IP Library Granted Patent US 11,545,269
Granted Patent B2
US 11,545,269 · App. 17/175,995 · Granted Jan 3, 2023

Computer implemented identification of genetic similarity

Inventors: Andrew Alexander Kenedy (Sugar Land, TX); Charles Anthony Eldering (Furlong, PA)
Assignee: 23andMe, Inc.
G16H70/20G06F16/00G06F16/2282G06F16/24575G06F16/24578G06F16/285G06F16/951G06F16/955G06F16/9535G06N3/08G06N5/04G06N7/005G06Q40/08G16B20/00G16B20/20G16B20/40G16H20/30G16H40/63G16H50/30G16H50/70
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,545,269
App. No.
17/175,995
Granted
Jan 3, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method, software, database and system for attribute partner identification and social network based attribute analysis are presented in which attribute profiles associated with individuals can be compared and potential partners identified. Connections can be formed within social networks based on analysis of genetic and non-genetic data. Degrees of attribute separation (genetic and non-genetic) can be utilized to analyze relationships and to identify individuals who might benefit from being connected.

Claims (45)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

comparing genomic nucleotide sequences within genetic information of an individual with genomic nucleotide sequences within genetic information of a population of individuals, wherein the comparing determines respective degrees of overlap between the genomic nucleotide sequences of the individual and the genomic nucleotide sequences of the population of individuals;

calculating, based on the degrees of overlap, a subset of individuals from the population of individuals with degrees of overlap that are greater than a threshold value;

transmitting, to a client device, a representation of a graphical user interface that identifies the subset of individuals as genetic relatives;

based on input from the client device, establishing a network between the individual and one or more members of the subset of individuals identified as genetic relatives;

receiving, from the client device, a request to compare the genomic nucleotide sequences between the individual and at least one member of the network;

generating a further comparison of the genomic nucleotide sequences within the genetic information of the individual with the genomic nucleotide sequences within the genetic information of the at least one member of the network; and

transmitting, to the client device, a further representation of a further graphical user interface that represents the further comparison of the genomic nucleotide sequences within the genetic information of the individual with the genomic nucleotide sequences within the genetic information of the at least one member of the network.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

ranking the subset of individuals identified as genetic relatives according to their degrees of overlap, wherein the graphical user interface displays the rankings.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

ranking the subset of individuals identified as genetic relatives according to genomic nucleotide segments shared between the individual and each of the subset of individuals, wherein the graphical user interface displays the rankings.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

filtering the subset of individuals identified as genetic relatives based on non-genetic information of the subset of individuals identified as genetic relatives.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from the client device, a request to create an electronic connection invitation between the individual and the one or more members of the subset of individuals identified as genetic relatives, wherein the input from the client device includes the request.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the individual and the at least one member of the network are anonymized to one another with non-descriptive identifiers in the representation of the further comparison of the genomic nucleotide sequences.

7. A computer-implemented method comprising:

comparing genomic nucleotide sequences within genetic information of an individual with genomic nucleotide sequences within genetic information of a population of individuals, wherein the comparing determines respective degrees of genetic similarity between the individual and one or more members of the population of individuals;

calculating, based on the degrees of genetic similarity, a subset of individuals from the population of individuals with degrees of genetic similarity that are greater than a threshold value;

transmitting, to a client device, a representation of a graphical user interface that presents the subset of individuals as genetic relatives;

based on input from the client device, establishing a network between the individual and one or more members of the subset of individuals identified as genetic relatives;

receiving, from the client device, a request to compare the genomic nucleotide sequences between the individual and at least one member of the network;

generating a further comparison of the genomic nucleotide sequences within the genetic information of the individual with the genomic nucleotide sequences within the genetic information of the at least one member of the network; and

transmitting, to the client device, a further representation of a further graphical user interface that represents the further comparison of the genomic nucleotide sequences within the genetic information of the individual with the genomic nucleotide sequences within the genetic information of the at least one member of the network.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , further comprising:

