Inferring Business Location Structures from Conversion Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Social networking systems face inaccuracies and inefficiencies in managing business location data due to errors in input, untimeliness of updates, inconsistencies among franchisees, and permanently closed locations, which affect the accuracy of records and user experiences.

Innovation Solution

The system analyzes data items corresponding to conversion events, such as credit card transactions, to intelligently derive knowledge about business locations and update records dynamically, allowing offline data processing to preserve computing power and resources while ensuring data accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the system manually collects and stores business location information from users and third-party providers, then the system can maintain a database of business locations, but the information becomes inaccurate over time due to errors in input, untimeliness of updates, and inconsistencies among franchisees

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of business location recordsVSAvoidtimeliness of updates

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables business locations to self-update their information automatically through conversion event data. Business locations are updated based on their own transaction records and associated user location data, eliminating the need for manual updates by users or third-party providers and ensuring information remains current without human intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where conversion event data (such as transactions) associated with users at specific locations feeds back into the business location database. This continuous feedback loop allows the system to automatically detect and update business location information based on real-world usage patterns, ensuring accuracy without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If the system processes and analyzes conversion event data to update business location records, then the accuracy of location information improves, but computing power and resources are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of business location dataVSAvoidcomputing power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by collecting and storing conversion event data as it naturally occurs during user transactions. Rather than initiating intensive processing campaigns, the system accumulates data in the background and processes it incrementally, reducing peak computing demands while maintaining continuous improvement of location accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual mechanical processes of data collection and verification with automated electronic processing of conversion event data. By substituting human-driven data entry and validation with automated analysis of transaction records and associated location data, the system achieves high accuracy with minimal computational overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the system stores and maintains detailed information about multiple business locations including coordinates and business hours, then the system can provide comprehensive location services, but the complexity of managing and updating this information increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomprehensiveness of location informationVSAvoidcomplexity of location structure management

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables business location information to be self-maintained through automatic processing of conversion event data. Details such as coordinates, business hours, and operational status are updated automatically based on transaction patterns and user behavior data, eliminating the need for complex manual management systems while maintaining comprehensive information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses a universal data processing mechanism that handles multiple types of location information (coordinates, business hours, operational status) through a single automated process. The same conversion event data processing framework that updates location coordinates also updates business hours and other attributes, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11263648B1Inferring location structures based on conversion data

Publication Date: 2022.03.01 META PLATFORMS INC

AI summary

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving multiple data items respectively associated with multiple conversion events and identifying, from one or more data stores associated with a social-networking system, a content object corresponding to a business location, the content object including information describing the business location. The method also includes identifying one or more users, each being associated with at least one of the conversion events and updating the content object based at least in part on a determined location of each of one or more of the identified users at a time of the conversion event associated with the user.