Walmart continues to develop blockchain applications to optimize the retail industry.
Author: Madeline Meng Shi / Source: CoinDesk
Walmart has yet another delivery-focused blockchain patent in the works.
The application published on July 5 is entitled “Delivery Reservation Apparatus and Method,” and as suggested, it outlines a way for managing package reservations in the context of the purchaser not being available to actually receive it.
It’s the latest blockchain retail supply chain “smart delivery” intellectual property play from the retail giant, which in the past year has submitted a number of U.S. patent applications in this area. Indeed, the company seems to be looking at the technology as a way to automate elements of the delivery process, but to date, much of the company’s public-facing work with blockchain has been focused on food supply chain tracking.
In the newly released filing, Walmart detail system of delivery lockers – located at a person’s home, transportation hub or other location – that can safeguard the delivered items until their recipients can come and actually sign for them. Blockchain fits into…