PRESS: A Novel Framework of Trajectory Compression in Road Networks

Location data becomes more and more important. In this paper, we focus on the trajectory data, and propose a new framework, namely PRESS (Paralleled Road-Network-Based Trajectory Compression), to effectively compress trajectory data under road network constraints. Different from existing work, PRESS proposes a novel representation for trajectories to separate the spatial representation of a trajectory from the temporal representation, and proposes a Hybrid Spatial Compression (HSC) algorithm and error Bounded Temporal Compression (BTC) algorithm to compress the spatial and temporal information of trajectories respectively. PRESS also supports common spatial-temporal queries without fully decompressing the data. Through an extensive experimental study on real trajectory dataset, PRESS significantly outperforms existing approaches in terms of saving storage cost of trajectory data with bounded errors.Comment: 27 pages, 17 figure

A Novel Framework for Online Amnesic Trajectory Compression in Resource-constrained Environments

State-of-the-art trajectory compression methods usually involve high space-time complexity or yield unsatisfactory compression rates, leading to rapid exhaustion of memory, computation, storage and energy resources. Their ability is commonly limited when operating in a resource-constrained environment especially when the data volume (even when compressed) far exceeds the storage limit. Hence we propose a novel online framework for error-bounded trajectory compression and ageing called the Amnesic Bounded Quadrant System (ABQS), whose core is the Bounded Quadrant System (BQS) algorithm family that includes a normal version (BQS), Fast version (FBQS), and a Progressive version (PBQS). ABQS intelligently manages a given storage and compresses the trajectories with different error tolerances subject to their ages. In the experiments, we conduct comprehensive evaluations for the BQS algorithm family and the ABQS framework. Using empirical GPS traces from flying foxes and cars, and synthetic data from simulation, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the standalone BQS algorithms in significantly reducing the time and space complexity of trajectory compression, while greatly improving the compression rates of the state-of-the-art algorithms (up to 45%). We also show that the operational time of the target resource-constrained hardware platform can be prolonged by up to 41%. We then verify that with ABQS, given data volumes that are far greater than storage space, ABQS is able to achieve 15 to 400 times smaller errors than the baselines. We also show that the algorithm is robust to extreme trajectory shapes.Comment: arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1412.032

Efficient notification of meeting points for moving groups via independent safe regions

In applications like social networking services and online games, multiple moving users form a group and wish to be continuously notified with the best meeting point from their locations. To reduce the communication frequency of the application server, a promising technique is to apply safe regions, which capture the validity of query results with respect to the users' locations. Unfortunately, the safe regions in our problem exhibit characteristics such as irregular shapes and dependency among multiple safe regions. These unique characteristics render existing safe region methods that focus on a single safe region inapplicable to our problem. To tackle these challenges, we first examine the shapes of safe regions in our problem context and propose feasible approximations for them. We design efficient algorithms for computing these safe regions, as well as develop compression techniques for representing safe regions in a compact manner. Experiments with both real and synthetic data demonstrate the efficiency of our proposal in terms of computation and communication costs. © 2013 IEEE.published_or_final_versio

