Search Patents
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTHORIZING RETAIL RETURNS USING BLOCKCHAIN
    Publication number: 20190236605
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for authorizing a product's return using blockchain security systems. When a product is being returned, a notification is sent to the blockchain security system. The system can receive customer information, retrieve a blockchain or blockchains associated with the customer. Likewise, the system may obtain information about the product being returned (serial numbers, product type, etc.) and retrieve a blockchain or blockchains associated with that product information. Using a hash table, the system can then compare the product being returned to the data in the various blockchains and determine, based on that comparison, if the product was sold by the retailer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Brian MCHALE, David M. NELMS, John J. O'BRIEN
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SUPPLY CHAIN VERIFICATION USING BLOCKCHAIN
    Publication number: 20190303853
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for performing a supply chain verification using blockchain. As packages proceed through the supply chain, data associated with each package is uploaded to respective blockchains such that a non-corruptible record can be maintained of how each individual blockchain was processed. This can require gathering current sensor data, comparing it to data previously stored in the blockchain, and if there is a difference, updating the blockchain with a new block. The updated blockchain can then be distributed to databases, other packages/devices, etc., on a distributed ledger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Robert CANTRELL, Daniel W. YOUNG, John J. O'BRIEN, Brian MCHALE, Todd MATTINGLY
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VERIFYING RETAIL RETURNS USING BLOCKCHAIN
    Publication number: 20190236604
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for verifying a product being returned is a product which was sold by using blockchain security systems. At a first time, the system identifies a blockchain specific to an item being sold, then generates a new block for the blockchain with information about the sale. When an item is being returned, the system retrieves the blockchain and compares the data contained within the sale block to data associated with the product and/or the customer returning the product. If a match is found, the product is returned and the blockchain is further updated with the return information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Brian MCHALE, David M. NELMS, John J. O'BRIEN, Robert CANTRELL
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VERIFYING PRODUCTS USING BLOCKCHAIN
    Publication number: 20190266612
    Abstract: A method for determining a provenance of an item to be sold on a marketplace is provided. The method includes: generating, by a first computer, a blockchain for the item to be sold on the marketplace; storing the blockchain of the item on the first computer; receiving, by the first computer, from a second computer a request of determining the provenance of the item; in response to the request, sending, by the first computer, to the second computer the blockchain of the item; receiving, by the second computer, the blockchain of the item from the first computer; analyzing, by the second computer, the blockchain of the item in accordance to the set of access authorization levels; and determining, by the second computer, based on the analyzation, whether the item has an acceptable provenance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Brian McHale, Daniel W. Young, Jennifer Northrup, Richard C. McSorley, JR., Christopher R. Heeney, Joseph Jurich
  • CLONING DRONES USING BLOCKCHAIN
    Publication number: 20190238338
    Abstract: A method of drone-drone communications using blockchain includes: determining operational parameters of a first drone; encrypting the operational parameters of the first drone; storing the encrypted operational parameters of the first drone in a block of a blockchain; determining when a second drone is in proximity of the first drone; retrieving the encrypted operational parameters of the first drone from the block of the blockchain; decrypting the encrypted operational parameters of the first drone; retrieving the operational parameters of the first drone based on the decryption; and configuring the second drone with the operational parameters of the first drone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: John J. O'BRIEN, Donald R. HIGH, Joseph JURICH, Brian MCHALE, Robert CANTRELL, Todd MATTINGLY
  • BLOCKCHAIN-BASED SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SUPPLY CHAIN CONTROL
    Publication number: 20190266613
    Abstract: A blockchain-based method includes: receiving, by a smart label via accessing a block of a blockchain stored on a computer system, a cold chain requirement for a product, wherein the smart label is affixed to a package containing the product, the cold chain requirement for the product is specified and stored by a manufacturer of the product in the block of the blockchain; storing, by the smart label, the cold chain requirement in a memory of the smart label; receiving, by the smart label, from a temperature sensor a temperature of the product, wherein the temperature sensor is affixed to the package containing the product; comparing, by the smart label, the temperature of the product with a temperature range of the product specified in the cold chain requirement; and adding, by the smart label, the temperature of the product and a time at which the temperature of the product is received by the smart label, to the blockchain, if the temperature of the product is outside of the temperature range specified in th
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Cantrell, Daniel W. Young, Brian McHale, John J. O'Brien, Todd Mattingly
  • Nested blockchain system
    Patent number: 11985248
    Abstract: Described in detail herein is a nested blockchain system. The nested blockchain system can include distributed nodes in a network. A node is configured to generate a master cryptographically verifiable distributed ledger represented by a sequence of blocks. The node spawns a first sub cryptographically verifiable ledger represented by a first genesis block containing a hash value referencing the first block generated in the master cryptographically verifiable ledger, in response to a first event. The node purges the first sub cryptographically verifiable ledger, in response to a second event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher M. Johnson
