New pending patent applications are published by the USPTO on Thursdays. Today's Spotlight Applications concern aspects of blockchains (distributed ledgers, smart contracts) and digital rights management broadly construed. Assigned to Accenture, the first application discloses techniques for blockchain enhanced entitlement control. Assigned to Walmart, the second application discloses techniques for blockchain-based supply chain control.
20190266312, "Blockchain enhanced entitlement control," assigned to Accenture.
Abstract
Systems and methods for entitlement tracking and control with blockchain technology are provided. A server node may receive usage information indicating usage of a licensed component by a remote device. The server node may generate a datablock that includes the usage information and append the datablock to a blockchain. The server node may acquire, from the blockchain, a license smart contract. The license smart contract may include control logic to control access to the license component. The server node may control access to the license component by the remote device based on the usage information and the control logic.
20190266613, "Blockchain-based system and method for supply chain control," assigned to Walmart.
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 the cold chain requirement.
