Floor height estimation and calibration of a mobile device

1. A method for estimating a floor height, wherein the method comprises:

detecting that a mobile device is in a first area;

collecting mobile device pressure data measured by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the first area;

collecting reference pressure data for when the mobile device was in the first area;

detecting that the mobile device is in a second area, wherein the second area is at least part of a floor of a building;

collecting mobile device pressure data measured by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the second area;

collecting reference pressure data for when the mobile device was in the second area;

determining, using one or more processors, a first estimated altitude of the mobile device using the mobile device pressure data and the reference pressure data from when the mobile device was detected to be in the first area;

determining, using one or more processors, a second estimated altitude of the mobile device using the mobile device pressure data and the reference pressure data from when the mobile device was detected to be in the second area;

determining, using one or more processors, a difference in estimated altitude between the second estimated altitude of the mobile device and the first estimated altitude of the mobile device;

determining a first terrain altitude of a first terrain that is associated with the first area;

determining a second terrain altitude of a second terrain that is associated with the second area;

determining, using one or more processors, a difference in terrain altitude between the second terrain altitude associated with the second area and the first terrain altitude associated with the first area; and

determining, using one or more processors, a height of the floor in the building at which the mobile device was located when in the second area using the difference in estimated altitude and the difference in terrain altitude, wherein the height of the floor is based on a difference between the difference in estimated altitude and the difference in terrain altitude.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:

using the height of the floor to determine a difference in altitude between an estimated altitude of the mobile device when on the floor of the building and a true altitude of the mobile device when on the floor of the building; and

using the difference in altitude to determine a mobile device pressure sensor calibration value.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein using the determined height of the floor to determine a difference in altitude between an estimated altitude of the mobile device when on the floor of the building and a true altitude of the mobile device when on the floor of the building comprises:

reducing the second estimated altitude by the second terrain altitude and by the floor height; and

using the result of reducing the second estimated altitude by the second terrain altitude and by the floor height as the difference in altitude.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein using the difference in altitude to determine a mobile device pressure sensor calibration value comprises:

determining the mobile device pressure sensor calibration value by (i) dividing a measurement of pressure from the mobile device or a combination of pressure measurements taken while the mobile device was in the second area by a product of an air gas constant and a temperature value, and (ii) multiplying the result thereof by the difference in altitude and by an amount of acceleration due to gravity.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

collecting mobile device pressure data measured by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the first area comprises determining at least one measurement of pressure on a first day; and

collecting mobile device pressure data measured by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the second area comprises determining at least one measurement of pressure on the first day.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

collecting mobile device pressure data measured by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the first area comprises collecting a first set of measurements of pressure on different days, wherein the first set of measurements of pressure collected on different days are used to determine the first estimated altitude; and

collecting mobile device pressure data measured by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the second area comprises collecting a second set of measurements of pressure on different days, wherein the second set of measurements of pressure collected on different days are used to determine the second estimated altitude.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first terrain altitude associated with the first area is an altitude of the first terrain at the first area, the second terrain altitude associated with the second area is an altitude of the second terrain, the second terrain being a ground-level terrain under the second area, and wherein the first area is outside.

8. One or more non-transitory machine-readable media embodying program instructions that, when executed by one or more machines, cause the one or more machines to implement a method for estimating a floor height, the method comprising:

detecting that a mobile device is in a first area;

collecting mobile device pressure data measured by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the first area;

collecting reference pressure data determined by one or more reference pressure sensors when the mobile device is in the first area;

detecting that the mobile device is in a second area, wherein the second area is at least part of a floor of a building;

collecting mobile device pressure data measured by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the second area;

collecting reference pressure data determined by one or more reference pressure sensors when the mobile device is in the second area;

determining, using one or more processors, a first estimated altitude of the mobile device using the mobile device pressure data and the reference pressure data from when the mobile device was detected to be in the first area;

determining, using one or more processors, a second estimated altitude of the mobile device using the mobile device pressure data and the reference pressure data from when the mobile device was detected to be in the second area;

determining, using one or more processors, a difference in estimated altitude between the second estimated altitude of the mobile device and the first estimated altitude of the mobile device;

determining a first terrain altitude of a first terrain that is associated with the first area;

determining a second terrain altitude of a second terrain that is associated with the second area;

determining, using one or more processors, a difference in terrain altitude between the second terrain altitude associated with the second area and the first terrain altitude associated with the first area; and

determining, using one or more processors, a height of the floor in the building at which the mobile device was located when in the second area using the difference in estimated altitude and the difference in terrain altitude, wherein the height of the floor is based on a difference between the difference in estimated altitude and the difference in terrain altitude.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the method comprises:

using the height of the floor to determine a difference in altitude between an estimated altitude of the mobile device when on the floor of the building and a true altitude of the mobile device when on the floor of the building; and

