# US 8,788,232 B2 · Altitude estimation apparatus, altitude estimation method, and program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,788,232 B2 - Document ID: US8788232B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/813,044 - Filed: 2012-05-31 - Published: 2013-05-23 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-24 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Satoshi Suzuno - Inventors: Satoshi Suzuno - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788232B2 ## CPC - G01C 21/188: {for accumulated errors, e.g. by coupling inertial systems with absolute positioning systems} - A61B 5/11: Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor or mobility of a limb {(A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721)} - G01C 21/3453: {Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments} - G01C 21/3822: {Road feature data, e.g. slope data} - G06F 17/00: Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions (information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00) - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract An information processing apparatus that acquires estimated altitude data corresponding to a position based on detection information detected by a sensor at or near the position, and corrects altitude data associated with the position based on the estimated altitude data. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information processing apparatus comprising: circuitry configured to: acquire estimated altitude data corresponding to a position based on detection information detected by a sensor at or near the position; compare the estimated altitude data with an altitude data received from a storage unit to determine if there is a difference between the estimated altitude data and the altitude data; and generate correction information based on the difference between the estimated altitude data and the altitude data, wherein the detection information is acceleration data detected by an acceleration sensor at or near the position, and wherein the circuitry estimates the altitude data based on a change of the acceleration data over time. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an interface that receives the detection information from another information processing apparatus. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an interface controlled by the circuitry to transmit the correction information to an information processing apparatus remote from the information processing apparatus. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to estimate the altitude to be higher when the change of the acceleration data indicates a decrease in acceleration, and estimates the altitude to be lower when the change of the acceleration data indicates an increase in acceleration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detection information is angular velocity data. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is a personal navigation device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The information processing apparatus of claim 6, further comprising: a display; and a speaker; wherein the circuitry is configured to control the display to display navigation information and control the speaker to output audible instructions based on the correction information. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information processing device is a mobile phone terminal, and the circuitry switches the mobile phone terminal between a navigation mode and a calling mode. ### Claim 9 An information processing apparatus comprising: circuitry configured to: acquire estimated altitude data corresponding to a position based on detection information detected by a sensor at or near the position; compare the estimated altitude data with an altitude data received from a storage unit to determine if there is a difference between the estimated altitude data and the altitude data, generate correction information based on the difference between the estimated altitude data and the altitude data, wherein the detection information is angular velocity data, and wherein the circuitry estimates the altitude data based on a change of the angular velocity data over time. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The information processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the circuitry is configured to estimate the altitude to be higher when the change of angular velocity indicates an increase in angular velocity, and estimates the altitude to be lower when the change of angular velocity indicates a decrease in angular velocity. ### Claim 11 An information processing apparatus comprising: circuitry configured to: acquire estimated altitude data corresponding to a position based on detection information detected by a sensor at or near the position; compare the estimated altitude data with an altitude data received from a storage unit to determine if there is a difference between the estimated altitude data and the altitude data; and generate correction information based on the difference between the estimated altitude data and the altitude data, wherein the detection information is azimuth data detected by a geomagnetic sensor at or near the position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The information processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the circuitry is configured to estimate the altitude data based on a change of the azimuth data over time. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The information processing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the circuitry is configured to estimate the altitude to be higher when the azimuth data indicates a larger change in azimuth over time, and estimates the altitude to be lower when the azimuth data indicates a smaller change in azimuth over time. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to compare the estimated altitude data with altitude data from a storage unit to obtain the corrected altitude data.