METHODS AND APPARATUS TO IDENTIFY LOCAL TRADE AREAS
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method to identify a local trade area (LTA), comprising:
- selecting, with a processor, census block groups (CBGs) associated with a retailer location;
identifying, with the processor, a plurality of stores within the selected CBGs and associated all commodities volume (ACV) values for respective ones of the plurality of stores;
calculating, with the processor, similarity index values associated with respective pairs of the plurality of stores;
generating, with the processor, local trade areas (LTAs) of subgroups of the plurality of stores based on a comparison of the similarity index values to a similarity threshold value; and
when a respective one of the LTAs includes a violation of a releasability criterion, preventing, with the processor, erroneous disclosure of market share information by re-distributing the stores within the respective one of the LTAs to a geographically adjacent LTA.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to identify local trade areas are disclosed. An example method includes selecting, with a processor, census block groups (CBGs) associated with a retailer location, identifying, with the processor, a plurality of stores within the selected CBGs and associated all commodities volume (ACV) values for respective ones of the plurality of stores, calculating, with the processor, similarity index values associated with respective pairs of the plurality of stores, generating, with the processor, local trade areas (LTAs) of subgroups of the plurality of stores based on a comparison of the similarity index values to a similarity threshold value, and when a respective one of the LTAs includes a violation of a releasability criterion, preventing, with the processor, erroneous disclosure of market share information by re-distributing the stores within the respective one of the LTAs to a geographically adjacent LTA.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method to identify a local trade area (LTA), comprising:
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selecting, with a processor, census block groups (CBGs) associated with a retailer location; identifying, with the processor, a plurality of stores within the selected CBGs and associated all commodities volume (ACV) values for respective ones of the plurality of stores; calculating, with the processor, similarity index values associated with respective pairs of the plurality of stores; generating, with the processor, local trade areas (LTAs) of subgroups of the plurality of stores based on a comparison of the similarity index values to a similarity threshold value; and when a respective one of the LTAs includes a violation of a releasability criterion, preventing, with the processor, erroneous disclosure of market share information by re-distributing the stores within the respective one of the LTAs to a geographically adjacent LTA. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. (canceled)
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11. An apparatus to identify a local trade area (LTA), comprising:
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a census block group (CBG) interface to select CBGs associated with a retailer location; an all commodities volume (ACV) interface to identify a plurality of stores within the selected CBGs and associated ACV values for respective ones of the plurality of stores; a similarity index engine to calculate similarity index values associated with respective pairs of the plurality of stores; a local trading area builder to generate local trade areas (LTAs) of subgroups of the plurality of stores based on a comparison of the similarity index values to a similarity threshold value; and a release requirement manager to, when a respective one of the LTAs includes a violation of a releasability criterion, prevent erroneous disclosure of market share information by re-distributing the stores within the respective one of the LTAs to a geographically adjacent LTA. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20)
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19. (canceled)
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21. A tangible computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to, at least:
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select census block groups (CBGs) associated with a retailer location; identify a plurality of stores within the selected CBGs and associated all commodities volume (ACV) values for respective ones of the plurality of stores; calculate similarity index values associated with respective pairs of the plurality of stores; generate local trade areas (LTAs) of subgroups of the plurality of stores based on a comparison of the similarity index values to a similarity threshold value; and when a respective one of the LTAs includes a violation of a releasability criterion, prevent erroneous disclosure of market share information by re-distributing the stores within the respective one of the LTAs to a geographically adjacent LTA. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23-28. -28. (canceled)
Specification