Method of creating map data

1. A computerised method of creating map data, comprising:

processing, using a processor, sets of position data derived from the positions of a plurality of mobile devices moving along a section of road having two or more lanes with same direction of travel, wherein each set of position data comprises a plurality of points representative of the position of a mobile device over a period of time, and wherein the processing of a set of position data comprises:

determining an offset value for each point, the offset value being the distance between the point and a predetermined reference line; and

determining a variance of the offset values for the points in the set;

filtering the sets of position data by removing or reducing the weight applied to sets of position data having a variance above a predetermined value to generate filtered position data, said filtering further comprising comparing altitude information associated with one or more points in the sets of position data to a previously determined height for the one or more points, and removing or reducing the weight applied to sets of position data if the altitude information varies by more than a predetermined amount from the previously determined height;

deriving information about lanes of the road based upon the filtered position data; and

generating map data using the derived information.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reference line comprises an edge of the road or a mid line of the road.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information about lanes of the road comprises one or more of:

(i) the number of lanes;

(ii) speed data for at least one of the lanes;

(iii) traffic flow data for at least one of the lanes; and

(iv) a class of vehicle that can use one of the lanes.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the determination of the speed data occurs in real-time or pseudo real-time.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the determination of the number of lanes is used by an Advanced Driver Assistance System.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the altitude information is associated with a GPS fix.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating probe clusters having means values equal to an offset of a lane associated with the predetermined reference line.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the probe clusters are non-overlapping.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the map data to generate guidance as to the lane of a road in which a driver should position their vehicle.

10. A machine arranged to create map data, comprising at least one processor arranged to:

process sets of position data derived from the positions of a plurality of mobile devices moving along a section of road having two or more lanes with same direction of travel, wherein each set of position data comprises a plurality of points representative of the position of a mobile device over a period of time, and wherein the processing of a set of position data comprises:

determining an offset value for each point, the offset value being the distance between the point and a predetermined reference line; and

determining a variance of the offset values for the points in the set;

filter the sets of position of data by removing or reducing the weight applied to sets of position data having a variance above a predetermined value to generate filtered position data, said filtering further comprising comparing altitude information associated with one or more points in the sets of position data to a previously determined height for the one or more points, and removing or reducing the weight applied to sets of position data if the altitude information varies by more than a predetermined amount from the previously determined height;

derive information about lanes of the road based upon the filtered position data; and

generate map data using the derived information.

11. A non-transitory machine readable medium containing instructions which when read by a machine cause that machine to perform the method of creating map data, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

processing sets of position data derived from the positions of a plurality of mobile devices moving along a section of road having two or more lanes with same direction of travel, wherein each set of position data comprises a plurality of points representative of the position of a mobile device over a period of time, and wherein the processing of a set of position data comprises:

determining an offset value for each point, the offset value being the distance between the point and a predetermined reference line; and

determining a variance of the offset values for the points in the set;

filtering the sets of position data by removing or reducing the weight applied to sets of position data having a variance above a predetermined value to generate filtered position data, said filtering further comprising comparing altitude information associated with one or more points in the sets of position data to a previously determined height for the one or more points, and removing or reducing the weight applied to sets of position data if the altitude information varies by more than a predetermined amount from the previously determined height;

deriving information about lanes of the road based upon the filtered position data; and

generating map data using the derived information.