Systems and methods for updating maps and evaluating map accuracy based on collected image data

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a computing platform from an image-capture device via a network-based communication path, image-capture metadata that provides information about a set of images that were passively captured by the image-capture device;

based at least on the received image-capture metadata, applying, at the computing platform, a collection policy for determining whether to collect any of the set of images that were passively captured by the image-capture device and thereby determining that a selected subset of one or more images in the set of images are to be collected from the image-capture device;

instructing, by the computing platform via the network-based communication path, the image-capture device to upload the selected subset of one or more images; and

after instructing the image-capture device to upload the selected subset of one or more images, receiving, at the computing platform from the image-capture device via the network-based communication path, the selected subset of one or more images from the image-capture device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

prior to applying the collection policy:

receiving, at the computing platform from the image-capture device via the network-based communication path, location data that is indicative of a time sequence of locations of the image-capture device during a period of time when the set of images were passively captured by the image-capture device; and

based on the received location data, determining, at the computing platform, a set of capture locations associated with the set of images, wherein the determined set of capture locations is used by the computing platform as a further basis for applying the collection policy.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein determining the set of capture locations associated with the set of images comprises:

based on the received location data, determining a time sequence of device locations for the image-capture device during the period of time when the set of images were passively captured by the image-capture device; and

using the determined time sequence of device locations and the image-capture metadata to determine the set of capture locations associated with the set of images.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein each image in the set of images corresponds to a road segment in a road network, and wherein applying the collection policy comprises:

determining whether each respective image in the set of images is to be collected from the image-capture device based on an evaluation of at least one factor selected from a group of factors consisting of:

(i) whether there is an absence of previously-collected images for the respective image's corresponding road segment;

(ii) whether previously-collected images for the respective image's corresponding road segment lack a threshold level of freshness;

(iii) whether there is a difference between objects detected in the respective image and objects detected in previously-collected images for the respective image's corresponding road segment;

(iv) whether a request to affirmatively collect fresh image data for the respective image's corresponding road segment has been received; and

(v) whether the respective image's corresponding road segment has a threshold level of importance.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein determining whether each respective image in the set of images is to be collected from the image-capture device based on the evaluation of the at least one factor comprises, for each respective image in the set of images:

accessing stored information about the previously-collected images for the respective image's corresponding road segment.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein determining whether each respective image in the set of images is to be collected from the image-capture device based on the evaluation of the at least one factor comprises, for each respective image in the set of images:

for the at least one factor, determining a factor-specific value for the respective image;

based on the determined factor-specific value, determining a composite value for the respective image; and

determining whether the respective image is to be collected from the image-capture device based on a comparison between the respective image's composite value and a threshold value.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the threshold value is dynamically updated based on upload activity of the image-capture device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

utilizing the selected subset of one or more images to facilitate a process for reviewing and updating a map.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

utilizing the selected subset of one or more images to facilitate a process for reviewing and evaluating accuracy of a map.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the collection policy comprises a multi-factor collection policy, and wherein applying the multi-factor collection policy comprises:

evaluating a group of two or more factors that is based at least in part on the received image-capture metadata.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon that are executable to cause a computing platform to perform functions comprising:

receiving, at the computing platform from an image-capture device via a network-based communication path, image-capture metadata that provides information about a set of images that were passively captured by the image-capture device;

based at least on the received image-capture metadata, applying, at the computing platform, a collection policy for determining whether to collect any of the set of images that were passively captured by the image-capture device and thereby determining that a selected subset of one or more images in the set of images are to be collected from the image-capture device;

instructing, by the computing platform via the network-based communication path, the image-capture device to upload the selected subset of one or more images; and

after instructing the image-capture device to upload the selected subset of one or more images, receiving, at the computing platform from the image-capture device via the network-based communication path, the selected subset of one or more images from the image-capture device.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions stored thereon that are executable to cause the computing platform to perform functions comprising:

prior to applying the collection policy:

receiving, at the computing platform from the image-capture device via the network-based communication path, location data that is indicative of a time sequence of locations of the image-capture device during a period of time when the set of images were passively captured by the image-capture device; and

based on the received location data, determining, at the computing platform, a set of capture locations associated with the set of images, wherein the determined set of capture locations is used by the computing platform as a further basis for applying the collection policy.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein determining the set of capture locations associated with the set of images comprises:

based on the received location data, determining a time sequence of device locations for the image-capture device during the period of time when the set of images were passively captured by the image-capture device; and

using the determined time sequence of device locations and the image-capture metadata to determine the set of capture locations associated with the set of images.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein each image in the set of images corresponds to a road segment in a road network, and wherein applying the collection policy comprises:

determining whether each respective image in the set of images is to be collected from the image-capture device based on an evaluation of at least one factor selected from a group of factors consisting of:

(i) whether there is an absence of previously-collected images for the respective image's corresponding road segment;

(ii) whether previously-collected images for the respective image's corresponding road segment lack a threshold level of freshness;

(iii) whether there is a difference between objects detected in the respective image and objects detected in previously-collected images for the respective image's corresponding road segment;

(iv) whether a request to affirmatively collect fresh image data for the respective image's corresponding road segment has been received; and

(v) whether the respective image's corresponding road segment has a threshold level of importance.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein determining whether each respective image in the set of images is to be collected from the image-capture device based on the evaluation of the at least one factor comprises, for each respective image in the set of images:

accessing stored information about the previously-collected images for the respective image's corresponding road segment.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein determining whether each respective image in the set of images is to be collected from the image-capture device based on the evaluation of the at least one factor comprises, for each respective image in the set of images:

for the at least one factor, determining a factor-specific value for the respective image;

based on the determined factor-specific value, determining a composite value for the respective image;

determining whether the respective image is to be collected from the image-capture device based on a comparison between the respective image's composite value and a threshold value.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the threshold value is dynamically updated based on upload activity of the image-capture device.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions stored thereon that are executable to cause the computing system to perform functions comprising:

utilizing the selected subset of one or more images to facilitate a process for reviewing and updating a map.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the collection policy comprises a multi-factor collection policy, and wherein applying the multi-factor collection policy comprises:

evaluating a group of two or more factors that is based at least in part on the received image-capture metadata.

20. A computing platform comprising:

at least one processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the computing platform to perform functions comprising:

receiving, at the computing platform from an image-capture device via a network-based communication path, image-capture metadata that provides information about a set of images that were passively captured by the image-capture device;

based at least on the received image-capture metadata, applying, at the computing platform, a collection policy for determining whether to collect any of the set of images that were passively captured by the image-capture device and thereby determining that a selected subset of one or more images in the set of images are to be collected from the image-capture device;

instructing, by the computing platform via the network-based communication path, the image-capture device to upload the selected subset of one or more images; and

after instructing the image-capture device to upload the selected subset of one or more images, receiving, at the computing platform from the image-capture device via the network-based communication path, the selected subset of one or more images from the image-capture device.

21. The computing platform of claim 20 , wherein the collection policy comprises a multi-factor collection policy, and wherein applying the multi-factor collection policy comprises:

evaluating a group of two or more factors that is based at least in part on the received image-capture metadata.