Spatial Index for ADAS Geographic Data Parcels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Geographic databases for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) face inefficiencies due to excessive data storage needs and accuracy requirements, with existing navigation system databases containing more data than necessary and lacking the precision needed by ADAS.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for organizing geographic data into parcels bounded by lines of constant latitude or longitude in a world tile grid, using a spatial index organized as a sparse two-dimensional array to efficiently locate and access the required data on physical storage media, allowing for reduced memory usage and improved data retrieval efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a navigation system database is used for ADAS, then data availability is improved, but data storage volume increases excessively and measurement precision is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata availabilityVSAvoiddata storage volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The geographic database is segmented into a hierarchical structure with a header portion containing global information and multiple data parcels containing specific geographic features. Each parcel is further divided into tiles organized in a grid system. This segmentation allows the system to store only relevant portions of the database rather than the entire navigation database, reducing storage volume while maintaining data availability for ADAS applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts only the essential geographic data needed for ADAS functions from the comprehensive navigation database. By identifying and extracting specific data elements (road geometry, signage, surface conditions) while discarding unnecessary navigation data, the system achieves adequate data availability for safety-critical functions with significantly reduced storage requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Loss of information

If a navigation system database is used for ADAS, then data availability is improved, but measurement precision is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata availabilityVSAvoiddata accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by organizing geographic data into spatially-defined parcels and tiles that provide high-precision local information. Each parcel contains detailed geometric and attribute data specific to its geographic region, ensuring that ADAS systems access accurate, location-specific information rather than generalized navigation data. This local precision is maintained while reducing overall storage by only loading relevant parcels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If geographic data is organized into parcels on physical storage media, then data retrieval efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata retrieval efficiencyVSAvoiddata organization complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a two-dimensional tile grid system overlaid on the geographic parcels, adding a spatial dimension to data organization. This grid structure enables efficient indexing and retrieval by translating geographic coordinates into tile identifiers, allowing rapid access to specific data parcels without complex search algorithms. The dimensional organization balances retrieval efficiency with manageable system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP2175385B1Spatial index for locating geographic data parcels stored on physical storage media
Publication Date: 2019.11.13 HERE GLOBAL BV
  • EP2175385B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2175385B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2175385B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A spatial index for locating geographic data parcels stored on physical storage media is disclosed. A geographic database for advanced driver assistance systems is subdivided based on a grid of fixed size tiles that span the entire globe. Each tile is assigned a tile identification. The geographic database is organized as a collection of parcels, each of which contains the data for one or more tiles. To locate a parcel on the physical storage media, a spatial index uses the tile identification. Because the tiles are not uniformly filled with data, the spatial index is organized as a sparse array.