Positional Accuracy of Spatial Data: Non-Normal Distributions and a Critique of the National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy

Spatial data quality is a paramount concern in all GIS applications. Existing spatial data accuracy standards, including the National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy (NSSDA) used in the United States, commonly assume the positional error of spatial data is normally distributed. This research has characterized the distribution of the positional error in four types of spatial data: GPS locations, street geocoding, TIGER roads, and LIDAR elevation data. The positional error in GPS locations can be approximated with a Rayleigh distribution, the positional error in street geocoding and TIGER roads can be approximated with a log‐normal distribution, and the positional error in LIDAR elevation data can be approximated with a normal distribution of the original vertical error values after removal of a small number of outliers. For all four data types considered, however, these solutions are only approximations, and some evidence of non‐stationary behavior resulting in lack of normality was observed in all four datasets. Monte‐Carlo simulation of the robustness of accuracy statistics revealed that the conventional 100% Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) statistic is not reliable for non‐normal distributions. Some degree of data trimming is recommended through the use of 90% and 95% RMSE statistics. Percentiles, however, are not very robust as single positional accuracy statistics. The non‐normal distribution of positional errors in spatial data has implications for spatial data accuracy standards and error propagation modeling. Specific recommendations are formulated for revisions of the NSSDA.     

A Comparison Between Contour Elevation Data Sources for DEM Creation and Soil Carbon Prediction, Coshocton, Ohio

A raster and vector GIS was created for the North Appalachian Experimental Watershed (NAEW) from legacy (1960) 1:2,400‐scale contour maps. The intent of the study was to use terrain data for the spatial modeling of soil organic carbon. It was hypothesized that DEMs derived from these data would be more accurate and therefore more useful for terrain‐based soil modeling than those from USGS 1:24,000‐scale contour data. Central tasks for this study were to digitally capture the 1:2,400‐scale maps, convert digital contour data sources to raster DEMs at multiple resolutions, and derive terrain attributes. A flexible approach was adopted, using software outside of mainstream GIS sources where scientifically or practically advantageous. Elevation contours and streamlines were converted to raster DEMs using ANUDEM. DEMs ranging in resolution from 0.5–30 m were tested for accuracy against precision carrier‐phase GPS data. The residual standard deviation was 1.68 meters for the USGS DEM and 0.36 meters for the NAEW DEM. The optimal horizontal resolution for the NAEW DEM was 5 m and for the USGS 10 m. Five and 10 m resolution DEMs from both data sources were tested for carbon prediction. Multiple terrain parameters were derived as proxies for surficial processes. Soil samples (n = 184) were collected on four zero‐order watersheds (conventional tillage, no‐till, hay and pasture). Multiple least squares regressions (m.l.s.) were used to predict mass C (kg m^?2, 30 cm depth) from topographic information. Model residuals were not spatially autocorrelated. Statistically significant topographic parameters were attained most consistently from the 5 m NAEW DEM. However, topography was not a strong predictor of carbon for these watersheds, with r² ranging from 0.23 to 0.58.     

Extracting spatial patterns in bicycle routes from crowdsourced data

Much is done nowadays to provide cyclists with safe and sustainable road infrastructure. Its development requires the investigation of road usage and interactions between traffic commuters. This article is focused on exploiting crowdsourced user‐generated data, namely GPS trajectories collected by cyclists and road network infrastructure generated by citizens, to extract and analyze spatial patterns and road‐type use of cyclists in urban environments. Since user‐generated data shows data‐deficiencies, we introduce tailored spatial data‐handling processes for which several algorithms are developed and implemented. These include data filtering and segmentation, map‐matching and spatial arrangement of GPS trajectories with the road network. A spatial analysis and a characterization of road‐type use are then carried out to investigate and identify specific spatial patterns of cycle routes. The proposed analysis was applied to the cities of Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and Osnabrück (Germany), proving its feasibility and reliability in mining road‐type use and extracting pattern information and preferences. This information can help users who wish to explore friendlier and more interesting cycle patterns, based on collective usage, as well as city planners and transportation experts wishing to pinpoint areas most in need of further development and planning.     

