Indoor positioning using pressure sensors

A method for position estimation in a communication system, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a first network device of the communication system, a request for reference information from a second network device of the communication system to enable positioning of the second network device in an indoor environment;
• determining a reference pressure at the first network device, wherein the reference information comprises the reference pressure;
• determining a reference location of the first network device, wherein the reference information comprises the reference location;
• and
• providing the reference pressure at the first network device and the reference location of the first network device to the second wireless network device to enable the second network device to determine a position associated with the second network device in the indoor environment.

A communication network device comprising:

• a processor;
• a network interface coupled with the processor, the network interface operable to receive, via a communication network, a reference altitude and a reference pressure associated with the reference altitude from an access point in an indoor environment;
• a pressure sensing unit operable to determine a pressure at the communication network device in the indoor environment;
• and
• a location calculation unit operable to:
• calculate an altitude of the communication network device associated with the pressure at the communication network device in the indoor environment based, at least in part, on the pressure at the communication network device, the reference pressure, and the reference altitude;
• and
• determine a position of the communication network device in the indoor environment based, at least in part, on the altitude of the communication network device and location information received from at least the access point.

One or more machine-readable storage media, having instructions stored therein, which, when executed by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform operations that comprise:

• determining a reference altitude and a reference pressure associated with an access point in an indoor environment, wherein the reference pressure is associated with the reference altitude associated with the access point;
• determining a pressure at a communication network device in the indoor environment;
• calculating an altitude of the communication network device associated with the pressure at the communication network device in the indoor environment based, at least in part, on the pressure at the communication network device, the reference pressure, and the reference altitude;
• and
• determining a position of the communication network device in the indoor environment based, at least in part, on the altitude of the communication network device and location information received from at least the access point.