Using historical data to correct gps data in a network of moving things

Abstract

A system comprises model generation circuitry operable to process positioning data from a plurality of positioning system receivers of a network of vehicles to generate one or more statistical models of the positions of the vehicles, wherein the positioning data is received via a plurality of mobile access points of the network of vehicles. The system also comprises positioning circuitry operable to receive a reading from a particular one of the plurality of positioning system receivers, and compensate the reading from the particular one of the plurality of positioning system receivers based on the one or more statistical models to determine a most-probable location of the particular one of the plurality of positioning system receivers.

1 . A system comprising:
 model generation circuitry operable to process positioning data from a plurality of positioning system receivers of a network of vehicles to generate one or more statistical models of the positions of the vehicles, wherein the positioning data is received via a plurality of mobile access points of the network of vehicles; and   positioning circuitry operable to:
 receive a reading from a particular one of the plurality of positioning system receivers; and 
 compensate the reading from the particular one of the plurality of positioning system receivers based on the one or more statistical models to determine a most-probable location of the particular one of the plurality of positioning system receivers. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more statistical models characterize the density of samples of the positioning data. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more statistical models is based on a spatial histogram generated from the positioning data from the plurality of positioning system receivers. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more statistical models is based on an average of paths of particular vehicles over time. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising data analysis circuitry operable to analyze the one or more statistical models to identify public transportation stops and/or terminals. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the data analysis circuitry is operable to:
 detect whether a particular one of the vehicles is stopped based on readings from a positioning receiver installed in the particular one of the vehicles; and   in response to a detection that the particular vehicle is stopped, determine, based on the one or more statistical models, whether the particular vehicle is at a public transportation stop or terminal.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning circuitry is operable to compensate the reading from the particular one of the plurality of positioning system receivers based on one or more readings from one or more sensors. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises one or more of: an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a speedometer, and an odometer. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the positioning circuitry resides in one of the mobile access points and is operable to perform the compensation in real-time. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning circuitry resides in a network location accessed via one or more of the mobile access points and is operable to perform the compensation during post-processing of the positioning data. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by model generation circuitry via a plurality of mobile access points, positioning data from a plurality of positioning system receivers of a network of vehicles;   processing, by the model generation circuitry, the positioning data to generate one or more statistical models of the positions of the vehicles;   receiving, by positioning circuitry, a reading from a particular one of the plurality of positioning system receivers; and   compensating, by the positioning circuitry based on the one or more statistical models, the reading from the particular one of the plurality of positioning system receivers to determine a most-probable location of the particular one of the plurality of positioning system receivers.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more statistical models characterize the density of samples of the positioning data. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising:
 generating a spatial histogram from the positioning data from the plurality of positioning system receivers; and   generating the one or more statistical models based on the spatial histogram.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more statistical models is based on an average of paths of particular vehicles over time. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising analyzing, by data analysis circuitry, the one or more statistical models to identify public transportation stops and/or terminals. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising:
 detecting, by the data analysis circuitry, whether a particular one of the vehicles is stopped based on readings from a positioning receiver installed in the particular one of the vehicles; and   in response to detecting that the particular vehicle is stopped, determining, by the data analysis circuitry based on the one or more statistical models, whether the particular vehicle is at a public transportation stop or terminal.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising compensating, by the positioning circuitry, the reading from the particular one of the plurality of positioning system receivers based on one or more readings from one or more sensors. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises one or more of: an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a speedometer, and an odometer. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the positioning circuitry resides in one of the mobile access points and the method comprises performing the compensating in real-time. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the positioning circuitry resides in a network location accessed via one or more of the mobile access points and the method comprises performing the compensating during post-processing of the positioning data.