A general map matching algorithm for transport telematics applications

This paper describes a map-matching algorithm designed to support the navigational functions of a real-time vehicle performance and emissions monitoring system currently under development, and other transport telematics applications. The algorithm is used together with the outputs of an extended Kalman filter formulation for the integration of GPS and dead reckoning data, and a spatial digital database of the road network, to provide continuous, accurate and reliable vehicle location on a given road segment. This is irrespective of the constraints of the operational environment, thus alleviating outage and accuracy problems associated with the use of stand-alone location sensors. The map-matching algorithm has been tested using real field data and has been found to be superior to existing algorithms, particularly in how it performs at road intersections.     

车载GPS道路信息采集和更新系统研究

介绍了车载道路信息采集和更新系统 (CRICUS)的设计和研究进展。该系统利用 3S集成技术采集道路信息并生成数字道路网数据库。初步实验表明 ,该系统的定位精度可达 1m。     

城市导航电子地图的道路模型

随着GPS／GIS／GSM车辆导航和监控系统的成熟和普及，导航系统电子地图中的道路数据模型的重要性日益突出。在非导航应用中较少研究的道路交通线模型，在此成了无法回避的且必须理清的问题。本文详细分析了现代城市路口的通行规则，论述了单线模型的缺陷，设计了适用于导航的双线多结点道路模型。     

Accuracy of iPhone Locations: A Comparison of Assisted GPS,WiFi and Cellular Positioning

The 3G iPhone was the first consumer device to provide a seamless integration of three positioning technologies: Assisted GPS (A‐GPS), WiFi positioning and cellular network positioning. This study presents an evaluation of the accuracy of locations obtained using these three positioning modes on the 3G iPhone. A‐GPS locations were validated using surveyed benchmarks and compared to a traditional low‐cost GPS receiver running simultaneously. WiFi and cellular positions for indoor locations were validated using high resolution orthophotography. Results indicate that A‐GPS locations obtained using the 3G iPhone are much less accurate than those from regular autonomous GPS units (average median error of 8 m for ten 20‐minute field tests) but appear sufficient for most Location Based Services (LBS). WiFi locations using the 3G iPhone are much less accurate (median error of 74 m for 58 observations) and fail to meet the published accuracy specifications. Positional errors in WiFi also reveal erratic spatial patterns resulting from the design of the calibration effort underlying the WiFi positioning system. Cellular positioning using the 3G iPhone is the least accurate positioning method (median error of 600 m for 64 observations), consistent with previous studies. Pros and cons of the three positioning technologies are presented in terms of coverage, accuracy and reliability, followed by a discussion of the implications for LBS using the 3G iPhone and similar mobile devices.     

基于GPS与GIS集成的车辆导航系统设计与实现

介绍了基于GPS与GIS集成的车辆导航系统设计与实现 ,探讨了导航系统中电子地图的空间数据组织 ,提出了GPS信号与GIS路网数据匹配、快速的邮路选择、最佳路径选择、地图随驾驶方向快速实时旋转技术及语音提示、语音识别技术的使用。     

A Service Oriented Geoprocessing System for Real‐Time Road Traffic Monitoring

The emergence of the Sensor Web has paved the way for a new set of innovative software applications that exploit the enhanced availability of real‐time information. This article describes one such application built from Sensor Web components that aggregates GPS track data from a fleet of vehicles to provide an overview of road traffic congestion at the city scale. The application embodies a Service Oriented Architecture; web service components are used to archive and pre‐process incoming sensor observations, to encapsulate a horizontally partitioned spatial database that performs geoprocessing, and to disseminate results to client applications. Our results confirm that floating car data can provide an accurate depiction of current road traffic conditions. The presented solution uses Open Geospatial Consortium web services where possible and serves to highlight the difficulties inherent in achieving horizontal database scalability in sensor based geoprocessing systems.     