ranking the subset of individuals identified as genetic relatives based the degrees of genetic similarity.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , further comprising:

filtering the subset of individuals identified as genetic relatives based on non-genetic attributes of the subset of individuals identified as genetic relatives.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the filtering is based on one or more demographic attributes.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving, from the client device, a request to create an electronic connection invitation between the individual and the one or more members of the subset of individuals identified as genetic relatives, wherein the input from the client device includes the request.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the individual and the at least one member of the network are anonymized to one another with non-descriptive identifiers in the representation of the further comparison of the genomic nucleotide sequences.

13. A computer-implemented method comprising:

comparing genomic nucleotide sequences within genetic information of an individual with genomic nucleotide sequences within genetic information of a population of individuals, wherein the comparing determines respective degrees of overlap between the genomic nucleotide sequences of the individual and the genomic nucleotide sequences of the population of individuals;

calculating, based on the degrees of overlap, a subset of individuals from the population of individuals with degrees of overlap that are greater than a threshold value;

issuing, based on an instruction from the individual, an electronic invitation to one or more individuals of the subset of individuals to join a genetic social network;

generating, based on an acceptance of the electronic invitation by the one or more individuals, a set of electronic records for storage indicating membership of the one or more individuals in the genetic social network; and

transmitting, to a client device, a representation of a graphical user interface that identifies the degrees of overlap between the individual and the one or more individuals, wherein the representation specifies the individual and the one or more individuals as nodes in a graph, and specifies associations between the individual and the one or more individuals as edges in the graph, wherein the nodes or edges, when rendered on the graphical user interface, represent a strength of the associations between the genomic nucleotide sequences within the genetic information of the individual and genomic nucleotide sequences within the genetic information of the one or more individuals.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further comprising:

calculating, based on the degrees of overlap, a measure of family lineage between the individual and the one or more individuals, wherein the representation of the graphical user interface displays the measure of family lineage.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further comprising:

filtering the one or more individuals based on non-genetic attributes of the one or more individuals.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , wherein the filtering is based on one or more demographic attributes of the one or more individuals.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein the individual and the one or more individuals are anonymized to one another with non-descriptive identifiers in the graph.

Assignments (8)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE APP. NO. 63806415 TO 63806145 AND APPL NO. 17721779 TO 17731779 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 73168 FRAME 531. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Jan 6, 2026
From: 23ANDME PGS LLC
To: 23ANDME GENOMICS LLC
Reel/Frame 074434/0334 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 22, 2025
From: 23ANDME PGS LLC
To: 23ANDME GENOMICS LLC
Reel/Frame 073168/0531 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 26, 2025
From: 23ANDME, INC.
To: 23ANDME PGS LLC
Reel/Frame 072562/0795 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 058554 FRAME: 0021. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT . Recorded Jan 7, 2022
From: EXPANSE BIOINFORMATICS, INC.
To: 23ANDME, INC.
Reel/Frame 058982/0739 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2022
From: EXPANSE BIOINFORMATICS, INC.
To: 23ANDME, INC.
Reel/Frame 058554/0021 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS BY ASSIGNEE Recorded Mar 23, 2021
From: EXPANSE BIOINFORMATICS, INC.
To: EXPANSE BIOINFORMATICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 055693/0341 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 15, 2021
From: EXPANSE NETWORKS, INC.
To: EXPANSE BIOINFORMATICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 055304/0287 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 15, 2021
From: KENEDY, ANDREW A.; ELDERING, CHARLES A.
To: EXPANSE NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 055261/0276 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 17004494 · Aug 27, 2020
Continuation 15927785 · Mar 21, 2018
Continuation 14822023 · Aug 10, 2015
Continuation 12047203 · Mar 12, 2008
Provisional Application 60895236 · Mar 16, 2007
Related Publication 20210166823A1 · Jun 3, 2021