Compressed data structures for trajectory representation

Programa Oficial de Doutoramento en Computación . 5009V01[Abstract] The proliferation of GPS devices in smartphones, vehicles and sport wearables in one hand, and geolocation mechanisms (such as smart cards in public transportation) in the other hand, have produced an unprecedented capacity of obtaining and storing trajectories that people generate by the movements that originate from their daily schedules. However, no standard data models exist to represent these trajectories, and besides neither traditional databases nor new NoSQL databases are adequate for the representation and exploitation of the complex data of spatio-temporal nature which these trajectories consist of. This general outlook is even more complex once we consider that whenever we are storing information related to a context of public transportation passengers, customers inside a mall, or simply vehicles moving in a city we must deal with a true Big Data scenario in which guaranteeing an efficient response can be very challenging. Consequently, in this thesis we address the design of compact data structures for the representation of the followed trajectories, both in the context of vehicles and/or people moving in urban or periurban spaces, as in the context of itineraries of commuters in public transportation. Additionally to designing these compact data structures that allow us to represent the Big Data scenario usually seen in this application domain, we have designed the algorithms that allow the efficient exploitation of said information. These algorithms, in addition to solving classic spatio-temporal queries, such as obtaining the position of a moving object at a time instant, reconstructing the trajectory of an object, or even spatio-temporal window queries (which objects are inside a spatial range either within a time window or at a time instant), are also able to solve more specialized queries for the analysis of trajectories that travelers make. For instance, we have designed algorithms to query the number of travelers that start (or finish) their trip in a certain place within a determined time interval, or the number of travelers that switch from one line from the public transportation network to another using a particular stop, or even the number of travelers that had started their trip in a certain place (which can be either a stop or a whole neighborhood) to finish it in another place. Both the designed structures as the querying algorithms, which are available at https://github.com/dgalaktionov/compact-trip-representation, have been experimentally evaluated. With these structures we are able to represent, in a compact space of 100 MiB, a collection of approximately a million and a half of taxi trajectories, or alternatively ten million trajectories consisting of itineraries over public transportation networks, given that they are more compact. In both cases, we can solve most of the considered exploitation queries in the order of microseconds, with algorithms that scale logarithmically with respect to the increase in the number of stored trajectories. Finally, considering the practical quality of this work, it was required for the performed research to be of a clearly applied nature, which led us to developing a web application with Geograhic Information Systems technology, which integrates with our compressed structures and algorithms instead of relying on common spatial databases. This application, which provides a simple and intuitive user interface that represents the map of a transportation network, enabled an end user to run the aforementioned algorithms over a large collection of historic trajectories. Likewise, this interface presents the query results in a graphical and intuitive way.[Resumen] La proliferación de por un lado de dispositivos GPS en smartphones, vehículos o pulseras de deporte, y por otro, de otros mecanismos de geolocalización (como las tarjetas de pago de trasporte público), han generado una capacidad inédita de obtener y almacenar las trayectorias que generan las personas al moverse durante sus quehaceres diarios. Sin embargo, no existen modelos de datos estándar para representar dichas trayectorias, además de que ni las bases de datos tradicionales, ni para las nuevas bases de datos NoSQL se adecúan bien a la representación y explotación de esos datos complejos de naturaleza espacio-temporal que son las trayectorias. Para hacer más complejo aún el panorama, se constata además que cuando se quieren almacenar trayectorias de viajeros de transporte público, o de clientes en centros comerciales, o simplemente de personas o vehículos moviéndose por la ciudad hay que enfrentarse a un verdadero escenario Big Data en el que la eficiencia en la respuesta a las consultas se hace muy difícil. Por todo ello, en esta tesis se aborda el diseño de estructuras de datos compactas para la representación de las trayectorias seguidas, por un lado, por vehículos y/o personas que se mueven por las calles de un entorno urbano o periurbano acotado, y por otro los itinerarios de viajeros de transporte público. Además de diseñar esas estructuras de datos compactas, que permiten representar ese escenario Big Data habitual en estos dominios de aplicación, se han diseñado los algoritmos que permiten la explotación eficiente de dichos datos. Dichos algoritmos, además de resolver las consultas espacio-temporales clásicas, tanto las de posición de un objeto en un tiempo, o trayectoria de un objeto durante un intervalo temporal, como las consultas de rango espacio-temporal (qué objetos están en una ventana del espacio en un instante o intervalo temporal) resuelven también consultas más especializadas para el análisis de trayectorias de viajeros. Por ejemplo, hemos diseñado algoritmos para consultar el número de viajeros que