  • System and method for forecasting deliveries via blockchain smart contracts
    Patent number: 11270245
    Abstract: A supply chain forecasting system with blockchain controls is discussed. The supply chain forecasting system can include a central computing system communicating with a third party computing system. The central computing system and third party computing system can initiate, adjust, and fulfill smart contracts associated with the delivery of physical objects using blockchain controls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Tarun Dasari, Aditya Reddy Cheruku, Anand Banik, Sumanth B. Talasila, Kishore P. Sasthiri, Murthy N. Kolluru
  • System and method for forecasting deliveries via blockchain smart contracts using hyperspectral computer vision
    Patent number: 11816625
    Abstract: A supply chain forecasting system with blockchain controls is discussed. The supply chain forecasting system can include a central computing system communicating with a third party computing system. The central computing system and third party computing system can initiate, adjust, and fulfill smart contracts associated with the delivery of physical objects using blockchain controls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Tarun Dasari, Aditya Reddy Cheruku, Anand Banik, Sumanth B. Talasila, Kishore P. Sasthiri, Murthy N. Kolluru
  • Blockchain-based system and method for supply chain control
    Patent number: 10521806
    Abstract: A blockchain-based method includes: receiving, by a smart label via accessing a block of a blockchain stored on a computer system, a cold chain requirement for a product, wherein the smart label is affixed to a package containing the product, the cold chain requirement for the product is specified and stored by a manufacturer of the product in the block of the blockchain; storing, by the smart label, the cold chain requirement in a memory of the smart label; receiving, by the smart label, from a temperature sensor a temperature of the product, wherein the temperature sensor is affixed to the package containing the product; comparing, by the smart label, the temperature of the product with a temperature range of the product specified in the cold chain requirement; and adding, by the smart label, the temperature of the product and a time at which the temperature of the product is received by the smart label, to the blockchain, if the temperature of the product is outside of the temperature range specified in th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Cantrell, Daniel W. Young, Brian McHale, John J. O'Brien, Todd Mattingly
  • BLOCKCHAIN-BASED SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CROWDSOURCED DELIVERY
    Publication number: 20190266568
    Abstract: A blockchain-based method includes: generating an order for a customer based on the customer's profile; receiving warranty data for the order from manufacturers; associating the order with the warranty data; generating a token for the customer and adding the token to the customer's profile; updating the token with the warranty data; determining a delivery method for the order; identifying a courier based on the determined delivery method; transferring the token to the identified courier; updating the token when the order is delivered; and paying the courier when the delivery of the order is confirmed. Transactions in each step are stored in a blockchain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: John J. O'BRIEN, Robert CANTRELL, Brian MCHALE, Todd MATTINGLY
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERY VEHICLE SECURITY USING BLOCKCHAIN
    Publication number: 20190236539
    Abstract: A system for order delivery security using blockchain includes a container configured to: add a new block to a blockchain when an item of a customer order is added to or removed from the container, wherein the new block contains an order ID of the customer order, a customer name, items in the customer order, a delivery address of the customer order, and a delivery date of the customer order; a delivery vehicle configured to: carry the container; and add a new block to the blockchain when an item of the customer order is added to or removed from the vehicle, wherein the new block contains the order ID of the customer order, the customer name, the items in the customer order, the delivery address of the customer order, and the delivery date of the customer order; and a lock configured to: be attached to and secure the container; store a copy of the blockchain locally in memory of the lock; and communicate with the delivery vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Brian MCHALE, Jennifer NORTHRUP, Richard C. MCSORLEY, Steven LEWIS, Christopher R. HEENEY, Joseph JURICH
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CROWD SOURCE LOANED CODE WITH BLOCKCHAIN
    Publication number: 20190236542
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for crowdsource loaned code with blockchain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Robert CANTRELL, Bruce WILKINSON, Sid SHAKE, David M. NELMS
  • System and method for crowd source loaned code with blockchain
    Patent number: 10621542
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for crowdsource loaned code with blockchain. A method include: initiating, by a customer, a request of crowdsource of a courier for delivering an order when the customer places the order, the request including a delivery time and a delivery address; generating a public key of the customer based at least on the order; specifying the courier by matching the request with information of the courier; obtaining, by the courier, the public key of the customer using blockchain; generating, a one-time private key for the courier based on the order or the request; generating a one-time public key for a store based on the order or the request; presenting, by the courier, the public key of the customer or store, or the one-time private key of the courier at the store; verifying, by the store, the public key of the customer or store, or the one-time private key of the courier; and delivering the order by the courier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Cantrell, Bruce Wilkinson, Sid Shake, David M. Nelms
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DIGITAL CURRENCY VIA BLOCKCHAIN
    Publication number: 20190236564
