard or console 1410, where it can be accessed by the vehicle operator or passengers. In various embodiments, the portable computing device 1450 can be configured as described in Reference System 100 and carried in the vehicle. The portable computing device 1450, which may include a smartphone, tablet computer, or other portable device, can connect to the data capture device 150 via a wired or wireless interface 1460. Figure 1 The handover will be carried out.

[0052] For further reference Figure 15 And given by way of example only and not limitation, system 100 may include a general-purpose computing system 1500 configured to operate according to computer-executable instructions for recording location coordinates and additional information. Computing system 1500 typically includes system memory 1530 and, as referenced... Figure 1 At least one processor 112 is described. Depending on the configuration and type of the computing system, system memory 1530 may include volatile memory such as random access memory (“RAM”), non-volatile memory such as read-only memory (“ROM”), flash memory, or a combination of volatile and non-volatile memory. System memory 1530 typically holds an operating system 1531, one or more application programs 1532, and program data 1534. Operating system 1531 may include any number of operating systems capable of running on a desktop or portable device, including but not limited to Linux, Microsoft... Apple or Alternatively, a proprietary operating system may be used. Application 1532 may include instructions 120 for recording location coordinates and additional data as described herein, and instructions for sending or receiving new map datasets, as previously described. Program data 1534 may include existing map data 122 and new map data 124, as previously described.

[0053] The computing system 1500 may also have additional features or functions. For example, the computing system 1500 may also include additional (removable and / or non-removable) data storage devices, such as, for example, disks, optical discs, magnetic tapes, or flash memory. Such additional storage devices... Figure 15The image shows removable storage device 1540 and non-removable storage device 1550. Computer storage media may include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. System memory 1530, removable storage device 1540 and non-removable storage device 1550 are all examples of computer storage media. Available types of computer storage media include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory (in both removable and non-removable forms) or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital multi-purpose disc (DVD) or other optical storage devices, magnetic tape, disk storage devices or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store desired information and is accessible by computing system 1500. Any such computer storage medium may be part of computing system 1500.

[0054] The computing system 1500 may also have input devices 1560, such as a keyboard, stylus, voice input device, touchscreen input device, etc. It may also include output devices 1570, such as a display, speaker, short-range transceiver such as a Bluetooth transceiver, etc. The computing system 1500 may also include one or more communication systems 1580, which allow the computing system 1500 to communicate with a wide area network 250 (WAN 250). Figure 2 Other computing systems 1590, such as remote computing device 210, communicate. Communication systems 1580 may include systems for wired or wireless communication. Communication media in various forms typically deliver computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data as modulated data signals (such as carrier waves or other transmission mechanisms) and include any information transmission medium. The term "modulated data signal" may include a signal having one or more characteristics set or altered in a manner such as encoding information in the signal. By way of illustrative example only and not limitation, communication media may include wired media such as wired networks or direct wiring connections, and wireless media such as acoustic media, radio frequency (RF) media, infrared media, and other wireless media. As used herein, the term computer-readable medium includes both storage media and communication media. Computing system 1500 may include positioning system 116, which may include a Global Positioning System (“GPS”) and / or geolocation circuitry, as previously described.

[0055] In addition to one or more in-vehicle computing systems, various implementations may also communicate with remote computing systems to perform the functions described herein. See also... Figure 16 The operating environment 1600 may include one or more sets of remote computing systems 1610, which may be similar to remote computing device 210. Figure 2The remote computing system 1610 may operate to, for example, receive and originate from a new map dataset 130. It should be understood that the remote computing system 1610 may include one or more computing devices 1622 that may reside at one or more locations. In various embodiments, the remote computing system 1610 may each include a server or a cluster of servers. Instructions or data such as the new map dataset 130 ( Figure 1 The data can be stored in a high-speed storage device 1630, which can be accessed by a remote computing system 1610 via a high-speed bus 1626.

[0056] In various implementations, the remote computing system 1610 is connected to the wide area network 250 via a wired and / or wireless communication link 1613. Figure 2 System 100 can communicate with vehicles such as vehicle 1100. Figure 11 The system 100 can be integrated into or carried on the vehicle. The system 100 can communicate via a wide area network 250 through a communication link 1611 to access a remote computing system 1610, thereby storing or retrieving data from a data storage device 1630. The communication link 1611 may include a wireless communication link for mobile communication with the system 100, or may include a wired link for use, for example, when the vehicle 1100 includes an electric vehicle stopped and / or plugged in for charging. As previously described, the system 100 can also be implemented on a portable computing device 1450, which can communicate with the wide area network 250 via a wireless communication link 1612.

