Barometric pressure sensor calibration in an electronic device

An electronic device comprising:

• a barometric pressure sensor;
• a memory having stored thereon an altitude difference threshold and a calibration module for calibrating the barometric pressure sensor;
• a short-range communication device that enables communication with at least one wireless access point;
• and
• at least one processor communicatively coupled to the barometric pressure sensor, the memory, and the short-range communication device, the at least one processor executing program code of the calibration module which enables the electronic device to:
• receive first altitude data from the at least one wireless access point;
• receive second altitude data from the barometric pressure sensor;
• determine a first difference between the first altitude data and the second altitude data;
• retrieve the altitude difference threshold from the memory;
• determine if the first difference is greater than the altitude difference threshold;
• continue to operate the barometric pressure sensor with a current calibration, in response to determining that the first difference is not greater than the altitude difference threshold;
• and
• in response to determining that the first difference is greater than the altitude difference threshold, trigger the barometric pressure sensor to calibrate.

A computer program product comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable storage device with program code stored thereon which, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device having a barometric pressure sensor, a short-range communication device, and a memory, enables the electronic device to complete the functionality of:
• receiving first altitude data from a first wireless access point;
• receiving second altitude data from the barometric pressure sensor;
• determining a first difference between the first altitude data and the second altitude data;
• determining if the first difference is greater than an altitude difference threshold;
• continuing to operate the barometric pressure sensor with a current calibration, in response to determining that the first difference is not greater than the altitude difference threshold;
• and
• in response to determining that the first difference is greater than the altitude difference threshold, triggering the barometric pressure sensor to calibrate.