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Implementation of Global lOcation Referencing Approach

Objective

Geographic information forms a major part of the information that is communicated in applications in the field of traffic (and traveller) telematics. The geographic information component is needed to answer questions like: Where am I? Where are you? Where is the accident? The form of the answer depends on the spatial reference system used. Generally speaking answers to the question "Where?" may range from positions expressed exclusively in terms of scientific co-ordinates to positions expressed in terms of objects of direct human experience. The latter are called locations in traffic telematics terminology. A location may e.g. be a crossing of roads, a section of a road, a relation between road sections, a point of interest. Consequently digital map databases play a vital role in most traffic telematics applications. In the chain of creating, providing and using traffic and related information, a traffic message is created in the sending system, transmitted and used in the receiving system. The traffic information in the message is related to a location. In the message this location is referenced by a code, called in the specific terminology a location reference. A problem is caused by the fact that the sending and the receiving system may, and often will use, map databases of different origin, specification, and completeness. As an example a map in a sending system may contain a crossing, which is not present in the receiving system's map or might have a different geometry in the receiving system's map.
A new generic map-based method for location referencing was successfully implemented, tested and validated in a laboratory type map-database environment (TR4011-EVIDENCE). AGORA will adapt and further develop the approach taken in the Evidence project and implement the proposed universal location referencing method in real life applications, involving all major actors in service/application chain.

Objectives:
- Adapt and implement this location referencing approach developed in EVIDENCE, with the aim to bring it from the laboratory type map database environment to real telematics applications;
- Test and validate the reliability of this method in such applications;
- Disseminate the technology by workshops and through other media, provide input to standardisation (CEN, ISO, ETSI), liase with and provide support to IST and other projects requiring location referencing (e.g. Diamond, ITS-WAP, TPEG, TRIDENT, etc) offering a link to end-users.

Work description:
To realise the overall objectives of the project, the following operational objectives have been defined, which give a summary description of the work to be carried out in the project:
- Adapt and fine-tune the EVIDENCE location referencing algorithms for the applications to be implemented in the trials;
- Integrate the location referencing algorithms in the telematics applications environment. The algorithms comprise the following functionality:
- identification of a location, creation of the location reference, encoding for and transmission in a message, reception and interpretation of the location reference, presentation of the location to end-users;
- Implement and test the location referencing method in telematics applications comprising the full service chain. The trial site will be in Hanover (DE). Data carriers considered for use in the trials are DAB and/or GSM (using WAP/SMS);
- Make a validation plan, including definition of parameters to measure and assess the success of the trials, and perform the validation tests. Success will be reached if at least 95% of all coded location can unambiguously be identified as being present or absent in the receiving map database;
- Disseminate the technology by workshops and through other media, provide input to standardisation (CEN, ISO, ETSI), liase with and provide support to IST and other projects requiring location referencing (e.g. Diamond, ITS-WAP, TPEG, TRIDENT, etc) offering a link to end-users.

The technical target of the project is that the location presented in the terminal is identical to the originally identified location. The business target of AGORA is to adapt this location referencing method for widespread use in transport telematics applications and to foster interoperability. This is why the AGORA project will build a trial implementing the full telematics service chain with respect to location referencing. The Hanover region has been chosen for the quality of the available information used at the EXPO 2000, and achieved results could be extrapolated all over Europe.

Milestones:
- First proposal for implementation algorithms;
- Brochure presentation of AGORA, Dissemination and use plan;
- Location referencing integration and implementation guidelines;
- Validation plan available;
- Demonstrator of the whole service chain ready for the validation phase;
- Specification of the consolidated algorithms based on the experience of the trials;
- Final reports on: validation results, implementation and verification test results;
- Technological implementation plan, Location referencing change request for ISO.

Call for proposal

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Coordinator

EUROPEAN ROAD TRANSPORT TELEMATICS IMPLEMENTATION COORDINATION ORGANISATION S.C.R.L.
EU contribution
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Address
AVENUE LOUISE 326
1050 BRUSSEL
Belgium

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Participants (6)