Techniques for generating environment and reference data reports for particular environments on behalf of mobile devices

• US 9,854,404 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2015
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Edge, Stephen William, Wachter, Andreas Klaus, Garin, Lionel Jacques, Marshall, Grant Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): TORRES, MARCOS L
• Application Number:
  US14/746,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20150319578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 5/06 by using barometric means
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Various methods, apparatuses and/or articles of manufacture are provided which may be implemented using one or more fixed electronic devices to generate a reference data report corresponding to a particular environment. Various methods, apparatuses and/or articles of manufacture are provided which may be implemented using one or more mobile electronic devices to generate an environment report corresponding to a particular environment.

Claims

1. A method comprising, at an electronic device:

receiving an environment report from a mobile device, the environment report being indicative of a measurement obtained via an environmental sensor, the environmental sensor comprising a barometer, provisioned with the mobile device, and a location of the mobile device, the measurement being determined based, at least in part, on a local atmospheric pressure;

determining a reference atmospheric pressure based at least in part on the local atmospheric pressure;

generating an updated reference data report based, at least in part, on the local atmospheric pressure of the environment report, the updated reference data report comprising;

the reference atmospheric pressure;

a reference altitude corresponding to the reference atmospheric pressure at the location of the mobile device; and

an existing reference data report, the existing reference data report comprising atmospheric pressure measurements and location measurements communicated from one or more mobile devices, the atmospheric pressure measurements and the location measurements being obtained in an area including the location of the mobile device;

and

transmitting the updated reference data report to the mobile device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the environment report is further indicative of:

a horizontal position history for the mobile device;

a movement of the mobile device;

a movement history for the mobile device;

an altitude history for the mobile device;

a relative altitude of the mobile device;

a relative altitude history for the mobile device;

an atmospheric pressure history;

a local atmospheric temperature;

an atmospheric temperature history;

a local atmospheric humidity;

an atmospheric humidity history;

an indication of an indoor environment;

an indication of an outdoor environment;

or

a difference between an atmospheric pressure in an indoor environment and an atmospheric pressure in the outdoor environment, or any combination thereof.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the environment report is further based, at least in part, on a user-supplied observation corresponding to a particular environment.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the location for the mobile device is determined at least in part using:

Assisted Global Navigation Satellite System (A-GNSS);

Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA);

Advanced Forward Link Trilateration (AFLT) or Enhanced Cell ID (E-CID), or any combination thereof.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the reference data report is further indicative of:

a reference pressure rate corresponding to the reference atmospheric pressure;

or

a directional pressure gradient corresponding to the reference atmospheric pressure, or a combination thereof.

6. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving an environment report from a mobile device, the environment report being indicative of a measurement obtained via an environmental sensor, the environmental sensor comprising a barometer, provisioned with the mobile device, and a location of the mobile device, the measurement being based, at least in part, on a local atmospheric pressure;

means for determining a reference atmospheric pressure based at least in part on the local atmospheric pressure;

means for generating an updated reference data report based, at least in part, on the local atmospheric pressure of the environment report, the updated reference data report comprising;

the reference atmospheric pressure;

a reference altitude corresponding to the reference atmospheric pressure at the location of the mobile device; and

an existing reference data report, the existing reference data report comprising atmospheric pressure measurements and location measurements communicated from one or more mobile devices, the atmospheric pressure measurements and the location measurements being obtained in an area including the location of the mobile device;

and

means for transmitting the updated reference data report to the mobile device.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the environment report is further indicative of:

a horizontal position history for the mobile device;

a movement of the mobile device;

a movement history for the mobile device;

an altitude history for the mobile device;

a relative altitude of the mobile device;

a relative altitude history for the mobile device;

an atmospheric pressure history;

a local atmospheric temperature;

an atmospheric temperature history;

a local atmospheric humidity;

an atmospheric humidity history;

an indication of an indoor environment;

an indication of an outdoor environment;

or

a difference between an atmospheric pressure in an indoor environment and an atmospheric pressure in the outdoor environment, or any combination thereof.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the environment report is further based, at least in part, on a user-supplied observation corresponding to a particular environment.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the location for the mobile device is determined at least in part using:

Assisted Global Navigation Satellite System (A-GNSS);

Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA);

Advanced Forward Link Trilateration (AFLT);

Enhanced Cell ID (E-CID) or an inertial sensor, or any combination thereof.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the reference data report is further indicative of:

a reference pressure rate corresponding to the reference atmospheric pressure;

or

a directional pressure gradient corresponding to the reference atmospheric pressure, or a combination thereof.

