EFFICIENT LOCATION REFERENCING METHOD

A method of encoding a continuous path within a road network is described, the path being completely represented within a digital map and expressible as a path list of lines and/or segments existing in said digital map and consecutively ordered, wherein said lines and/or segments have one or more attributes associated therewith. The method involves storing a start position in a route search list, and determining a path from the start node of the start position and including said start position to an end node of the last line or segment in the path list within said digital map. The path is determined according to an algorithm utilising an attribute of said lines or segments. The attribute may be a lowest functional road class (LFRC) of the path to be encoded or a part thereof.