IP Library Granted Patent US 11,803,777
Granted Patent B2
US 11,803,777 · App. 18/180,691 · Granted Oct 31, 2023

Ancestry painting

Inventors: John Michael Macpherson (Santa Ana, CA); Brian Thomas Naughton (Mountain View, CA); Joanna Louise Mountain (Menlo Park, CA)
Assignee: 23andMe, Inc.
G06N20/00G06F3/0484G06F3/04812G06F11/0793G06F16/29G06N5/022G06N5/04G16B20/00G16B20/20G16B20/40G16B30/00G16B40/00G16B40/20G16B40/30G16B45/00G16H10/60
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,803,777
App. No.
18/180,691
Granted
Oct 31, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Displaying an indication of ancestral data is disclosed. An indication that a genetic interval corresponds to a reference interval that has a likelihood of having one or more ancestral origins is received. One or more graphic display parameters are determined based at least in part on the indication. An indication of the one or more ancestral origins is visually displayed using the one or more graphic display parameters.

Claims (55)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

obtaining genetic data, wherein the genetic data was read from a plurality of chromosomes of an individual;

partitioning each of the chromosomes into genetic intervals based on a table that maps known genetic intervals to known rates of occurrence of the known genetic intervals within a reference population;

determining, based on the table and for the genetic intervals, corresponding rates of occurrence within the reference population;

determining, based on the corresponding rates of occurrence within the reference population, ancestral origins for the genetic intervals of the individual;

generating, for display on a graphical user interface, representations of the genetic intervals indicating the ancestral origins in accordance with graphic display parameters; and

providing, to the graphical user interface, the representations of the genetic intervals.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the table maps the known genetic intervals to known rates of occurrence of the known genetic intervals within a plurality of reference populations, wherein each of the plurality of reference populations is associated with one or more ancestral origins, and wherein the reference population is one of the plurality of reference populations.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the corresponding rates of occurrence within the reference population comprises:

determining, for each respective genetic interval of the genetic intervals, a first number of individuals within the reference population exhibiting the respective genetic interval; and

dividing the first number by a second number representing a total of individuals within the reference population.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the genetic data is unphased, and wherein the genetic intervals are pairs of chromosome segments.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein determining the corresponding rates of occurrence within the reference population comprises:

determining, for each respective pair of chromosome segments represented by the genetic intervals, a first number of individuals within the reference population exhibiting the respective pair of chromosome segments; and

dividing the first number by a second number representing a total of individuals within the reference population.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein determining the first number of individuals within the reference population exhibiting the respective pair of chromosome segments comprises determining a product of rates of occurrence for each chromosome segment of the respective pair.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the product represents a synthetic rate of occurrence for a synthetic reference population of mixed ancestry.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the ancestral origins represent descent from ancestors located in one or more geographical regions.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the representations of the genetic intervals include representations of autosomal chromosomes presented in numeric order.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the representations of the genetic intervals also include representations of X or Y chromosomes.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the representations of the genetic intervals include: a first portion of a particular genetic interval indicating ancestral origins of the individual's mother in accordance with the graphic display parameters, and a second portion of the particular genetic interval indicating ancestral origins of the individual's father in accordance with the graphic display parameters.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the graphic display parameters comprise different colors representing each of the ancestral origins.

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

prior to obtaining the genetic data from the plurality of chromosomes of the individual:

obtaining initial genetic data for an initial reference population associated with a particular ancestral origin;

partitioning, for individuals in the initial reference population, chromosomes of the individuals into the genetic intervals;

determining, for the genetic intervals, particular rates of occurrence within the reference population; and

populating the table based on the particular rates of occurrence.

14. A computer-implemented method comprising:

obtaining genetic data for a reference population associated with an ancestral origin;

partitioning, for individuals in the reference population, chromosomes of the individuals into genetic intervals;

determining, for the genetic intervals, rates of occurrence within the reference population;

populating a table that maps the genetic intervals to the rates of occurrence within the reference population; and

determining, based on the rates of occurrence, ancestral origins for corresponding genetic intervals of an individual that is not in the reference population.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the ancestral origins represent descent from ancestors located in one or more geographical regions.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the genetic data is unphased, and wherein the genetic intervals are pairs of chromosome segments.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , wherein the pairs of chromosome segments are each associated with different instances of the ancestral origins.

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

obtaining second genetic data for a second reference population associated with a second ancestral origin:

partitioning, for second individuals in the second reference population, chromosomes of the second individuals into the genetic intervals;

determining, for the genetic intervals, second rates of occurrence within the second reference population; and

further populating the table to map the genetic intervals to the second rates of occurrence within the second reference population.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein determining the ancestral origins for corresponding genetic intervals of an individual that is not in the reference population comprises:

obtaining further genetic data that was read from a plurality of chromosomes of an individual;

partitioning each of the chromosomes into the genetic intervals based on the table;

determining, based on the table and for the genetic intervals, corresponding further rates of occurrence within the reference population;

determining, based on the corresponding further rates of occurrence within the reference population, further ancestral origins for the genetic intervals of the individual;

generating, for display on a graphical user interface, representations of the genetic intervals indicating the ancestral origins in accordance with graphic display parameters; and

providing, to the graphical user interface, the representations of the genetic intervals.

20. A computer-implemented method comprising:

obtaining genetic data of an individual;

determining that a genetic interval of the genetic data matches a reference genetic interval, wherein the reference genetic interval has a likelihood of having an ancestral origin;

determining graphic display parameters corresponding to the ancestral origin;

generating, for display on a graphical user interface, a representation of the genetic interval indicating the ancestral origin in accordance with the graphic display parameters; and

providing, to the graphical user interface, the representation of the genetic interval.

Assignments (4)
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 8, 2023
From: MACPHERSON, JOHN MICHAEL; NAUGHTON, BRIAN THOMAS; MOUNTAIN, JOANNA LOUISE
To: 23ANDME, INC.
Reel/Frame 062924/0206 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 18058029 · Nov 22, 2022
Continuation 17682761 · Feb 28, 2022
Continuation 16226116 · Dec 19, 2018
Continuation 15267053 · Sep 15, 2016
Continuation 12381992 · Mar 18, 2009
Provisional Application 61070310 · Mar 19, 2008
Related Publication 20230274190A1 · Aug 31, 2023