Crowdsourced Mapping

Crowdsourced Mapping

Glossary

Term Definitions Crowdsourced mapping creates and updates maps by collecting geospatial data from a large number of individual users. High-precision maps (HD maps) Detailed digital maps that provide centimeter-level accuracy and contain information such as road geometry, road signs, traffic lights, etc. Blockchain Distributed, immutable ledgers for securely and transparently recording transactions. Smart Contracts Self-executing contracts stored on a blockchain that are triggered when predefined conditions are met. Observation Data Packets (ODPs) Standardized data packets containing sensor data and metadata about road characteristics. Logic Contracts Smart contracts that define the rules for calculating and distributing rewards. Storage Contracts Smart contracts that store the identities of ODP creators, validators, and consumers. MapCoin Cryptocurrency designed to incentivize HD map data collection. Spatial Queries Queries that search for data based on geographic location. Merkle-Patricia trees Spatially organized data structures for efficient storage and retrieval of blockchain data.

Short Answer Questions

What are the limitations of traditional methods for updating HD maps?

How does crowdsourced mapping address these limitations?

Explain the purpose of an ODP and the information it contains.

How does the MapCoin blockchain ensure data integrity and transparency?

Distinguish the roles of the logic contract and storage contract in managing MapCoin transactions.

What is a “quality index prediction model” and what role does it play in reward distribution?

How is an ODP verified and why is verification important?

Explain the role of “consumers” in the MapCoin ecosystem.

Describe when and how MapCoin transactions are executed.

Outline the overall process of incorporating ODP data into HD maps.

Answer

Traditional methods of updating HD maps rely on dedicated fleets or manual surveys, which are costly, poorly scalable, and slow to update.

Crowdsourced mapping leverages large numbers of connected vehicles to collect data in real time, thereby reducing costs and increasing coverage and frequency of updates.

ODP is a standardized data package used to transmit road environment models between vehicles and mapping platforms, which contains sensor data, location data, and metadata associated with observations.

The MapCoin blockchain records all transactions through a cryptographically linked distributed ledger, ensuring that all participants have access to an immutable and transparent record of data.

The logic contract defines the rules for reward calculation and distribution, while the storage contract stores the identities of creators, validators, and consumers, ensuring transparent and tamper-proof transactions.

The “Quality Index Prediction Model” evaluates the reliability and accuracy of ODP data, affecting the reward distribution, with higher rewards for high-quality data.

The ODP is verified by other vehicles independently observing and confirming changes in road characteristics shown in the ODP, which ensures the accuracy of the data and improves the reliability of the HD map.

“Consumers” are vehicles or services that use verified ODP data, who contribute to the ecosystem and incentivize data creators and validators by paying MapCoin.

When a block containing a MapCoin transaction is successfully mined and added to the blockchain, the transaction is executed and rewards are distributed to creators and validators according to the terms of the logic contract.

The process includes collecting sensor data, generating ODP, creating a smart contract on the blockchain, verifying the ODP, incorporating the verified data into the HD map database, and rewarding participants with MapCoin.