Opportunistic calibration of a barometer in a mobile device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising, at a mobile device:
- determining that said mobile device is located in an outdoor environment based, at least in part, on (i) a history of detected movements of said mobile device;
(ii) at least one signal obtained by at least one sensor onboard said mobile device;
(iii) at least one signal acquired from at least one transmitting device;
(iv) an electronic map indicative of local terrain or (v) an almanac indicative of horizontal locations and displacement of structures, or (vi) a combination thereof;
determining that said mobile device has a level trajectory based, at least in part, on (i) at least one signal obtained by at least one sensor onboard said mobile device;
(ii) an estimated velocity of said mobile device or (iii) an estimated mode of transportation of a person holding said mobile device, or (iv) a combination thereof;
determining that said mobile device is located at a discernible altitude level based, at least in part, on;
(i) said at least one signal obtained from said at least one sensor onboard said mobile device;
(ii) said electronic map indicative of said local terrain;
(iii) an estimated movement routine corresponding to said mobile device or (iv) said at least one wireless signal acquired from at least one transmitting device, or (v) a combination thereof; and
in response to a determination that said mobile device is located in said outdoor environment, has said level trajectory and is at said discernible altitude level, initiating a calibration process of a barometer onboard said mobile device, said calibration process to identify a reference atmospheric pressure for said discernible altitude level.
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Abstract
Disclosed are systems, methods and techniques for calibrating an altimeter of a mobile device. For example, a characterized motion of a mobile device may be used to infer an altitude of the mobile device. If it is further inferred that the mobile device is in an outdoor environment, an altitude of the mobile device may be based on application of an estimated location of the mobile device to an altitude terrain map.
33 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method comprising, at a mobile device:
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determining that said mobile device is located in an outdoor environment based, at least in part, on (i) a history of detected movements of said mobile device;
(ii) at least one signal obtained by at least one sensor onboard said mobile device;
(iii) at least one signal acquired from at least one transmitting device;
(iv) an electronic map indicative of local terrain or (v) an almanac indicative of horizontal locations and displacement of structures, or (vi) a combination thereof;determining that said mobile device has a level trajectory based, at least in part, on (i) at least one signal obtained by at least one sensor onboard said mobile device;
(ii) an estimated velocity of said mobile device or (iii) an estimated mode of transportation of a person holding said mobile device, or (iv) a combination thereof;determining that said mobile device is located at a discernible altitude level based, at least in part, on;
(i) said at least one signal obtained from said at least one sensor onboard said mobile device;
(ii) said electronic map indicative of said local terrain;
(iii) an estimated movement routine corresponding to said mobile device or (iv) said at least one wireless signal acquired from at least one transmitting device, or (v) a combination thereof; andin response to a determination that said mobile device is located in said outdoor environment, has said level trajectory and is at said discernible altitude level, initiating a calibration process of a barometer onboard said mobile device, said calibration process to identify a reference atmospheric pressure for said discernible altitude level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for use in a mobile device, the apparatus comprising:
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means for determining that said mobile device is located in an outdoor environment based, at least in part, on (i) a history of detected movements of said mobile device;
(ii) at least one signal obtained by at least one sensor onboard said mobile device;
(iii) at least one signal acquired from at least one transmitting device;
(iv) an electronic map indicative of local terrain or (v) an almanac indicative of horizontal locations and displacement of structures, or (vi) a combination thereof;means for determining that said mobile device has a level trajectory based, at least in part, on (i) at least one signal obtained by at least one sensor onboard said mobile device;
(ii) an estimated velocity of said mobile device or (iii) an estimated mode of transportation of a person holding said mobile device, or (iv) a combination thereof;means for determining that said mobile device is located at a discernible altitude level based, at least in part, on;
(i) said at least one signal obtained from said at least one sensor onboard said mobile device;
(ii) said electronic map indicative of said local terrain;
(iii) an estimated movement routine corresponding to said mobile device or (iv) said at least one wireless signal acquired from at least one transmitting device, or (v) a combination thereof; andmeans for initiating a calibration process of a barometer onboard said mobile device in response to a determination that said mobile device is located in said outdoor environment, has said level trajectory and is in motion at said discernible altitude level, said calibration process to identify a reference atmospheric pressure for said discernible altitude level. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A mobile device comprising:
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a plurality of sensors, wherein at least one of said plurality of sensors comprises a barometer; memory; and a processing unit to; determine that said mobile device is located in an outdoor environment based, at least in part, on (i) a history of detected movements of said mobile device;
(ii) at least one signal obtained by at least one sensor onboard said mobile device;
(iii) at least one signal acquired from at least one transmitting device;
(iv) an electronic map indicative of local terrain or (v) an almanac indicative of horizontal locations and displacement of structures, or (vi) a combination thereof;determine that said mobile device has a level trajectory based, at least in part, on (i) at least one signal obtained by one of said plurality of sensors of said mobile device;
(ii) an estimated velocity of said mobile device or (iii) an estimated mode of transportation of a person holding said mobile device, or (iv) a combination thereof;determine that said mobile device is located at a discernible altitude level based, at least in part, on;
(i) said at least one signal obtained from one of said plurality of sensors;
(ii) said electronic map stored in said memory and which is indicative of said local terrain;
(iii) an estimated movement routing corresponding to said mobile device or (iv) said at least one signal acquired from at least one transmitting device, or (v) a combination thereof; andin response to a determination that said mobile device is located in said outdoor environment, has said level trajectory and is in motion at said discernible altitude level, initiate a calibration process of said barometer, to identify a reference atmospheric pressure for said discernible altitude level. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein computer implementable instructions executable by a processing unit of a mobile:
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determine that said mobile device is located in an outdoor environment based, at least in part, on (i) a history of detected movements of said mobile device;
(ii) at least one signal obtained by at least one sensor onboard said mobile device;
(iii) at least one signal acquired from at least one transmitting device;
(iv) an electronic map indicative of local terrain or (v) an almanac of horizontal locations and displacement of structures, or (vi) a combination thereof;determine that said mobile device has a level trajectory based, at least in part, on (i) at least one signal obtained by at least one sensor onboard said mobile device;
(ii) an estimated velocity of said mobile device or (iii) an estimated mode of transportation of a person holding said mobile device, or (iv) a combination thereof;determine that said mobile device is located at a discernible altitude level based, at least in part, on;
(i) said at least one signal obtained from said at least one sensor onboard said mobile device;
(ii) said electronic map indicative of said local terrain;
(iii) an estimated movement routine corresponding to said mobile device or (iv) said at least one wireless signal acquired from at least one transmitting device, or (v) a combination thereof; andinitiate a calibration process of a barometer onboard said mobile device in response to a determination that said mobile device is located in said outdoor environment, has said level trajectory and is in motion at said discernible altitude level, said calibration process to identify a reference atmospheric pressure for said discernible altitude level. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification