Altitude determination according to crowd sourced barometric pressure measurements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11940294-B2
Application number	US-202217673848-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 17, 2022
Priority date	Apr 21, 2020
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a process that formulates an inference that a first group of mobile devices are at ground level, and obtains, for the first group of mobile devices, positions and barometric pressure readings. Ground heights with respect to a common reference height are determined for the first group of mobile devices, and reference barometric pressures are calculated for the first group of mobile devices, at the common reference height according to the barometric pressure readings and the determined ground heights. At least a portion of the reference barometric pressures are combined to obtain a reference barometric pressure. Other embodiments are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
determining, by a processing system including a processor, that a plurality of mobile devices is at ground level;
obtaining, by the processing system for the plurality of mobile devices, positions and barometric pressure readings;
for each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices:
comparing, by the processing system, a speed of the mobile device to a speed threshold to obtain a comparison result; and
inferring, by the processing system, a mode of transportation according to the comparison result;

determining, by the processing system for the plurality of mobile devices, ground heights with respect to a common reference height to obtain determined ground heights, wherein for each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices, the determined ground height comprises a sum of a ground elevation above the common reference height corresponding to a position of the mobile device and an offset elevation based at least in part on the mode of transportation of the mobile device;
combining, by the processing system for the plurality of mobile devices, reference barometric pressures at the common reference height according to the barometric pressure readings and the determined ground heights, to obtain a combined reference pressure; and
determining, by the processing system, a height of a target device above a local ground position of the target device, in accordance with a reported barometric pressure at the target device and the combined reference pressure.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the combining the reference barometric pressures comprises averaging at least a portion of the reference barometric pressures.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
associating, by the processing system, a region with an ambiguity affecting a reliability of the determining that the plurality of mobile devices is at ground level;
associating, by the processing system, a mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices with the region according to a location of the mobile device to obtain an associated mobile device; and
excluding, by the processing system, from the averaging a barometric pressure reading of the associated mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing system receives the report via a radio access network.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the processing system, a report of a barometric pressure at the target device, wherein the target device is not included in the plurality of mobile devices.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, by the processing system, a message including the height of the target device to a device location service.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the device location service comprises a first responder service.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the obtaining the barometric pressure readings further comprises periodically updating the barometric pressure readings.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the local ground position of the target device corresponds to a building, and wherein the height of the target device is expressed as a floor level of the building.

10. A device comprising:
a processing system including a processor; and
a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
determining that a plurality of mobile devices is at ground level;
obtaining, for the plurality of mobile devices, positions and barometric pressure readings;
for each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices:
comparing a speed of the mobile device to a speed threshold to obtain a comparison result; and
inferring a mode of transportation according to the comparison result;

determining, for the plurality of mobile devices, ground heights with respect to a common reference height to obtain determined ground heights, wherein for each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices, the determined ground height comprises a sum of a ground elevation above the common reference height corresponding to a position of the mobile device and an offset elevation based at least in part on the mode of transportation of the mobile device;
combining, for the plurality of mobile devices, reference barometric pressures at the common reference height according to the barometric pressure readings and the determined ground heights, to obtain a combined reference pressure; and
determining a height of a target device above a local ground position of the target device in accordance with a reported barometric pressure at the target device and the combined reference pressure.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the combining the reference barometric pressures comprises averaging at least a portion of the reference barometric pressures.

12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the processing system operations further comprise receiving the reported barometric pressure at the target device via a radio access network.

13. The device of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting a message including the height of the target device to a device location service.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the device location service comprises a first responder service.

15. The device of claim 10 , wherein the obtaining the barometric pressure readings further comprises periodically updating the barometric pressure readings.

16. The device of claim 10 , wherein the local ground position at the target device corresponds to a building, and wherein the height of the target device is expressed as a floor level of the building.

17. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
determining that a plurality of mobile devices is at ground level;
obtaining, for the plurality of mobile devices, positions and barometric pressure readings;
for each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices:
comparing a speed of the mobile device to a speed threshold to obtain a comparison result; and
inferring a mode of transportation according to the comparison result;

determining, for the plurality of mobile devices, ground heights with respect to a common reference height to obtain determined ground heights, wherein for each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices, the determined ground height comprises a sum of a ground elevation above the common reference height corresponding to a position of the mobile device and an offset elevation based at least in part on the mode of transportation of the mobile device;
combining, for the plurality of mobile devices, reference barometric pressures at the common reference height according to the barometric pressure readings and the determined ground heights to obtain a combined reference pressure, wherein the combining the reference barometric pressures comprises averaging at least a portion of the reference barometric pressures; and
determining a height of a target device above a local ground position of the target device, in accordance with a reported barometric pressure at the target device and the combined reference pressure.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the processing system receives the reported barometric pressure at the target device via a radio access network.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the mode of transportation of th

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp
• At & T Mobility Ii Llc
• At & T Ip I Lp
• At & T Mobility Ii Llc

Inventors

• Meredith Sheldon Kent
• Meredith Zachary

Classifications

• G01C5/06 Primary

  by using barometric means · CPC title

• G01D21/02

  Measuring two or more variables by means not covered by a single other subclass · CPC title

• G06F17/18

  for evaluating statistical data {, e.g. average values, frequency distributions, probability functions, regression analysis (forecasting specially adapted for a specific administrative, business or logistic context G06Q10/04)} · CPC title

• G01D1/02 Primary

  giving mean values, e.g. root means square values (measuring root mean square values of currents or voltages G01R19/02) · CPC title

• G01D21/00

  Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for · CPC title