IP Library Granted Patent US 11,523,250
Granted Patent B1
US 11,523,250 · App. 17/318,604 · Granted Dec 6, 2022

Computer system with features for determining reliable location data using messages with unreliable location data

Inventor: Patrick Nicholson (Durham, NC)
Assignee: Valassis Digital Corp.
H04W4/022G06K9/6218H04L9/0643H04L61/5007H04W64/003
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,523,250
App. No.
17/318,604
Granted
Dec 6, 2022
Kind
B1
Abstract

Reliable location data is found using messages with unreliable location data. A logistic-geohash is found for a plurality of messages. Records of are accessed data messages, each data message including a geographic locator and a sender-identifier. For each sender-identifier, one or more geogroups are determined. For each geogroup: determining, a representative point of the geogroup is found to represent the geogroup. Using the representative point of the geogroup, a geogroup-geohash is found. Pair of geogroup: logistic address are found based on a matching of at least some of the first plurality of digits and some of the second plurality of digits. For each pair of geogroup:logistic address, a distance is determined between the representative point of the geogroup and the representative point of the logistic address. Geogroup:logistic address pairs are selected. The selected geogroup:logistic address pairs are stored in memory as representing a logistic location of the sender-identifier.

Claims (48)

1. A system for determining reliable location data using messages with unreliable location data, the system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:

determining, for each of a plurality of logistic addresses using a representative point of the logistic address, a logistic-geohash that comprises a first plurality of digits, the digits being arranged in sequence identifying progressively more granular geographic areas;

accessing records of data messages, each data message including a geographic locator and a sender-identifier;

for each sender-identifier, determining one or more geogroups, each geogroup identifying data messages originating near each other geographically;

for each geogroup:

determining a representative point of the geogroup to represent the geogroup;

determining, using the representative point of the geogroup, a geogroup-geohash that comprises a second plurality of digits, the digits being arranged in sequence identifying progressively more granular geographic areas;

identifying pairs of geogroup:logistic address based on a matching of at least some of the first plurality of digits and some of the second plurality of digits;

for each pair of geogroup:logistic address, determining a distance between the representative point of the geogroup and the representative point of the logistic address;

selecting one or more of the geogroup:logistic address pairs; and

storing in the computer memory, for later access, the selected geogroup:logistic address pairs as representing a logistic location of the sender-identifier of the messages of the geogroup.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sender-identifier is one of the group comprising internet protocol (IP) address, digital household identifier, and user identifier.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining the geogroups comprises identifying connected components in a graph created using geographic locators as vertices and distances between geographic locators as edges.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the graph is assembled using only geographic locators within a threshold distance of a landmark.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining the geogroups comprises identifying clusters using a clustering analysis.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the representative points of geogroups are centroids of a shape containing the geographic locators of the corresponding identified data messages.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the centroids are found using a marginal median analysis.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the logistic address is one of the group comprising a mailing address, a building identifier, and a land parcel identifier.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein identifying pairs of geogroup:logistic address based on a matching of at least some of the first plurality of digits and some of the second plurality of digits comprises:

generating a result table by joining a first table and a second table on N most significant digits in geohashes, the geohashes comprising more than N digits;

the first data table comprising entries that each record at least a logistic address and an associated logistic-geohash; and

the second data table comprising entries that each record at least a geogroup identifier and an associated geogroup-geohash.

10. The system of claim 1 , the operations further comprising initiating a computational process for a user associated with a particular sender-identifier using at least one of the selected geogroup:logistic address pairs as representing a logistic location of the sender-identifier of the messages of the geogroup.

