Merchant Location Identification Using Router and Transaction Data Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing location determination systems for mobile devices, especially indoors or in areas with obscured GPS signals, face challenges in accuracy due to the reliance on GPS and lack of effective ground-based references, particularly in environments with multiple merchants and overlapping wireless networks.
Innovation Solution
A system that correlates router records with transaction records to identify merchant locations by creating a grid structure and matching router signals with transaction data, enhancing location determination accuracy by using a combination of router and transaction data analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS signals are used for location determination, then location data can be obtained, but accuracy deteriorates when mobile devices are indoors or in areas with obscured GPS signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces router records as an intermediary to bridge the gap between mobile devices and location determination. Instead of directly relying on GPS signals, the system uses router records (containing router identifiers and signal strengths) as a mediator to infer location, especially in indoor environments where GPS signals are unavailable or inaccurate. This intermediary approach allows location determination to function reliably in environments with poor GPS coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/GPS-based location determination system with a data-processing-based system. Instead of using physical GPS hardware and radio signals, the system substitutes a computational approach that processes router records, transaction records, and grid structure data to determine locations. This substitution enables location determination to work in environments where traditional GPS-based mechanics fail.
2Measurement precision
If router records are correlated with transaction records to identify merchant locations, then location determination accuracy improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex data processing task into distinct, manageable components: (1) accessing router records, (2) accessing transaction records, (3) creating a grid structure, (4) matching router and transaction records, and (5) reporting merchant locations. By dividing the complex process into these sequential segments, the system reduces the cognitive and computational burden, making the complex task more manageable and implementable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-creating a grid structure that divides the geographic area into multiple cells before the actual location determination process. This pre-prepared grid structure serves as a framework that simplifies the subsequent matching of router and transaction records, as the system can directly map matched records to predefined grid cells rather than performing complex spatial analysis in real-time.
3Measurement precision
If multiple router records are processed and correlated with transaction data, then location identification becomes more accurate, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-creating a grid structure that divides the geographic area into multiple cells before the actual location determination process. This pre-prepared grid structure serves as a framework that simplifies the subsequent matching of router and transaction records, as the system can directly map matched records to predefined grid cells rather than performing complex spatial analysis in real-time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuity of useful action by processing router records and transaction records in a continuous, integrated manner through the matching process. Rather than processing data in discrete, separate batches, the system continuously correlates router records with transaction records, grid structure data, and merchant information to identify locations. This continuous processing approach optimizes the balance between accuracy and processing time by keeping all relevant data structures active and ready for immediate matching.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are exemplary embodiments of systems and methods for identifying a merchant location based on transaction records for the merchant. In an exemplary embodiment, a method generally includes accessing multiple router records. Each router record is assigned to one of multiple cells of a grid structure indicative of geographic location. Each router record is associated with a target merchant. The method further includes, for each of the multiple router records, searching for a match between the router record and at least one of multiple transactions at the target merchant, based on time, and reporting one or more of the multiple cells as a location associated with the target merchant, when a number of matching router records assigned to said one or more of the multiple cells exceeds a predetermined threshold.