Analyzing Geo-Spatial Data in Layers

• US 20180375945A1
• Filed: 06/26/2017
• Published: 12/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bratsman, Scott J., Hofleitner, Aude, Perkowski, Jacob, Chen, Tsuwei
• Granted Patent: US 11,140,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/909 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location spatiotemporally dependent retrieval from the web G06F16/9537
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/26 Government or public services business processes related to the transportation industry G06Q50/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a location history of a user of a social-networking system. The social-networking system includes a social graph that includes multiple nodes and edges connecting the nodes. At least node corresponds to the user. The method includes accessing a data set from a third-party source independent of the social-networking system. The data set references one or more locations. The method includes comparing the location history of the user with the locations referenced by the data set to determine an overlap between the location history and the data set and determining based on the comparison one or more labels to assign to the user or to one or more locations where the location history and the data set overlap.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

by one or more computing devices, accessing a location history of a user of a social-networking system, wherein;

the social-networking system comprises a social graph that comprises a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes; and

at least node corresponds to the user;

by one or more computing devices, accessing a data set from a third-party source independent of the social-networking system, wherein the data set references one or more locations;

by one or more computing devices, comparing the location history of the user with the locations referenced by the data set to determine an overlap between the location history and the data set; and

by one or more computing devices, determining based on the comparison one or more labels to assign to the user or to one or more locations where the location history and the data set overlap.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

at least one node corresponds to each of a plurality of other users;

the method further comprises, by one or more computing devices, accessing within the social-networking system location information associated with one or more of the other users;

the location history of the user is compared with at least some of the location information associated with one or more of the other users, in addition to the locations referenced by the data set, to determine an overlap between the location history and the location information; and

one or more of the labels are determined based on the comparison between the location history and the location information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

at least one node corresponds to each of a plurality of places;

the method further comprises, by one or more computing devices, accessing within the social-networking system location information associated with one or more of the places;

the location history of the user is compared with at least some of the location information associated with one or more of the places, in addition to the locations in the data set, to determine an overlap between the location history and the location information; and

one or more of the labels are determined based on the comparison between the location history and the location information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference to a location in the data set describes the location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference to a location in the data set indicates a classification of the location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a label assigned to a location identifies the location with respect to the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a label assigned to the user describes an activity of the user inferred from the comparison.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a label assigned to the user indicates a classification of the user inferred from the comparison.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the location history of the user comprises timestamped geopositioning data from a mobile computing device of the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the data set is publicly available.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the data set from the third-party source comprises one or more of the following:

a listing of real estate for sale;

crime statistics;

a listing of events;

an income map;

a listing of residential addresses;

a listing of business addresses;

census data;

voting data;

zoning data;

tourism data;

demographic data;

migration data;

weather data;

or

restaurant data.

12. A system comprising

one or more processors;

and

one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media coupled to one or more of the processors and comprising instructions operable when executed by one or more of the processors to cause the system to;

access a location history of a user of a social-networking system, wherein;

the social-networking system comprises a social graph that comprises a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes; and

at least node corresponds to the user; and

access a data set from a third-party source independent of the social-networking system, wherein the data set references one or more locations;

compare the location history of the user with the locations referenced by the data set to determine an overlap between the location history and the data set; and

determine based on the comparison one or more labels to assign to the user or to one or more locations where the location history and the data set overlap.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

at least one node corresponds to each of a plurality of other users;

the method further comprises, by one or more computing devices, accessing within the social-networking system location information associated with one or more of the other users;

the location history of the user is compared with at least some of the location information associated with one or more of the other users, in addition to the locations referenced by the data set, to determine an overlap between the location history and the location information; and

one or more of the labels are determined based on the comparison between the location history and the location information.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein:

at least one node corresponds to each of a plurality of places;

the instructions are further operable when executed by one or more of the processors to cause the system to access within the social-networking system location information associated with one or more of the places;

the location history of the user is compared with at least some of the location information associated with one or more of the places, in addition to the locations in the data set, to determine an overlap between the location history and the location information; and

one or more of the labels are determined based on the comparison between the location history and the location information.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the reference to a location in the data set describes the location.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the reference to a location in the data set indicates a classification of the location.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein a label assigned to a location identifies the location with respect to the user.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein a label assigned to the user describes an activity of the user inferred from the comparison.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein a label assigned to the user indicates a classification of the user inferred from the comparison.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the location history of the user comprises timestamped geopositioning data from a mobile computing device of the user.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the data set is publicly available.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the data set from the third-party source comprises one or more of the following:

a listing of real estate for sale;

crime statistics;

a listing of events;

an income map;

a listing of residential addresses;

a listing of business addresses;

census data;

voting data;

zoning data;

tourism data;

demographic data;

migration data;

weather data;

or

restaurant data.

23. A system comprising:

means for accessing a location history of a user of a social-networking system, wherein;

the social-networking system comprises a social graph that comprises a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes; and

at least node corresponds to the user;

means for accessing a data set from a third-party source independent of the social-networking system, wherein the data set references one or more locations;

means for comparing the location history of the user with the locations referenced by the data set to determine an overlap between the location history and the data set; and

means for determining based on the comparison one or more labels to assign to the user or to one or more locations where the location history and the data set overlap.