IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,211,590
Granted Patent B2
US 12,211,590 · App. 18/542,377 · Granted Jan 28, 2025

Graphical user interface displaying relatedness based on shared DNA

Inventors: Shiya Song (San Mateo, CA); Neal Craig Varner (Highland, UT); Ross E. Curtis (Cedar Hills, UT); Brian Jerel Kerr (Pleasant Grove, UT); Kelly Mccloy Becker (Salt Lake City, UT); Brett Frederick Jorgensen (Draper, UT); Bryce Damon Ririe (Highland, UT); Michael Joseph Mulligan (Dublin, IE); Justin Matthew Robert Van Dyke (Dublin, IE); Michaela Black Bonkemeyer (Burlington, CT)
Assignee: Ancestry.com DNA, LLC
G16B45/00G16B40/20G16B40/30
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,211,590
App. No.
18/542,377
Granted
Jan 28, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A user may select one or more potential common ancestors with a DNA match to view the target individual's relationship with them. The process may include identifying, from a first genealogical profile of the target individual. A first individual has a first linkage that connects the target individual towards the selected potential common ancestor. The process may also include identifying, from a second genealogical profile of the DNA match, a second individual who has a second linkage that connects the DNA match towards the selected potential common ancestor. The process may further include connecting the first linkage and the second linkage with the selected potential common ancestor by adding one or more individuals whose profiles are retrieved from other searchable genealogical profiles stored in the online system. With the nodes and connections available, the process may generate a map of visual connections between the target individual and the DNA match.

Claims (53)

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

retrieving, by an online system, one or more pedigrees that include a target potential relative of a focal individual;

identifying, from the one or more pedigrees, descendants of the target potential relative who have genetic datasets available at the online system;

identifying, from the one or more pedigrees, one or more branches including descendants of the target potential relative;

identifying, for each branch, one or more pairwise genetic relationships related to the branch, wherein a pairwise genetic relationship is between at least one descendant of the target potential relative and another individual in the one or more pedigrees;

generating, for each branch, a relationship score representing relatedness of the focal individual with the branch; and

providing a result of a confidence level of relatedness between the focal individual and the target potential relative based on one or more of the relationship scores that represent relatedness of the focal individual with the one or more branches.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein a pairwise genetic relationship related to the branch is either (i) between one of the descendants in the branch and the focal individual or (ii) between one of the descendants in a cousin branch and a surrogate of the focal individual selected from one or more potential surrogates.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the surrogate of the focal individual is selected based on one or more criteria including the surrogate being a descendant of the target potential relative.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more criteria further comprises one or more of:

a length of shared identity-by-descent (IBD) segments with the focal individual that exceeds a threshold length;

a length of shared identity-by-descent (IBD) segments with the target potential relative that exceeds a threshold length; or

information regarding a full family tree relationship between the surrogate and the target potential relative.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the relationship score is based on a length of shared identity-by-descent (IBD) segments between a pair of descendants in the pairwise genetic relationship, the length of shared IBD segments determined from the genetic datasets of the pair.

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

determining, for each branch and each of the pairwise genetic relationships related to the branch, a relationship score of the pairwise genetic relationship;

combining, for each branch, one or more relationship scores to generate a combined relationship score representing relatedness of the focal individual with each branch.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein one of the branches is a branch whose descendants share the target potential relative as a most recent common ancestor with the focal individual.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the confidence level is based on a number of combined relationship scores that are larger than a threshold score.

9. A system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory configured to store code comprising instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:

retrieving, by an online system, one or more pedigrees that include a target potential relative of a focal individual;

identifying, from the one or more pedigrees, descendants of the target potential relative who have genetic datasets available at the online system;

identifying, from the one or more pedigrees, one or more branches including descendants of the target potential relative;

identifying, for each branch, one or more pairwise genetic relationships related to the branch, wherein a pairwise genetic relationship is between at least one descendant of the target potential relative and another individual in the one or more pedigrees;

generating, for each branch, a relationship score representing relatedness of the focal individual with the branch; and

providing a result of a confidence level of relatedness between the focal individual and the target potential relative based on one or more of the relationship scores that represent relatedness of the focal individual with the one or more branches.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein a pairwise genetic relationship related to the branch is either (i) between one of the descendants in the branch and the focal individual or (ii) between one of the descendants in a cousin branch and a surrogate of the focal individual selected from one or more potential surrogates.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the surrogate of the focal individual is selected based on one or more criteria including the surrogate being a descendant of the target potential relative.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more criteria further comprises one or more of:

a length of shared identity-by-descent (IBD) segments with the focal individual that exceeds a threshold length;

a length of shared identity-by-descent (IBD) segments with the target potential relative that exceeds a threshold length; or

information regarding a full family tree relationship between the surrogate and the target potential relative.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the relationship score is based on a length of shared identity-by-descent (IBD) segments between a pair of descendants in the pairwise genetic relationship, the length of shared IBD segments determined from the genetic datasets of the pair.

14. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining, for each branch and each of the pairwise genetic relationships related to the branch, a relationship score of the pairwise genetic relationship;

combining, for each branch, one or more relationship scores to generate a combined relationship score representing relatedness of the focal individual with each branch.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein one of the branches is a branch whose descendants share the target potential relative as a most recent common ancestor with the focal individual.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the confidence level is based on a number of combined relationship scores that are larger than a threshold score.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to store code comprising instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:

retrieving, by an online non-transitory computer-readable medium, one or more pedigrees that include a target potential relative of a focal individual;

identifying, from the one or more pedigrees, descendants of the target potential relative who have genetic datasets available at the online non-transitory computer-readable medium;

identifying, from the one or more pedigrees, one or more branches including descendants of the target potential relative;

identifying, for each branch, one or more pairwise genetic relationships related to the branch, wherein a pairwise genetic relationship is between at least one descendant of the target potential relative and another individual in the one or more pedigrees;

generating, for each branch, a relationship score representing relatedness of the focal individual with the branch; and

providing a result of a confidence level of relatedness between the focal individual and the target potential relative based on one or more of the relationship scores that represent relatedness of the focal individual with the one or more branches.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein a pairwise genetic relationship related to the branch is either (i) between one of the descendants in the branch and the focal individual or (ii) between one of the descendants in a cousin branch and a surrogate of the focal individual selected from one or more potential surrogates.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the surrogate of the focal individual is selected based on one or more criteria including the surrogate being a descendant of the target potential relative.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the one or more criteria further comprises one or more of:

a length of shared identity-by-descent (IBD) segments with the focal individual that exceeds a threshold length;

a length of shared identity-by-descent (IBD) segments with the target potential relative that exceeds a threshold length; or

information regarding a full family tree relationship between the surrogate and the target potential relative.

Assignments (2)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 3, 2026
From: ANCESTRY.COM OPERATIONS INC.; ANCESTRY.COM DNA, LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 076144/0726 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 4, 2024
From: SONG, SHIYA; VARNER, NEAL CRAIG; CURTIS, ROSS E.; KERR, BRIAN JEREL; BECKER, KELLY MCCLOY; JORGENSEN, BRETT FREDERICK; RIRIE, BRYCE DAMON; MULLIGAN, MICHAEL JOSEPH; VAN DYKE, JUSTIN MATTHEW ROBERT; BONKEMEYER, MICHAELA BLACK
To: ANCESTRY.COM DNA, LLC
Reel/Frame 066628/0650 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 18045138 · Oct 7, 2022
Continuation 16803219 · Feb 27, 2020
Provisional Application 62882438 · Aug 2, 2019
Provisional Application 62811505 · Feb 27, 2019
Related Publication 20240203533A1 · Jun 20, 2024
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