11. A method of determining reliable location data using messages with unreliable location data, the method comprising:

determining, for each of a plurality of logistic addresses using a representative point of the logistic address, a logistic-geohash that comprises a first plurality of digits, the digits being arranged in sequence identifying progressively more granular geographic areas;

accessing records of data messages, each data message including a geographic locator and a sender-identifier;

for each sender-identifier, determining one or more geogroups, each geogroup identifying data messages originating near each other geographically;

for each geogroup:

determining a representative point of the geogroup to represent the geogroup;

determining, using the representative point of the geogroup, a geogroup-geohash that comprises a second plurality of digits, the digits being arranged in sequence identifying progressively more granular geographic areas;

identifying pairs of geogroup:logistic address based on a matching of at least some of the first plurality of digits and some of the second plurality of digits;

for each pair of geogroup:logistic address, determining a distance between the representative point of the geogroup and the representative point of the logistic address;

selecting one or more of the geogroup:logistic address pairs; and

storing in computer memory, for later access, the selected geogroup:logistic address pairs as representing a logistic location of the sender-identifier of the messages of the geogroup.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the sender-identifier is one of the group comprising internet protocol (IP) address, digital household identifier, and user identifier.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the geogroups comprises identifying connected components in a graph created using geographic locators as vertices and distances between geographic locators as edges.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the graph is assembled using only geographic locators within a threshold distance of a landmark.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the geogroups comprises identifying clusters using a clustering analysis.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the representative points of geogroups are centroids of a shape containing the geographic locators of the corresponding identified data messages.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the centroids are found using a marginal median analysis.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the logistic address is one of the group comprising a mailing address, a building identifier, and a land parcel identifier.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein identifying pairs of geogroup:logistic address based on a matching of at least some of the first plurality of digits and some of the second plurality of digits comprises:

generating a result table by joining a first table and a second table on N most significant digits in geohashes, the geohashes comprising more than N digits;

the first data table comprising entries that each record at least a logistic address and an associated logistic-geohash; and

the second data table comprising entries that each record at least a geogroup identifier and an associated geogroup-geohash.

20. The method of claim 11 , the method further comprising initiating a computational process for a user associated with a particular sender-identifier using at least one of the selected geogroup:logistic address pairs as representing a logistic location of the sender-identifier of the messages of the geogroup.

Assignments (10)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2025
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 070919/0394 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 9, 2024
From: R. R. DONNELLEY & SONS COMPANY; CONSOLIDATED GRAPHICS, INC.; VALASSIS DIGITAL CORP.; VALASSIS DIRECT MAIL, INC.; VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: APOLLO ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY LLC
Reel/Frame 068533/0812 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 9, 2024
From: R. R. DONNELLEY & SONS COMPANY; CONSOLIDATED GRAPHICS, INC.; VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; VALASSIS DIGITAL CORP.; VALASSIS DIRECT MAIL, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 068534/0447 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 9, 2024
From: R. R. DONNELLEY & SONS COMPANY; CONSOLIDATED GRAPHICS, INC.; VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; VALASSIS DIGITAL CORP.; VALASSIS DIRECT MAIL, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 068534/0366 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 6, 2024
From: VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; VALASSIS DIGITAL CORP.; VALASSIS DIRECT MAIL, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 068200/0923 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 29, 2024
From: COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR TO WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: HARLAND CLARKE CORP.; VERICAST CORP.; CHECKS IN THE MAIL, INC.; NCH MARKETING SERVICES, INC.; VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; VALASSIS DIGITAL CORP.; VALASSIS DIRECT MAIL, INC.
Reel/Frame 068103/0460 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 19, 2024
From: MIDCAP FUNDING IV TRUST, AS THE AGENT
To: NCH MARKETING SERVICES, INC.; VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; VALASSIS DIRECT MAIL, INC.; VALASSIS DIGITAL CORP.
Reel/Frame 068031/0932 →
FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 20, 2023
From: GROWMAIL, LLC; HARLAND CLARKE CORP.; NCH MARKETING SERVICES, INC.; VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; VALASSIS DIGITAL CORP.; VALASSIS DIRECT MAIL, INC.; VERICAST CORP.
To: COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 064024/0319 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 23, 2023
From: VALASSIS DIGITAL CORP.; VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: MIDCAP FUNDING IV TRUST, AS TRUST
Reel/Frame 063076/0271 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2021
From: NICHOLSON, PATRICK
To: VALASSIS DIGITAL CORP.
Reel/Frame 056435/0102 →