# US 10,482,441 B1 · Systematic crowdsourcing of geolocation data

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,482,441 B1
- Document ID: US10482441B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 15/064,887
- Filed: 2016-03-09
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-04-06
- Assignees: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
- Applicants: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
- Inventors: James Christopher Watson; Gina R. Smith
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10482441B1

## CPC

- G06Q 20/202: {Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR}
- G06Q 20/3224: {Transactions dependent on location of M-devices}
- G06Q 20/401: {Transaction verification}
- G06Q 20/4015: {using location information}
- G06Q 20/42: Confirmation, e.g. check or permission by the legal debtor of payment
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein include systems and methods for systematic crowdsourcing of geolocation data. Transaction data that includes an identification of a point of sale device and an identification of a payment vehicle used in the transaction can be received. A confidence in a location of the point-of-sale device can be calculated. When the confidence of the location of the point-of-sale device is lower than a threshold confidence, a location of a device associated with an owner of the payment vehicle can be determined. An updated confidence in the location of the point-of-sale device can be generated based at least in part on the location of the device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer-implemented method comprising:
in response to receiving a transaction request for a transaction at a point-of-sale device, collecting location data from a device associated with the transaction at the point-of-sale device, wherein the location data is collected from a plurality of devices during a plurality of transactions;
receiving, at a computer system from the point-of-sale device via a first communication network, transaction data that includes an identification of the point-of-sale device and an identification of a payment vehicle;
determining, by the computer system, a confidence in a location of the point-of-sale device based on the location data associated with the plurality of devices, wherein the confidence indicates a reliability of the location of the point-of-sale device;
in response to the confidence of the location of the point-of-sale device being lower than a threshold confidence, determining a location of a device associated with an owner of the payment vehicle; and
generating, by the computer system, an updated confidence in the location of the point-of-sale device based at least in part on the location of the device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the location of the device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle comprises:
transmitting, via a second communications network, a communication to the device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle requesting confirmation that a transaction associated with the transaction data was authorized; and
collecting or receiving the location of the device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising receiving a confirmation message indicating that the transaction associated with the transaction data was authorized.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the confirmation message indicates the location of the device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the confidence is further calculated based on at least one of: a consistency of location information resulting from the devices polled or a time between receiving the location information from the device being polled and receiving the transaction request.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein when the confidence of the location of the point-of-sale device is above the threshold confidence, the method further comprises:
comparing the location of the device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle with the location of the point-of-sale device; and
authorizing the transaction when the location of the device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the location of the point-of-sale device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the location of the device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle is determined using at least one of: a Wi-Fi signal, a radio-frequency identification signal, an near field communications signal, a satellite signal, a cellular signal, a Bluetooth signal, or an indication received from a user associated with the device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
comparing the updated confidence with the threshold confidence; and
revising the location of the point-of-sale device based on the location of the device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle when the updated confidence meets or exceeds the threshold confidence.

### Claim 9

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing a set of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a machine to:
in response to receiving a transaction request at a point-of-sale device, collect location data from a device associated with the transaction at the point-of-sale device, wherein the location data is collected from a plurality of devices during a plurality of transactions;
receive, from the point-of-sale device via a first communication network, transaction data that includes an identification of the point-of-sale device and an identification of a payment vehicle;
determine a confidence in a location of the point-of-sale device based on the location data associated with the plurality of devices;
in response to the confidence of the location of the point-of-sale device being lower than a threshold confidence, determine a location of a device associated with an owner of the payment vehicle; and
generate an updated confidence in the location of the point-of-sale device based at least in part on the location of the device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the set of instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the machine to determine the location of the device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle, further cause the machine to:
transmit, via a second communications network, a communication to the device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle requesting confirmation that a transaction associated with the transaction data was authorized; and
collect or receive the location of the device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the set of instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the machine to receive a confirmation message indicating that the transaction associated with the transaction data was authorized.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the confirmation message indicates the location of the device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the confidence is further calculated based on a time between receiving the location information from the device being polled and receiving the transaction request.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein in response to the confidence of the location of the point-of-sale device being above the threshold confidence, the set of instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the machine to:
compare the location of the device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle with the location of the point-of-sale device; and
authorize the transaction when the location of the device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the location of the point-of-sale device.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the location of the device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle is determined using at least one of: a Wi-Fi signal, a radio-frequency identification signal, a near field communications signal, a satellite signal, a cellular signal, a Bluetooth signal, or an indication received from a user associated with the device.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the set of instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the machine to:
compare the updated confidence with the threshold confidence; and
revise the location of the point-of-sale device based on the location of the device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle when the updated confidence meets or exceeds the threshold confidence.

### Claim 17

A data processing system for determining a location of a point-of-sale, the data processing system comprising:
at least one computer having a microprocessor for computing data input to the computer;
at least one site management application including at least one of a software or firmware installation that provides computer coded instructions to the computer for managing data manipulated by the computer;
at least one database communicating with the computer for storing data regarding a threshold confidence of a location of a point-of-sale device;
data inputs from the point-of-sale device to the computer detailing:
location data from a device associated with a transaction at the point-of-sale device, wherein the location data is collected from a plurality of devices during a plurality of transactions;
transaction data that includes an identification of the point-of-sale device and an identification of a payment vehicle, and
a location of a device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle; and
outputs generated by the data processing system including:
a confidence of the location of the point-of-sale device based on the location data associated with the plurality of devices; and
an updated confidence in the location of the point-of-sale device based at least in part on the location of the device associated with the owner of the payment vehicle in response to the confidence of the location of the point-of-sale device being lower than the threshold confidence.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, further comprising a user interface generated by the data processing system and including an updated location of the point-of-sale device when a comparison of the updated confidence meets or exceeds the threshold confidence.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one database communicating with the computer further is for storing data regarding at least one of: a number of devices polled during transaction requests, a consistency of location information resulting from the devices polled, or a time between receiving the location information from the device being polled and receiving the transaction request.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein the computer coded instructions include instructions for calculating the confidence based at least in part on at least one of: the number of devices polled during transaction requests, the consistency of location information resulting from the devices polled, or the time between receiving the location information from the device being polled and receiving the transaction request.