using the difference in altitude to determine a mobile device pressure sensor calibration value.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 9 , wherein using the determined height of the floor to determine a difference in altitude between an estimated altitude of the mobile device when on the floor of the building and a true altitude of the mobile device when on the floor of the building comprises:

reducing the second estimated altitude by the second terrain altitude and by the floor height; and

using the result of reducing the second estimated altitude by the second terrain altitude and by the floor height as the difference in altitude.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 9 , wherein using the difference in altitude to determine a mobile device pressure sensor calibration value comprises:

determining the mobile device pressure sensor calibration value by (i) dividing a measurement of pressure from the mobile device or a combination of pressure measurements taken while the mobile device was in the second area by a product of an air gas constant and a temperature value, and (ii) multiplying the result thereof by the difference in altitude and by an amount of acceleration due to gravity.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 8 , wherein:

collecting mobile device pressure data measured by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the first area comprises determining at least one measurement of pressure on a first day; and

collecting mobile device pressure data measured by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the second area comprises determining at least one measurement of pressure on the first day.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 8 , wherein:

collecting mobile device pressure data measured by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the first area comprises collecting a first set of measurements of pressure on different days, wherein the first set of measurements of pressure collected on different days are used to determine the first estimated altitude; and

collecting mobile device pressure data measured by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the second area comprises collecting a second set of measurements of pressure on different days, wherein the second set of measurements of pressure collected on different days are used to determine the second estimated altitude.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the first terrain altitude associated with the first area is an altitude of the first terrain at the first area, wherein the second terrain altitude associated with the second area is an altitude of the second terrain, the second terrain being a ground-level terrain under the second area, and wherein the first area is outside.

15. A system for estimating a floor height, comprising:

a pressure sensor; and

one or more machines that are coupled to the pressure sensor and configured to perform a method comprising:

detecting that a mobile device is in a first area;

collecting mobile device pressure data measured by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the first area;

collecting reference pressure data determined by one or more reference pressure sensors when the mobile device is in the first area;

detecting that the mobile device is in a second area, wherein the second area is at least part of a floor of a building;

collecting mobile device pressure data measured by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the second area;

collecting reference pressure data determined by one or more reference pressure sensors when the mobile device is in the second area;

determining, using one or more processors, a first estimated altitude of the mobile device using the mobile device pressure data and the reference pressure data from when the mobile device was detected to be in the first area;

determining, using one or more processors, a second estimated altitude of the mobile device using the mobile device pressure data and the reference pressure data from when the mobile device was detected to be in the second area;

determining, using one or more processors, a difference in estimated altitude between the second estimated altitude of the mobile device and the first estimated altitude of the mobile device;

determining a first terrain altitude of a first terrain that is associated with the first area;

determining a second terrain altitude of a second terrain that is associated with the second area;

determining, using one or more processors, a difference in terrain altitude between the second terrain altitude associated with the second area and the first terrain altitude associated with the first area; and

determining, using one or more processors, a height of the floor in the building at which the mobile device was located when in the second area using the difference in estimated altitude and the difference in terrain altitude, wherein the height of the floor is based on a difference between the difference in estimated altitude and the difference in terrain altitude.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the method comprises:

using the height of the floor to determine a difference in altitude between an estimated altitude of the mobile device when on the floor of the building and a true altitude of the mobile device when on the floor of the building; and

using the difference in altitude to determine a mobile device pressure sensor calibration value.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein using the determined height of the floor to determine a difference in altitude between an estimated altitude of the mobile device when on the floor of the building and a true altitude of the mobile device when on the floor of the building comprises:

reducing the second estimated altitude by the second terrain altitude and by the floor height; and

using the result of reducing the second estimated altitude by the second terrain altitude and by the floor height as the difference in altitude.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein using the difference in altitude to determine a mobile device pressure sensor calibration value comprises:

determining the mobile device pressure sensor calibration value by (i) dividing a measurement of pressure from the mobile device or a combination of pressure measurements taken while the mobile device was in the second area by a product of an air gas constant and a temperature value, and (ii) multiplying the result thereof by the difference in altitude and by an amount of acceleration due to gravity.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein:

collecting mobile device pressure data measured by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the first area comprises collecting a first set of measurements of pressure on different days, wherein the first set of measurements of pressure collected on different days are used to determine the first estimated altitude; and

collecting mobile device pressure data measured by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the second area comprises collecting a second set of measurements of pressure on different days, wherein the second set of measurements of pressure collected on different days are used to determine the second estimated altitude.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first terrain altitude associated with the first area is an altitude of the first terrain at the first area, wherein the second terrain altitude associated with the second area is an altitude of the second terrain, the second terrain being a ground-level terrain under the second area, and wherein the first area is outside.