    Abstract: A method include: generating one digital currency unit by tying the one digital currency unit to a regular currency; storing information of the one digital currency unit into a block of a blockchain; buying or paying the one digital currency unit; determining whether restrictions are applied to the one digital currency unit by referring to one or more documents associated with the one digital currency; recording the determination in a block of the blockchain; overlaying the one digital currency unit with customer purchase history; calculating savings based on the one digital currency unit again naked forecast; applying the savings to customer purchases; using the one digital currency unit for accepted goods or services with the saving if the one digital currency unit is restricted; using the one digital currency unit for any goods or services with the saving if the one digital currency unit is unrestricted; and storing the one digital currency into a digital currency reserve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Robert CANTRELL, David M. NELMS, John J. O'BRIEN, Brian MCHALE
  • System and methods for three dimensional printing with blockchain controls
    Patent number: 10513077
    Abstract: Described in detail herein is a blockchain license storage system. A computing system can receive instructions to fabricate a three-dimensional physical object from a mobile device. The instructions can include a design of the three-dimensional physical object. The computing system can control a printing device to fabricate the at least one three-dimensional physical object based on the design of the at least one three-dimensional physical object. The computing system can generate a license file for the design of the at least one three-dimensional physical object. The computing system can generate a cryptographically verifiable ledger represented by a sequence of blocks. One of the blocks in the sequence of blocks can store transactional records associated with the generated license.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Todd Davenport Mattingly, David G. Tovey, John Jeremiah O'Brien
  • Verifying authenticity of computer readable information using the blockchain
    Patent number: 10594495
    Abstract: A method for ensuring that a computer readable information is authentic, including: generating a public key associated with the computer readable information, hashing the computer readable information to obtain a hashed computer readable information, encrypting the hashed computer readable information with a private key to create a digital signature, wherein the hashed computer readable information and the digital signature are stored on a block of a blockchain, authenticating the user computing device in response to a request from the user computing device to download the computer readable information, transmitting the public key and the digital signature to an authenticated user computing device, and instructing the authenticated user computing device to decrypt the digital signature using the public key to obtain the hashed computer readable information, and download the hashed computer readable information to the authenticated user computing system to retrieve the computer readable information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Donald R. High, Bruce Walter Wilkinson, Todd Mattingly, Brian Gerard McHale, John J. O'Brien, V, Robert Cantrell, Joseph Jurich
  • System and method for tracking vehicle mileage using blockchain
    Patent number: 10627250
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for identifying, via a processor, a plurality of causes for a vehicle to record data on a blockchain, wherein one cause in the plurality of causes is a repetition of a previous journey. The system generates route comparison data by comparing, via a processor as the vehicle is moving, current journey data for a current journey to previous journey data of at least one previous journey by: comparing a current journey start time to a previous journey start time; comparing a current journey travel time to a previous journey travel time; and comparing current journey route coordinates to previous journey route coordinates. Then based on the route comparison data, the system generates a side block which references the previous block in the block chain but contains only distinctions from the previous block. The side block is then added to the block chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel W. Young, Vinay Rao, Dhivya Ganesan, Jennifer Northrup, Richard C. Mcsorley, Christopher R. Heeney, Steven Lewis, Joseph Jurich
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACKING VEHICLE MILEAGE USING BLOCKCHAIN
    Publication number: 20190226850
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for identifying, via a processor, a plurality of causes for a vehicle to record data on a blockchain, wherein one cause in the plurality of causes is a repetition of a previous journey. The system generates route comparison data by comparing, via a processor as the vehicle is moving, current journey data for a current journey to previous journey data of at least one previous journey by: comparing a current journey start time to a previous journey start time; comparing a current journey travel time to a previous journey travel time; and comparing current journey route coordinates to previous journey route coordinates. Then based on the route comparison data, the system generates a side block which references the previous block in the block chain but contains only distinctions from the previous block. The side block is then added to the block chain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel W. YOUNG, Vinay RAO, Dhivya GANESAN, Jennifer NORTHRUP, Richard C. MCSORLEY, Christopher R. HEENEY, Steven LEWIS, Joseph JURICH
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROTECTION OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
    Publication number: 20190347660
    Abstract: A blockchain-based method for sharing confidential information includes: receiving the confidential information shared by a plurality of parties; receiving an agreement regarding the confidential information; receiving a financial bond from each party who is responsible for the agreement for a period time of the agreement; storing the confidential information, the agreement, and the financial bond in corresponding blocks of a blockchain; receiving behavior data of a party wherein the behavior data is associated with the confidential data and the agreement; and analyzing the behavior data against the confidential data and the agreement to determine whether the party violates the agreement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Bruce WILKINSON, Joseph JURICH
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