Device-Based Barometric Sensor Calibration Using General Location
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumer-grade barometric pressure sensors in mobile devices often drift over time, leading to inaccurate altitude determination, and conventional calibration methods that require precise location sharing with servers raise privacy concerns and increase power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A device-based calibration method that uses a general location instead of a precise location, allowing the mobile device to determine specific calibration data from general calibration data received from a server, thereby reducing server load and maintaining user privacy while ensuring accurate altitude calculations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by stationary object
If device-based calibration is used to reduce server load and power consumption, then server costs and power usage are reduced, but the mobile device must still transmit location information which raises privacy concerns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary minimal information (general location data) from the mobile device for calibration purposes, removing unnecessary precise location details. This allows calibration to proceed while preserving user privacy by transmitting only what is strictly needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different levels of location precision to different purposes: general location data is used for calibration calculations, while precise location data remains protected on the device. This local differentiation of information quality allows simultaneous achievement of calibration accuracy and privacy protection.
2Measurement precision
If precise location is transmitted to server for calibration, then calibration accuracy is improved, but user privacy is compromised and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential calibration parameters from the mobile device's location data, transmitting minimal information to the server. This reduces the power consumption associated with data transmission while obtaining sufficient information for accurate calibration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses partial location information (general location rather than precise location) which is sufficient for calibration purposes without transmitting excessive detailed location data. This partial action approach achieves adequate calibration accuracy with reduced energy expenditure.
3Reliability
If server performs all calibration calculations, then calibration quality is maintained, but server costs and computational load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the calibration computation task between the mobile device and the server. The device handles data collection and initial processing, while the server performs the final calibration calculations. This segmentation distributes computational load, reducing server costs while maintaining calibration quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device performs self-service by collecting its own calibration data and preparing it for processing. This reduces the burden on the server, allowing it to focus only on the essential calibration calculations, thereby reducing overall system costs while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Device-based barometric pressure sensor calibration involves determining a specific location of the mobile device; determining a general location of the mobile device that encompasses and obfuscates the specific location; transmitting the general location to a server; receiving general calibration data for the general location; determining specific calibration data based on the general calibration data and the specific location; determining a calibration value based on the specific calibration data, the calibration value being for calibrating the barometric pressure sensor.