GPS Data Repair Using Aggregated Base Maps

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Solution Overview

Problem

GPS data often contains errors, which can lead to inaccuracies in comparing GPS data sets and calculating user performance during physical activities, as errors in GPS data can result in misinterpretation of geographic tracks and incorrect determination of matching segments.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for validating and repairing GPS data by aggregating accurate GPS data from multiple sources to correct errors such as stuck or drifted points, and generating a repaired base map to improve the accuracy of GPS data representation, allowing for more precise matching of efforts to segments and better representation of geographic tracks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If GPS data is collected for physical activity tracking, then geographic track information is obtained, but measurement errors cause inaccuracies in performance calculation and segment matching

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveGPS position accuracyVSAvoidperformance calculation reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple GPS data sets from different sources and time periods to create a more accurate reference track. By merging data from numerous GPS recordings along the same geographic path, the system produces a consolidated reference that averages out individual measurement errors, thereby improving both measurement precision and reliability for performance calculation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a reference track as an intermediary element between raw GPS data and performance metrics. This reference track serves as a mediator that filters out measurement errors by comparing multiple GPS recordings against it, enabling more reliable segment matching and performance calculation without directly processing the noisy original GPS data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If GPS data contains errors, then geographic track representation is degraded, but correcting errors requires additional processing complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegeographic track accuracyVSAvoiddata processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary aggregation of GPS data from multiple sources to create a reference track before actual performance measurement and analysis. This pre-processing step establishes an accurate geographic baseline that simplifies subsequent operations, as the reference track is created once and then reused for multiple comparisons without requiring complex real-time error correction during performance tracking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If GPS data is used for segment matching, then effort comparison is enabled, but measurement errors prevent accurate identification of matching segments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesegment matching accuracyVSAvoidgeographic track fidelity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple GPS recordings to create a reference track that preserves the true geographic path while filtering out measurement errors. This consolidated reference maintains high geographic track fidelity by averaging positions across multiple recordings, enabling accurate segment matching without losing important geographic information that would be obscured by individual measurement errors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP2825902B1GPS data repair
Publication Date: 2022.02.23 STRAVA INC
  • EP2825902B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2825902B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2825902B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Repairing GPS data is disclosed. Repairing GPS data includes repairing an effort, comprising determining that the effort includes inaccurate GPS data; and adjusting the effort using a repaired base map. Repairing GPs data includes repairing a segment, comprising determining an inaccurate shape data in the segment; and adjusting shape data for the segment based on a repaired base.