ROUTE PLANNING AND TRIP MONITORING SYSTEM FOR HIGH DEFINITION MAP DATA COLLECTION

1 . A method for route planning for high definition map data collection, comprising:

selecting a portion of a digital map that includes a route to be linked to a data collection trip;

drawing the route on the digital map portion using a graphical user interface tool;

adding electronic navigation instructions to the route on the digital map portion;

saving the route and the electronic navigation instructions to a central storage; and

distributing the route and the electronic navigation instructions from the central storage to an in-vehicle navigation device of a vehicle performing the data collection trip.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic navigation instructions include lane-specific instructions for a vehicle driver.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic navigation instructions include a note to a vehicle driver associated with a particular location on the route.

4 . A system for route planning for high definition map data collection, comprising:

a user console including a display and a processor configured to:

select a portion of a digital map that includes a route to be linked to a data collection trip;

draw the route on the digital map portion using a graphical user interface tool;

add electronic navigation instructions to the route on the digital map portion; and

save the route and the electronic navigation instructions to a central storage in a command center; and

the command center includes a processor configured to distribute the route and the electronic navigation instructions from the central storage to an in-vehicle navigation device of a vehicle performing the data collection trip.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the electronic navigation instructions include lane-specific instructions for a vehicle driver.

6 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the electronic navigation instructions include a note to a vehicle driver associated with a particular location on the route.

7 . A method for monitoring a high definition map data collection trip, comprising:

determining a current vehicle location;

determining whether the vehicle is following a planned route linked to a data collection trip, based on the current vehicle location;

on a condition that the vehicle is not following the planned route:

determining a reason why the vehicle is not following the planned route;

generating an alert;

displaying the alert on an in-vehicle navigation device; and

uploading the alert and the reason to a command center.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein determining whether the vehicle is following the planned route includes:

determining lane-specific information about the current vehicle location;

comparing the lane-specific information about the current vehicle location with corresponding lane-specific information of the planned route; and

determining that the vehicle is not following the planned route based on the comparison.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein providing the alert to the in-vehicle navigation device includes any one or more of: displaying a visual alert on a display of the in-vehicle navigation device or outputting an audio signal via the in-vehicle navigation device.

10 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

recording the reason why the vehicle is not following the planned route on the in-vehicle navigation device.

11 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving the planned route at the in-vehicle navigation device from the command center; and

displaying the planned route on a display of the in-vehicle navigation device.

12 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

gathering data along the route, wherein the gathered data includes any one or more of: image data from one or more cameras, temperature data from one or more temperature sensors, vehicle inertia data from an inertial measurement unit, global positioning system data from a global positioning system transceiver, laser range data from a laser range finder unit, or radio signal data from a radar unit.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

on a determination that the entire planned route has been driven, uploading the gathered data to the command center.

14 . A system for monitoring a high definition map data collection trip, comprising:

an in-vehicle navigation device including a display and a processor configured to:

determine a current vehicle location;

determine whether the vehicle is following a planned route linked to a data collection trip, based on the current vehicle location;

on a condition that the vehicle is not following the planned route:

determine a reason why the vehicle is not following the planned route;

generate an alert;

display the alert on the in-vehicle navigation device; and

upload the alert and the reason to a command center.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the vehicle is following the planned route by:

determining lane-specific information about the current vehicle location;

comparing the lane-specific information about the current vehicle location with corresponding lane-specific information of the planned route; and

determining that the vehicle is not following the planned route based on the comparison.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to provide the alert to the in-vehicle navigation device by any one or more of: displaying a visual alert on a display of the in-vehicle navigation device or outputting an audio signal via the in-vehicle navigation device.

17 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

record the reason why the vehicle is not following the planned route on the in-vehicle navigation device.

18 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive the planned route from the command center; and

display the planned route on the display of the in-vehicle navigation device.

19 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

gather data along the route, wherein the gathered data includes any one or more of: image data from one or more cameras, temperature data from one or more temperature sensors, vehicle inertia data from an inertial measurement unit, global positioning system data from a global positioning system transceiver, laser range data from a laser range finder unit, or radio signal data from a radar unit.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

upload the gathered data to the command center on a determination that the entire planned route has been driven.