基于点序列和要素加权法的地图匹配算法

浮动车数据(Floating Car Data,FCD)已广泛应用于城市规划、智能交通系统中,其中地图匹配一直以来都是浮动车数据应用的技术难点。本文在已有地图匹配算法的基础上,提出了基于点序列和要素加权法的地图匹配模型,不仅考虑了当前GPS点的信息,同时也考虑了GPS数据的历史信息和道路网的拓扑结构,从空间关系上分析车辆行驶轨迹和道路的相似性。作者通过上海市出租车轨迹数据对算法进行验证,结果表明:该匹配模型解决了已有地图匹配算法的一些弊端,并且提高了地图匹配的精度,具有高效、实用的特点。     

Predicting road system speeds using spatial structure variables and network characteristics

Spatial regression is applied to GPS floating car measurements to build a predictive model of road system speed as a function of link type, time period, and spatial structure. The models correct for correlated spatial errors and autocorrelation of speeds. Correlation neighborhoods are based on either Euclidean or network distance. Econometric and statistical methods are used to choose the best model form and statistical neighborhood. Models of different types have different coefficient estimates and fit quality, which might affect inferences. Speed predictions are validated against a holdout sample to illustrate the usefulness of spatial regression in road system speed monitoring.      

重庆市主城区城市路网演变分析及与城市扩张耦合性研究

研究结合重庆市主城区2011-2017年高分辨率遥感影像和相关地形图、规划资料及交通专题资料信息等,提取城市路网和城市建设用地数据,基于GIS操作平台,采用空间核密度方法分析主城区城市路网时空演变特征,探索城市路网空间分布规律,以街道(镇)为研究单元分析城市道路与城市用地扩张之间的耦合关系,为合理规划交通道路布局,促进城市扩张与道路网络的协调发展提供了重要参考依据。结果表明,主城区城市路网分布具有空间不均衡性特征,路网演变有明显的方向性,以东西两翼带状区域变化为主,路网密度变化集中在低密度区。与城市用地扩张相关性研究中发现,城市路网是城市扩张的主要驱动力之一,路网中密度区域对城市扩张的驱动效应最明显。     

基于高分辨率影像的道路交通可达性分析

基于完善的交通规划理论和模型,以某市为例,借助RS技术的空间数据获取能力和GIS技术的空间分析能力,综合考虑最短出行距离、最短出行时间以及网络节点人口密度3个因素,研究分析某市的道路交通可达性,并对现有的道路交通网络进行评价,为未来城市道路交通规划以及城市建设提供科学可靠的参考依据。     

路网更新的轨迹-地图匹配方法

全面准确的路网信息作为智慧城市的重要基础之一,在城市规划、交通管理以及大众出行等方面具有重要意义和价值。然而,传统的基于测量的路网数据获取方式往往周期较长,不能及时反映最新的道路信息。近几年,随着定位技术在移动设备的广泛运用,国内外学者在研究路网信息获取时逐渐将视野转向移动对象的轨迹数据中所蕴含的道路信息。当前,基于移动位置信息的路网生成和更新方法多是直接面向全部轨迹数据施加道路提取算法,在处理大规模轨迹或者大范围道路时,计算量极大。为此,本文基于轨迹地图匹配技术,提出一种采用"检查→分析→提取→更新"过程的螺旋式路网数据更新策略。其主要思想是逐条输入轨迹,借助HMM地图匹配发现已有路网中的问题路段,进而从问题路段周边局部范围内的轨迹数据中提取并更新相关道路信息。该方法仅在局部范围内利用少量轨迹数据来修复路网,避免了对整个轨迹数据集进行计算,从而有效减少了计算量。基于OpenStreetMap的武汉市区路网数据以及武汉市出租车轨迹数据的试验表明,本文提出的路网更新方法不仅可行,而且灵活高效。     

浮动车地图匹配算法研究

针对现有浮动车地图匹配算法应用于城市复杂路网时面临的关键技术难点,本文基于浮动车数据,在 SuperMap GIS 平台下实现了城市交通路网的构建,并研究了一种浮动车地图匹配的新算法：基于网格的候选路段确定,基于距离、航向、可达性权重的定位点匹配及基于最短路径的行驶轨迹选择。算法能够满足浮动车地图匹配准确性与实时性的要求,为获取城市道路的交通拥堵状况信息提供可靠依据。     

