Meta Platforms, Inc.
Determining online system user eligibility for receiving content using a polygon representing a physical location associated with the content

Abstract:

An online system determines a polygon representing a physical location associated with a content item and indexes edges of the polygon based on their positions along an axis of a map. The index is used to retrieve edges spanning a point on the axis representing a location of a client device associated with an online system user. The online system compares the positions of the point and retrieved edges on an axis perpendicular to the axis and determines whether the user is at the physical location based on the comparison. If the user is not at the physical location, a boundary surrounding the point is compared with boundaries surrounding the indexed edges to determine whether the user is within a threshold distance of the physical location. If the user is at or within the threshold distance of the physical location, the user is determined eligible to receive the content item.