Utilizing cellular signals for determining device location

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• obtaining, by at least one processor, a plurality of location fingerprints, wherein each location fingerprint identifies and is associated with a respective geographic location and is based on cellular signal characteristics determined at the respective geographic location, the cellular signal characteristics including multiple channel impulse responses (CIRs) for each location fingerprint for signals received from a plurality of cellular nodes by one or more devices located at the respective geographic location;
• and
• forming, by the at least one processor, a fingerprint map that references the obtained location fingerprints and geographic locations associated with the obtained location fingerprints, wherein forming the fingerprint map includes combining a subset of the obtained location fingerprints that are geographically proximate into one or more representative location fingerprints stored in association with one or more representative locations in the fingerprint map instead of the subset of the location fingerprints,
• wherein the location fingerprints in the fingerprint map are comparable to a particular location fingerprint generated for a particular geographic location of a particular user device to determine the particular geographic location.

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor, with instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
• receiving a request for determination of a particular geographic location of a particular user device;
• obtaining a particular location fingerprint generated for the particular user device that indicates particular cellular signal characteristics determined at the particular geographic location, the particular cellular signal characteristics including particular CIRs for particular signals received from multiple cellular nodes by the particular user device located at the particular geographic location;
• comparing the particular location fingerprint to multiple respective location fingerprints stored in a fingerprint map;
• selecting a matching location fingerprint of the multiple respective location fingerprints in the fingerprint map based on the comparing;
• and
• causing a respective geographic location associated with the matching location fingerprint to be output as the particular geographic location of the particular user device.