BACKGROUND

Providing data on traffic anomalies or incidents (e.g., abnormalities in traffic that can affect traffic flow such as accidents, lane closures, road closures, etc.) is an important function for mapping service providers. While most traffic anomalies can have at least some negative impact on traffic, road closures can be the most severe because vehicles are unable to travel through the affected roadway. In addition, the lack of knowledge, particularly real-time knowledge, about a road closure can have an enormous negative impact on a user's trip planning, routing, and/or estimated time of arrival. Moreover, obtaining accurate, real-time traffic information regarding road closures is particularly challenging. For instance, once a road closure is reported (e.g., by a third-party provider), service providers regularly use global positioning system (GPS) probe data to generate vehicle paths to verify and monitor traffic conditions in the affected area. However, due to location sensor accuracy limitations and/or map matching errors, for example, multiple possible vehicle paths are often generated between two probe points making verifying the inferred traffic conditions difficult. Current strategies attempt to resolve this problem by selecting the vehicle path with the highest probability of being the true path to evaluate a road segment for closure. However, crucial information regarding discarded possible paths may then be ignored, thereby significantly reducing the accuracy of the evaluation. Accordingly, mapping service providers face significant technical challenges to automatically verify traffic conditions (e.g., road closures) using multiple possible vehicle paths.

SOME EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Therefore, there is a need for an approach for automatically verifying a road closure using multiple possible vehicle paths.

According to one embodiment, a method comprises processing probe data to determine at least one possible path of a vehicle over a road graph, wherein the road graph represents a road link and one or more other road links entering or exiting the road link. The method also comprises calculating a path probability for the at least one possible path, wherein the path probability indicates a likelihood that the at least one possible path is a true path of the vehicle over the road graph. The method further comprises assigning a weighted vehicle count to the road link, the one or more other road links, or a combination thereof contained in the at least one possible paths, wherein the weighted vehicle count is based on the path probability. The method further comprises detecting a traffic anomaly occurring on the road link based on the weighted vehicle count.

According to another embodiment, an apparatus comprises at least one processor, and at least one memory including computer program code for one or more computer programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause, at least in part, the apparatus to process probe data to determine at least one possible path of a vehicle over a road graph, wherein the road graph represents a road link and one or more other road links entering or exiting the road link. The apparatus is also caused to calculate a path probability for the at least one possible path, wherein the path probability indicates a likelihood that the at least one possible path is a true path of the vehicle over the road graph. The apparatus is further caused to assign a weighted vehicle count to the road link, the one or more other road links, or a combination thereof contained in the at least one possible path, wherein the weighted vehicle count is based on the path probability. The apparatus is further caused to detect a traffic anomaly occurring on the road link based on the weighted vehicle count.

According to another embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carries one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause, at least in part, an apparatus to process probe data to determine at least one possible path of a vehicle over a road graph, wherein the road graph represents a road link and one or more other road links entering or exiting the road link. The apparatus is also caused to calculating a path probability for the at least one possible path, wherein the path probability indicates a likelihood that the at least one possible path is a true path of the vehicle over the road graph. The apparatus is further caused to assign a weighted vehicle count to the road link, the one or more other road links, or a combination thereof contained in the at least one possible path, wherein the weighted vehicle count is based on the path probability. The apparatus is further caused to verify a road closure on the road link based on the weighted vehicle count.

According to another embodiment, an apparatus comprises means for processing probe data to determine at least one possible path of a vehicle over a road graph, wherein the road graph represents a road link and one or more other road links entering or exiting the road link. The apparatus also comprises means for calculating a path probability for the at least one possible path, wherein the path probability indicates a likelihood that the at least one possible path is a true path of the vehicle over the road graph. The apparatus further comprises means for assigning a weighted vehicle count to the road link, the one or more other road links, or a combination thereof contained in the at least one possible path, wherein the weighted vehicle count is based on the path probability. The apparatus also comprises means for detecting a traffic anomaly occurring on the road link based on the weighted vehicle count.

In addition, for various example embodiments of the invention, the following is applicable: a method comprising facilitating a processing of and/or processing (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal, the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal based, at least in part, on (or derived at least in part from) any one or any combination of methods (or processes) disclosed in this application as relevant to any embodiment of the invention.

For various example embodiments of the invention, the following is also applicable: a method comprising facilitating access to at least one interface configured to allow access to at least one service, the at least one service configured to perform any one or any combination of network or service provider methods (or processes) disclosed in this application.

For various example embodiments of the invention, the following is also applicable: a method comprising facilitating creating and/or facilitating modifying (1) at least one device user interface element and/or (2) at least one device user interface functionality, the (1) at least one device user interface element and/or (2) at least one device user interface functionality based, at least in part, on data and/or information resulting from one or any combination of methods or processes disclosed in this application as relevant to any embodiment of the invention, and/or at least one signal resulting from one or any combination of methods (or processes) disclosed in this application as relevant to any embodiment of the invention.

For various example embodiments of the invention, the following is also applicable: a method comprising creating and/or modifying (1) at least one device user interface element and/or (2) at least one device user interface functionality, the (1) at least one device user interface element and/or (2) at least one device user interface functionality based at least in part on data and/or information resulting from one or any combination of methods (or processes) disclosed in this application as relevant to any embodiment of the invention, and/or at least one signal resulting from one or any combination of methods (or processes) disclosed in this application as relevant to any embodiment of the invention.

In various example embodiments, the methods (or processes) can be accomplished on the service provider side or on the mobile device side or in any shared way between service provider and mobile device with actions being performed on both sides.

For various example embodiments, the following is applicable: An apparatus comprising means for performing a method of the claims.

Still other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description, simply by illustrating a number of particular embodiments and implementations, including the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. The invention is also capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details can be modified in various obvious respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.

