Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage devices for generating and using a radio-frequency map of an area

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising a processor, from a mobile communication device, a wireless fingerprint corresponding to the mobile communication device and a subject area in which the mobile communication device is or was positioned, the wireless fingerprint comprising at least one signal strength value of at least one signal received by the mobile communication device from at least one transmitter associated with the subject area;

generating, by the system, based at least in part on the wireless fingerprint received from the mobile communication device, an area wireless signal distribution map for the subject area; and

determining, by the system, based at least in part on the wireless fingerprint and the area wireless signal distribution map, a location of the mobile communication device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the area wireless signal distribution map is further based on wireless fingerprints received from a plurality of mobile communication devices that are or were positioned in the subject area, wherein the plurality of mobile communication devices comprise the mobile communication device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless fingerprint further comprises an identification of the at least one transmitter associated with the subject area.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one signal strength value of the at least one signal is at or above a threshold, as determined by the mobile communication device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless fingerprint further comprises an identification of the mobile communication device from which the wireless fingerprint is received, an identification of the at least one transmitter associated with the subject area, and a time stamp corresponding to at least one of when the at least one signal was transmitted by the at least one transmitter to the mobile communication device, when the at least one signal was received by the mobile communication device, or when a signal strength of the at least one signal was measured by the mobile communication device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the location of the mobile communication device comprises determining a geographic location of the mobile communication device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location of the mobile communication device is provided in terms of distance from or coordinates with respect to at least one reference point of the subject area.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location of the mobile communication device is provided in terms of a distance from or coordinates with respect to the at least one transmitter associated with the subject area.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein satellite positioning signals are unavailable in the subject area.

10. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a mobile communication device, a wireless fingerprint corresponding to the mobile communication device and a subject area in which the mobile communication device is or was positioned, the wireless fingerprint comprising at least one signal strength value of at least one signal received by the mobile communication device from at least one transmitter associated with the subject area,

generating, based at least in part on the wireless fingerprint received from the mobile communication device, an area wireless signal distribution map for the subject area, and

determining, based at least in part on the wireless fingerprint and the area wireless signal distribution map, a location of the mobile communication device.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein generating the area wireless signal distribution map is further based on wireless fingerprints received from a plurality of mobile communication devices that are or were positioned in the subject area, wherein the plurality of mobile communication devices comprise the mobile communication device.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one signal strength value of the at least one signal is at or above a threshold, as determined by the mobile communication device.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the location of the mobile communication device is provided in terms of a distance from or coordinates with respect to the at least one transmitter associated with the subject area.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the wireless fingerprint further comprises an identification of the at least one transmitter associated with the subject area.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the wireless fingerprint further comprises an identification of the mobile communication device from which the wireless fingerprint is received, an identification of the at least one transmitter associated with the subject area, and a time stamp corresponding to at least one of when the at least one signal was transmitted by the at least one transmitter to the mobile communication device, when the at least one signal was received by the mobile communication device, or when a signal strength of the at least one signal was measured by the mobile communication device.

16. A computer-readable storage device comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a system, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a mobile communication device, a wireless fingerprint corresponding to the mobile communication device and a subject area in which the mobile communication device is or was positioned, the wireless fingerprint comprising at least one signal strength value of at least one signal received by the mobile communication device from at least one transmitter associated with the subject area;

generating, based at least in part on the wireless fingerprint received from the mobile communication device, an area wireless signal distribution map; and

determining, based at least in part on the wireless fingerprint and the area wireless signal distribution map, a location of the mobile communication device.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein generating the area wireless signal distribution map is further based on wireless fingerprints received from a plurality of mobile communication devices that are or were positioned in the subject area, wherein the plurality of mobile communication devices comprises the mobile communication device.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein the at least one signal strength value of the at least one signal is at or above a threshold, as determined by the mobile communication device.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein the wireless fingerprint further comprises an identification of the at least one transmitter associated with the subject area.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein the wireless fingerprint further comprises an identification of the mobile communication device from which the wireless fingerprint is received, an identification of the at least one transmitter associated with the subject area, and a time stamp corresponding to at least one of when the at least one signal was transmitted by the at least one transmitter to the mobile communication device, when the at least one signal was received by the mobile communication device, or when a signal strength of the at least one signal was measured by the mobile communication device.