11. A device comprising:

a network interface unit; and

a processing unit to;

obtain an environment report received from a mobile device via the network interface unit, the environment report being indicative of a measurement obtained via an environmental sensor, the environmental sensor comprising a barometer, provisioned with the mobile device, and a location of the mobile device, the measurement being based, at least in part, on a local atmospheric pressure;

determine a reference atmospheric pressure based, at least in part, on the local atmospheric pressure;

generate an updated reference data report based, at least in part, on the local atmospheric pressure of the environment report, the updated reference data report to comprise;

the reference atmospheric pressure;

a reference altitude corresponding to the reference atmospheric pressure at the location of the mobile device; and

an existing reference data report, the existing reference data report comprising atmospheric pressure measurements and location measurements communicated from one or more mobile devices, the atmospheric pressure measurements and the location measurements being obtained in an area including the location of the mobile device;

and

initiate transmission of the reference data report to the mobile device via the network interface unit.

12. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the environment report is further indicative of:

a horizontal position history for the mobile device;

a movement of the mobile device;

a movement history for the mobile device;

an altitude history for the mobile device;

a relative altitude of the mobile device;

a relative altitude history for the mobile device;

an atmospheric pressure history;

a local atmospheric temperature;

an atmospheric temperature history;

a local atmospheric humidity;

an atmospheric humidity history;

an indication of an indoor environment;

an indication of an outdoor environment;

or

a difference between an atmospheric pressure in an indoor environment and an atmospheric pressure in the outdoor environment, or any combination thereof.

13. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the environment report is further based, at least in part, on a user-supplied observation corresponding to a particular environment.

14. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the location for the mobile device is determined at least in part using:

Assisted Global Navigation Satellite System (A-GNSS);

Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA);

Advanced Forward Link Trilateration (AFLT);

Enhanced Cell ID (E-CID) or an inertial sensor, or any combination thereof.

15. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the reference data report is further indicative of:

a reference pressure rate corresponding to the reference atmospheric pressure;

or a directional pressure gradient corresponding to the reference atmospheric pressure, or a combination thereof.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer implementable instructions stored therein that are executable by a processing unit of an electronic device to:

obtain an environment report received from a mobile device, the environment report being indicative of a measurement obtained via an environmental sensor, the environmental sensor comprising a barometer, provisioned with the mobile device, and a location of the mobile device, the measurement being based, at least in part, on a local atmospheric pressure;

determine a reference atmospheric pressure based at least in part on the local atmospheric pressure;

generate an updated reference data report based, at least in part, on the local atmospheric pressure of the environment report, the updated reference data report to comprise;

the reference atmospheric pressure;

a reference altitude corresponding to the reference atmospheric pressure at the location of the mobile device; and

an existing reference data report, the existing reference data report comprising atmospheric pressure measurements and location measurements communicated from one or more mobile devices, the atmospheric pressure measurements and the location measurements being obtained in an area including the location of the mobile device;

and

initiate transmission of the reference data report to the mobile device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the environment report is further indicative of:

a horizontal position history for the mobile device;

a movement of the mobile device;

a movement history for the mobile device;

an altitude history for the mobile device;

a relative altitude of the mobile device;

a relative altitude history for the mobile device;

an atmospheric pressure history;

a local atmospheric temperature;

an atmospheric temperature history;

a local atmospheric humidity;

an atmospheric humidity history;

an indication of an indoor environment;

an indication of an outdoor environment;

or

a difference between an atmospheric pressure difference in an indoor and an atmospheric pressure in the outdoor environment, or any combination thereof.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the environment report further is based, at least in part, on a user-supplied observation corresponding to a particular environment.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the location for the mobile device is determined at least in part using:

Assisted Global Navigation Satellite System (A-GNSS);

Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA);

Advanced Forward Link Trilateration (AFLT);

Enhanced Cell ID (E-CID) or an inertial sensor, or any combination thereof.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the reference data report is further indicative of:

a reference pressure rate corresponding to the reference atmospheric pressure;

or a directional pressure gradient corresponding to the reference atmospheric pressure, or a combination thereof.