[0057] For further reference Figure 17 An exemplary method 1700 is provided for recording location coordinates and additional data for unmapped routes. The method begins at box 1705. At box 1710, it is determined when a computing device travels an unmapped route not included in existing map data. At box 1720, in response to determining that the computing device is traveling along an unmapped route, location coordinates for each of a plurality of points along the unmapped route are recorded in a new map dataset. At box 1730, additional data is recorded for at least a portion of the unmapped route in the new map dataset. At box 1740, the new map dataset is transmitted to a remote data repository from which another user can access the new map data. The method ends at box 1745.

[0058] Those skilled in the art will recognize that at least a portion of the devices and / or processes described herein can be integrated into a data processing system. Those skilled in the art will recognize that a data processing system typically includes one or more of the following: a system unit housing, a video display device, memory (such as volatile or non-volatile memory), a processor (such as a microprocessor or digital signal processor), a computing entity (such as an operating system), drivers, a graphical user interface and applications, one or more interactive devices (e.g., a touchpad, a touchscreen, an antenna, etc.), and / or a control system including feedback loops and control motors (e.g., feedback for sensing position and / or speed; control motors for moving and / or adjusting components and / or quantities). The data processing system can be implemented using suitable commercially available components, such as those typically found in data computing / communication and / or network computing / communication systems.

[0059] As used in the preceding / following disclosures, the term "module" can refer to a collection of one or more components arranged in a particular manner, or a collection of one or more general components that can be configured to operate in a particular manner at one or more specific points in time and / or also configured to operate in one or more other manners at one or more additional times. For example, the same hardware or the same part of hardware can be configured / reconfigured sequentially / in parallel to a first type of module (e.g., at a first time), a second type of module (e.g., at a second time, which in some cases may coincide with, overlap with, or follow the first time), and / or a third type of module (e.g., at a third time, which in some cases may coincide with, overlap with, or follow the first and / or second times), etc. Reconfigurable and / or controllable components (e.g., general-purpose processors, digital signal processors, field-programmable gate arrays, etc.) can be configured as a first module with a first purpose, then as a second module with a second purpose, then as a third module with a third purpose, etc. The transformation of reconfigurable and / or controllable components can occur in as little as a few nanoseconds, or over a period of time, such as minutes, hours, or days.

[0060] In some such examples, when a component is configured to perform a secondary purpose, it may no longer be able to perform that primary purpose until it is reconfigured. Components can switch between configurations as different modules in as few nanoseconds. Components can be reconfigured dynamically; for example, a component reconfiguring from a first module to a second module may occur precisely when the second module is needed. Components can be reconfigured in stages; for example, portions of a first module that are no longer needed may be reconfigured into a second module, even before the first module has completed its operation. Such reconfiguration may occur automatically or through prompting from an external source, whether that source is another component, instruction, signal, condition, external stimulus, or similar.

[0061] For example, the central processing unit (CPU) of a personal computer can operate at various times as a module for displaying graphics on a screen, for writing data to a storage medium, for receiving user input, and for multiplying by two large prime numbers, by configuring its logic gates according to its instructions. Such reconfiguration may be invisible to the naked eye and in some embodiments may include activation, deactivation, and / or rerouting of various parts of the component (e.g., switching devices, logic gates, inputs, and / or outputs). Therefore, in examples present in the preceding / following disclosures, if an example includes or describes multiple modules, that example includes the possibility that the same hardware can implement more than one of the described modules simultaneously or in discrete times or timing sequences. Whether more components, fewer components, or the same number of components as the number of modules are used, the implementation of multiple modules is merely an implementation choice and generally does not affect the operation of the modules themselves. Therefore, it should be understood that any description of multiple discrete modules in this disclosure includes implementing these modules as any number of underlying components, including but not limited to a single component that reconfigures itself over time to perform the functions of multiple modules and / or multiple components that are similarly reconfigured, and / or dedicated reconfigurable components.

[0062] In some cases, one or more components may be referred to herein as “configured to,” “configured by,” “configurable to,” “operable / operating as,” “suitable / adaptable to,” “capable of,” “adaptable to,” etc. Those skilled in the art will recognize that, unless the context otherwise requires, such terms (e.g., “configured to”) generally cover active state components and / or passive state components and / or standby state components.

[0063] While specific aspects of the subject matter described herein have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made based on the teachings herein without departing from the subject matter and its broader aspects, and therefore the appended claims cover all such changes and modifications within their scope, as is the true spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. Those skilled in the art will understand that, in general, the terminology used herein, particularly in the appended claims (e.g., the body of the appended claims), is intended to denote “open-ended” terms (e.g., the term “comprising” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “at least having,” the term “including” should be interpreted as “comprising but not limited to,” etc.). Those skilled in the art will further understand that if a class intent is a specific number of introduced claim statements, such intent will be explicitly stated in the claims, and if no such statement is present, such intent does not exist. For example, to aid understanding, the following appended claims may contain the use of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim statements. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed as implying that introducing a claim statement with the indefinite article "a" or "an" limits any particular claim containing such an introduced claim statement to a claim containing only one such statement, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrase "one or more" or "at least one" and indefinite articles such as "a" or "an" (e.g., "a" and / or "an" should generally be interpreted as meaning "at least one" or "one or more"); the same applies to the use of definite articles used to introduce a claim statement. Furthermore, even when a specific number of introduced claim statements are explicitly stated, those skilled in the art will recognize that such a statement should generally be interpreted as meaning at least the number stated (e.g., simply stating "two statements" without further modification generally means at least two statements, or two or more statements). Furthermore, in cases where conventions such as "at least one of A, B, and C" are used, generally speaking, such a construction is intended to mean that a person skilled in the art will understand that the convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, and C" will include, but is not limited to, systems having only A, having only B, having only C, having A and B, having A and C, having B and C, and / or A, B, and C, etc.). A person skilled in the art will further understand that, unless the context otherwise requires, extractive terms and / or phrases that typically present two or more alternative terms (whether in the specification, claims, or drawings) should be understood to contemplate the possibility of including one, any, or both of the terms. For example, the phrase "A or B" will generally be understood to include the possibility of "A" or "B" or "A and B".

[0064] The specific embodiments described above have illustrated various implementations of the apparatus and / or process using block diagrams, flowcharts, and / or examples. Where such block diagrams, flowcharts, and / or examples contain one or more functions and / or operations, those skilled in the art will understand that each function and / or operation within such block diagrams, flowcharts, or examples can be implemented individually and / or collectively by a wide range of hardware, software (e.g., high-level computer programs used as hardware specifications), firmware, or virtually any combination thereof, limited to the patentable subject matter under 35U.SC101. In embodiments, certain portions of the subject matter described herein may be implemented via application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), or other integration formats. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that some aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented, in whole or in part, equivalently in an integrated circuit as one or more computer programs (e.g., one or more programs running on one or more computer systems), one or more programs (e.g., one or more programs running on one or more microprocessors), firmware, or virtually any combination thereof, running on one or more computers, limited to the subject matter patented under 35U.SC101, and that designing circuits and / or writing code for software (e.g., high-level computer programs used as hardware specifications) and / or firmware according to this disclosure will be entirely within the skill of those skilled in the art. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the mechanisms of the subject matter described herein are capable of being distributed as program products in a variety of forms, and that the exemplary embodiments of the subject matter described herein apply regardless of the specific type of signal-bearing medium used for actual distribution. Examples of signal-carrying media include, but are not limited to, the following: recordable media, such as floppy disks, hard disks, optical discs (CDs), digital video discs (DVDs), digital tapes, computer memory, etc.; and transmission media, such as digital and / or analog communication media (e.g., fiber optic cables, waveguides, wired communication links, wireless communication links (e.g., transmitters, receivers, transmission logic, receiving logic, etc.) etc.).

[0065] With respect to the appended claims, those skilled in the art will understand that the operations enumerated herein can generally be performed in any order. Furthermore, although the various operational flows are presented sequentially, it should be understood that the various operations can be performed in any order other than that shown, or can be performed simultaneously. Unless the context otherwise requires, examples of such alternative orderings may include overlapping, interleaving, interruption, reordering, ascending, preparatory, supplementary, simultaneous, reverse, or other variations of ordering. Moreover, unless the context otherwise requires, terms such as “in response to,” “related to,” or other past tense adjectives are generally not intended to exclude such variations.

[0066] Although the subject matter disclosed herein has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications may be made to the subject matter without departing from the scope of the claimed subject matter set forth in the claims.

[0067] It should be understood that the detailed description set forth above is merely illustrative in nature, and variations thereof that do not depart from the spirit and / or essence of the claimed subject matter are intended to fall within the scope of the claims. Such variations should not be considered as departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter.