inician (o terminan) su viaje en cierto lugar dentro de un cierto intervalo temporal, o el número de viajeros que conmutan de una línea a otra de la red de transporte público en una cierta parada, o incluso el número de viajeros que inicia su viaje en cierto lugar (parada o barrio) y lo termina en otra parada o barrio determinados. Tanto las estructuras de datos diseñadas como todos los algoritmos de consulta, que están disponibles en https://github.com/dgalaktionov/compact-trip-representation, han sido evaluados experimentalmente. Con estas estructuras es posible representar en un espacio de 100 MiB una colección de aproximadamente un millón y medio de trayectorias de taxis, o alternativamente diez millones de trayectorias consistentes de itinerarios sobre redes de transporte público, al ser éstas últimas más compactas. En ambos casos, podemos resolver la mayor parte de las consultas de explotación planteadas en el orden de microsegundos, con algoritmos que escalan de forma logarítmica con respecto al incremento en el número de trayectorias almacenadas. Por último y dado el carácter de tesis industrial de este trabajo, era necesario que la investigación realizada tuviese un carácter claramente aplicado, por ello se implementó una aplicación web con tecnología de Sistemas de Información Geográfica que en vez de trabajar sobre una base de datos espacial convencional utiliza la estructura comprimida y los algoritmos para su explotación diseñados en la tesis. Esa aplicación facilita, mediante una sencilla e intuitiva interfaz de usuario que representa el mapa de la red de transporte, el lanzamiento de los algoritmos diseñados sobre un amplio conjunto de trayectorias de viajeros. Del mismo modo esa interfaz presenta los resultados de las consultas de modo gráfico e intuitivo.[Resumo] A proliferación de por un lado os dispositivos GPS en smartphones, vehículos ou brazaletes deportivos e por outro lado os mecanismos de xeolocalización (como as tarxetas de pago do transporte público), xeraron unha capacidade sen precedentes para obter e almacenar as traxectorias que a xente xera ao moverse durante as súas tarefas diarias. Non obstante, non hai modelos de datos estándar para representar tales traxectorias, ademais de que nin as bases de datos tradicionais nin para as novas bases de datos NoSQL son adecuadas para a representación e explotación de datos tan complexos de natureza espazo-temporal que son as traxectorias. Para facer o panorama aínda máis complexo, tamén se comproba que cando se quere almacenar traxectorias de viaxeiros de transporte público, ou clientes en centros comerciais, ou simplemente de persoas ou vehículos que se desprazan pola cidade, se ten que afrontar un verdadeiro escenario de Big Data no que a eficiencia na resposta ás consultas faise moi difícil. Por iso, esta tese trata do deseño de estruturas compactas de datos para a representación dos camiños seguidos, por un lado, por vehículos e/ou persoas que se desprazan polas rúas dun contorno urbano ou periurbano delimitado, e por outros itinerarios de viaxeiros en transporte público. Ademais de deseñar estas estruturas compactas de datos, que permiten representar ese escenario Big Data habitual neste dominios de aplicación, deseñáronse algoritmos que permitan a explotación eficiente dos devanditos datos. Estes algoritmos, ademais de resolver as clásicas consultas espazo-temporais, tanto a posición dun obxecto á vez, como a traxectoria dun obxecto durante un intervalo de tempo, así como as consultas de rango espazo-temporal (qué obxectos están nun rango do espazo nun intre ou nun intervalo temporal) tamén resolver consultas máis especializadas para a análise de traxectorias de viaxeiros. Por exemplo, deseñamos algoritmos para comprobar o número de viaxeiros que inician (ou terminan) a súa viaxe nun determinado lugar nun determinado intervalo de tempo, ou o número de viaxeiros que cambian dunha liña a outra da rede de transporte público nun certa parada, ou incluso o número de viaxeiros que comezan a súa viaxe nun determinado lugar (parada ou barrio) e rematan noutra parada ou barrio específico. Tanto as estruturas de datos deseñadas como todos os algoritmos de consulta, dispoñibles en https://github.com/dgalaktionov/ compact-trip-representation, foron evaluados experimentalmente. Con estas estruturas é posible representar nun espazo de 100 MiB unha colección de aproximadamente un millón e medio de traxectos de taxi ou, alternativamente, dez millóns de traxectos consistentes en itinerarios en redes de transporte público, sendo estes últimos máis compactos. Nos dous casos, podemos resolver a maioría das consultas de explotación plantexadas na orde de microsegundos, con algoritmos que escalan logarítmicamente con respecto ao aumento do número de traxectorias almacenadas. Finalmente, dado o carácter de tese industrial deste traballo, foi necesario que a investigación realizada tivese un carácter claramente aplicado, polo que se implementou unha aplicación web con tecnoloxía de Sistemas de Información Xeográfica que no canto de traballar nunha base de datos espacial convencional usa a estrutura comprimida e algoritmos de explotación deseñados na tese. Esta aplicación facilita, mediante unha interface de usuario sinxela e intuitiva que representa o mapa da rede de transporte, o lanzamento dos algoritmos deseñados nun amplo conxunto de rutas de pasaxeiros. Do mesmo xeito que a interface presenta os resultados das consultas dun xeito gráfico e intuitivo.Xunta de Galicia; IN848D 2017 2350417Xunta de Galicia; IN852A 2018/14Xunta de Galicia; ED431G/01Xunta de Galicia; ED431C 2017/58Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad; TIN2016-78011-C4-1-RMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad; TIN2015-69951-RMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovación; RTI-2018-098309-B-C3