基于空间网络分析的高速公路网一类调查观测站布设技术

在数量适度的情况下,合理布设高速公路交通量调查观测站点,使观测数据准确反映路网运行特征是高速公路交通量调查与信息服务体系构建的重要支撑。文中运用GIS空间网络分析技术,结合"两阶段"宏观布设法和OD反推布设法,开发交通量调查观测站布设软件。当缺少历史流量数据时,用"两阶段"宏观布设法以路段累计重要度代替路段流量,并进行累计重要度计算。最后以江苏省高速公路网一类调查观测站布设为例进行验证,结果表明,软件可基本实现科学、高效的高速公路一类调查观测站布设。     

Organization of Emergency Response After a Major Disaster Event in an Urban Area with the Help of an Automatic Vehicle Location and Control System

The quick response of civil authorities after a major disaster event in an urban area is essential for the reduction of damages and impacts to human lives. One of the first critical problems to be solved at the very early stages of response is the optimum management of emergency vehicles and real time knowledge of the accessibility of the road network. In this article the concept of using a number of emergency vehicles as sensors for monitoring the traffic conditions in an urban area after a major disaster event is described. The fleet management system used for this taks is working with ral time DGPS. The system makes use of existing vehicle fleets in the urban area, rapidly collecting data and covering the whole road network. It records travel times with the help of the GPS system for every road segment driven through by each vehicle sensor, thus providing a digital time database from which traffic parameters can be also computed. It can be used for real time monitoring of traffic conditions under disaster or emergency situations where all the previously available data become invalid or unreliable. ? 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A probabilistic framework for improving reverse geocoding output

Reverse geocoding, which transforms machine‐readable GPS coordinates into human‐readable location information, is widely used in a variety of location‐based services and analysis. The output quality of reverse geocoding is critical because it can greatly impact these services provided to end‐users. We argue that the output of reverse geocoding should be spatially close to and topologically correct with respect to the input coordinates, contain multiple suggestions ranked by a uniform standard, and incorporate GPS uncertainties. However, existing reverse geocoding systems often fail to fulfill these aims. To further improve the reverse geocoding process, we propose a probabilistic framework that includes: (1) a new workflow that can adapt all existing address models and unitizes distance and topology relations among retrieved reference data for candidate selections; (2) an advanced scoring mechanism that quantifies characteristics of the entire workflow and orders candidates according to their likelihood of being the best candidate; and (3) a novel algorithm that derives statistical surfaces for input GPS uncertainties and propagates such uncertainties into final output lists. The efficiency of the proposed approaches is demonstrated through comparisons to the four commercial reverse geocoding systems and through human judgments. We envision that more advanced reverse geocoding output ranking algorithms specific to different application scenarios can be built upon this work.     

基于GIS的大型活动交通组织模拟系统研究

对应用于大型活动的交通组织管理与模拟的信息系统空间数据库数据模型、道路空间网络管理技术、路径存储数据结构与编辑技术进行了分析研究,提出了基于GIS技术的大型活动交通组织模拟系统的数据模型、空间网络管理技术、路径存储数据结构与编辑的主要技术。在此基础上,通过VC++基于MO开发了应用系统。所开发系统成功应用于中华人民共和国第十届运动会的交通组织与管理,提高了交通管理的工作效率。     

A Spatial Analysis System for Integrating Data,Methods and Models on Environmental Risks and Health Outcomes

Integrating data on health outcomes with methods of disease mapping and spatially explicit models of environmental contaminants are important aspects of environmental health surveillance. In this article, we describe a modular, web‐based spatial analysis system that uses GIS, spatial analysis methods and software services delivered over computer networks to achieve this end. The Environmental Health Surveillance System (EHSS) is a prototype system that is designed to serve three purposes: a secure environment for producing maps of disease outcomes from individual‐level data while preserving privacy; an automated process of linking environmental data, environmental models, and GIS tasks like geocoding for the purposes of estimating individual exposures to environmental contaminants; and mechanisms to visualize the spatial patterns of disease outcomes via Web‐based mapping interfaces and interactive tools like Google Earth.