Claims

1. A system for recording location coordinates and other data for unmapped routes, comprising: Computing device, the computing device comprising: processor; A positioning system, which communicates with the processor and is configured to determine the position coordinates of the positioning system; and A computer-readable medium configured to store computer-executable instructions configured to cause the processor to: In response to determining that the location coordinates indicate that the positioning system is operating on an unmapped route, the location coordinates for each of a plurality of points along the unmapped route are recorded in a new map dataset, the unmapped route being not included in existing map data accessible by the processor; Additional data is recorded for at least a portion of the unmapped routes in the new map dataset; Based on the determination by the positioning system that the computing device is located on a known road in the existing map data, it is determined that the unmapped route has been completed; and The new map dataset is transmitted to a remote data repository, from which another user can access the new map data. The system further includes an unmapped route scoring module, which is configured to assign a route difficulty score to the unmapped route based on the additional data and associate the route difficulty score with the new map dataset in the remote data repository, and the route difficulty score allows another user to decide whether to proceed with the unmapped route.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is integrated into a land vehicle, and the unmapped route includes off-road paths.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the land vehicle is selected from electric vehicles, internal combustion engine-powered vehicles, and hybrid vehicles.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the additional data is collected by at least one data capture device associated with the land vehicle.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one data acquisition device comprises at least one device selected from the group consisting of: a camera configured to collect image data of the unmapped route, and an inertial measurement unit configured to collect orientation data of the land vehicle corresponding to at least one feature of the unmapped route.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the existing map data includes at least one set of map data selected from: in-vehicle map data stored in the computing device, and remote map data accessible by the computing device from a remote data repository.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the position coordinates include: Selected from at least one set of coordinates, including Global Positioning System coordinates and geographic positioning coordinates.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the new map dataset is stored in the computing device until the new map dataset is transferred from the computing device to the remote data repository.

9. A vehicle comprising: Body; Drive system; and Computing device, the computing device comprising: processor; A positioning system, which communicates with the processor and is configured to determine the position coordinates of the positioning system; and A computer-readable medium configured to store computer-executable instructions configured to cause the processor to: In response to determining that the location coordinates indicate that the positioning system is operating on an unmapped route, the location coordinates for each of a plurality of points along the unmapped route are recorded in a new map dataset, the unmapped route being not included in existing map data accessible by the processor; Additional data is recorded for at least a portion of the unmapped routes in the new map dataset; Based on the determination by the positioning system that the computing device is located on a known road in the existing map data, it is determined that the unmapped route has been completed; and The new map dataset is transmitted to a remote data repository, from which another user can access the new map data. The vehicle also includes an unmapped route scoring module, which is configured to assign a route difficulty score to the unmapped route based on the additional data and associate the route difficulty score with the new map dataset in the remote data repository, and the route difficulty score allows another user to decide whether to travel the unmapped route.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the additional data is collected by at least one data capture device associated with the vehicle.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the at least one data acquisition device comprises at least one device selected from the group consisting of: a camera configured to collect image data of the unmapped route, and an inertial measurement unit configured to collect orientation data of the vehicle corresponding to at least one feature of the unmapped route.

12. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the existing map data comprises at least one set of map data selected from: in-vehicle map data stored in the computing device, and remote map data accessible by the computing device from a remote data repository.

13. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the location coordinates include at least one set of coordinates selected from Global Positioning System coordinates and geographic location coordinates.

14. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the new map dataset is stored in the computing device until the new map dataset is transferred from the computing device to the remote data repository.

15. A computer-implemented method for recording location coordinates and other data for an unmapped route, comprising: Determine when computing devices travel unmapped routes that are not included in existing map data; as well as In response to determining that the computing device is traveling the unmapped route: The position coordinates of each of the multiple points along the unmapped route are recorded in the new map dataset; as well as Additional data is recorded for at least a portion of the unmapped routes in the new map dataset; In response to the determination that the location of the computing device based on the positioning system is on a known road in the existing map data, it is determined that the unmapped route has been completed; as well as The new map dataset is transmitted to a remote data repository, from which another user can access the new map data. The method further includes assigning route difficulty scores to the unmapped routes included in the new map dataset based on the additional data and associating the route difficulty scores with the new map dataset in the remote data repository, wherein the route difficulty scores allow another user to decide whether to proceed with the unmapped routes.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising collecting the additional data using at least one data capture device selected from a camera configured to collect image data of the unmapped route and an inertial measurement unit configured to collect orientation data of the computing device corresponding to at least one feature of the unmapped route.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising storing the new map dataset in the computing device until the new map dataset is transmitted to the remote data repository.

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