Routing Point Placement for Unambiguous Path Encoding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Pre-coded location referencing in ITS systems is inefficient due to the need for synchronized map tables, limited addressable locations, and ambiguity issues, making dynamic location referencing a preferred standard for unambiguous identification of geographic objects.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for determining routing point placement to encode and decode paths using a shortened path definition that includes only essential points, such as start and end points and additional routing points to eliminate valid alternate paths, ensuring unambiguous representation and reconstruction across different map versions and vendors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If pre-coded location referencing is used, then location identification is concise, but map tables must be kept synchronized between sender and receiver which is time-consuming and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential routing points (start point, end point, and critical intermediate points) from the complete path, transmitting only these key location references instead of full path data or requiring complete map table synchronization. This eliminates the need for synchronized map tables while maintaining location identification conciseness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces routing points as intermediary location references that serve as checkpoints along the path. These routing points act as mediators between sender and receiver, allowing path reconstruction without requiring both parties to maintain identical complete map tables, thus resolving the synchronization problem.
2Loss of information
If pre-coded location referencing is used, then location identification is concise, but the number of addressable locations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the path into multiple routing point sections, where each section is defined by start and end routing points. This segmentation allows the system to address any location along the path by combining multiple segmented sections, greatly expanding the number of addressable locations beyond what a single pre-coded table could provide.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic routing point selection where routing points are chosen based on path characteristics and requirements rather than being fixed in advance. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to any location, expanding versatility while maintaining concise identification through selective routing point usage.
3Loss of information
If pre-coded location referencing is used, then location identification is concise, but ambiguity issues arise when map tables differ between systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential routing points that define the path geometry and topology, transmitting these key references independently of complete map tables. By transmitting only these extracted critical points, the system eliminates ambiguity arising from differing map table versions while maintaining concise identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates validation mechanisms where the receiver verifies that the transmitted routing points can be reconstructed unambiguously using its local map data. This feedback approach ensures reliability even when map tables differ, as the system can detect and handle ambiguities.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of encoding a shortened path definition of a path in a mapping system is described. In one embodiment, a shortened path definition includes only those routing points that are needed to eliminate valid alternate routes.