Distributed and Communication-Efficient Continuous Data Processing in Vehicular Cyber-Physical Systems

Processing the data produced by modern connected vehicles is of increasing interest for vehicle manufacturers to gain knowledge and develop novel functions and applications for the future of mobility.Connected vehicles form Vehicular Cyber-Physical Systems (VCPSs) that continuously sense increasingly large data volumes from high-bandwidth sensors such as LiDARs (an array of laser-based distance sensors that create a 3D map of the surroundings).The straightforward attempt of gathering all raw data from a VCPS to a central location for analysis often fails due to limits imposed by the infrastructure on the communication and storage capacities. In this Licentiate thesis, I present the results from my research that investigates techniques aiming at reducing the data volumes that need to be transmitted from vehicles through online compression and adaptive selection of participating vehicles. As explained in this work, the key to reducing the communication volume is in pushing parts of the necessary processing onto the vehicles\u27 on-board computers, thereby favorably leveraging the available distributed processing infrastructure in a VCPS.The findings highlight that existing analysis workflows can be sped up significantly while reducing their data volume footprint and incurring only modest accuracy decreases. At the same time, the adaptive selection of vehicles for analyses proves to provide a sufficiently large subset of vehicles that have compliant data for further analyses, while balancing the time needed for selection and the induced computational load

Semantic Trajectories:Computing and Understanding Mobility Data

Thanks to the rapid development of mobile sensing technologies (like GPS, GSM, RFID, accelerometer, gyroscope, sound and other sensors in smartphones), the large-scale capture of evolving positioning data (called mobility data or trajectories) generated by moving objects with embedded sensors has become easily feasible, both technically and economically. We have already entered a world full of trajectories. The state-of-the-art on trajectory, either from the moving object database area or in the statistical analysis viewpoint, has built a bunch of sophisticated techniques for trajectory data ad-hoc storage, indexing, querying and mining etc. However, most of these existing methods mainly focus on a spatio-temporal viewpoint of mobility data, which means they analyze only the geometric movement of trajectories (e.g., the raw ‹x, y, t› sequential data) without enough consideration on the high-level semantics that can better understand the underlying meaningful movement behaviors. Addressing this challenging issue for better understanding movement behaviors from the raw mobility data, this doctoral work aims at providing a high-level modeling and computing methodology for semantically abstracting the rapidly increasing mobility data. Therefore, we bring top-down semantic modeling and bottom-up data computing together and establish a new concept called "semantic trajectories" for mobility data representation and understanding. As the main novelty contribution, this thesis provides a rich, holistic, heterogeneous and application-independent methodology for computing semantic trajectories to better understand mobility data at different levels. In details, this methodology is composed of five main parts with dedicated contributions. Semantic Trajectory Modeling. By investigating trajectory modeling requirements to better understand mobility data, this thesis first designs a hybrid spatio-semantic trajectory model that represents mobility with rich data abstraction at different levels, i.e., from the low-level spatio-temporal trajectory to the intermediate-level structured trajectory, and finally to the high-level semantic trajectory. In addition, a semantic based ontological framework has also been designed and applied for querying and reasoning on trajectories. Offline Trajectory Computing. To utilize the hybrid model, the thesis complementarily designs a holistic trajectory computing platform with dedicated algorithms for reconstructing trajectories at different levels. The platform can preprocess collected mobility data (i.e., raw movement tracks like GPS feeds) in terms of data cleaning/compression etc., identify individual trajectories, and segment them into structurally meaningful trajectory episodes. Therefore, this trajectory computing platform can construct spatio-temporal trajectories and structured trajectories from the raw mobility data. Such computing platform is initially designed as an offline solution which is supposed to analyze past trajectories via a batch procedure. Trajectory Semantic Annotation. To achieve the final semantic level for better understanding mobility data, this thesis additionally designs a semantic annotation platform that can enrich trajectories with third party sources that are composed of geographic background information and application domain knowledge, to further infer more meaningful semantic trajectories. Such annotation platform is application-independent that can annotate various trajectories (e.g., mobility data of people, vehicle and animals) with heterogeneous data sources of semantic knowledge (e.g., third party sources in any kind of geometric shapes like point, line and region) that can help trajectory enrichment. Online Trajectory Computing. In addition to the offline trajectory computing for analyzing past trajectories, this thesis also contributes to dealing with ongoing trajectories in terms of real-time trajectory computing from movement data streams. The online trajectory computing platform is capable of providing real-life trajectory data cleaning, compression, and segmentation over streaming movement data. In addition, the online platform explores the functionality of online tagging to achieve fully semantic-aware trajectories and further evaluate trajectory computing in a real-time setting. Mining Trajectories from Multi-Sensors. Previously, the focus is on computing semantic trajectories using single-sensory data (i.e., GPS feeds), where most datasets are from moving objects with wearable GPS-embedded sensors (e.g., mobility data of animal, vehicle and people tracking). In addition, we explore the problem of mining people trajectories using multi-sensory feeds from smartphones (GPS, gyroscope, accelerometer etc). The research results reveal that the combination of two sensors (GPS+accelerometer) can significantly infer a complete life-cycle semantic trajectories of people's daily behaviors, both outdoor movement via GPS and indoor activities via accelerometer