US 12,147,937 B2
Distributed ledger platform for improved return logistics
Maharaj Mukherjee, Poughkeepsie, NY (US); and Prashant Thakur, Hyderabad (IN)
Assigned to Bank of America Corporation, Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed by Bank of America Corporation, Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed on Aug. 8, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/231,293.
Application 18/231,293 is a continuation of application No. 17/308,198, filed on May 5, 2021, granted, now 11,763,248.
Prior Publication US 2023/0385754 A1, Nov. 30, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06Q 10/0837 (2023.01); G06K 19/06 (2006.01); G06Q 10/083 (2023.01); G06Q 10/10 (2023.01); G06Q 20/38 (2012.01); G06Q 20/40 (2012.01); G06Q 30/018 (2023.01)
CPC G06Q 10/0837 (2013.01) [G06K 19/06037 (2013.01); G06Q 10/0838 (2013.01); G06Q 10/10 (2013.01); G06Q 20/389 (2013.01); G06Q 20/407 (2013.01); G06Q 30/018 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computing platform for performing a blockchain and smart contract based method to reduce delivery time and prevent reverse supply chain logistics for events corresponding to multiple accounts while maintaining party anonymity, the computing platform comprising:
at least one processor;
a communication interface communicatively coupled to the at least one processor; and
memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing platform to:
receive a first event processing request corresponding to a first sale of an item;
process the first event processing request, resulting in first event processing information indicating a first transfer of resources from a first buyer of the item to a seller of the item;
create a first element of a distributed ledger corresponding to the item;
record, in the first element of the distributed ledger corresponding to the item, the first event processing information, an identity of the first buyer, and an identity of the seller, wherein a first portion of distributed ledger is visible to the first buyer and the seller, and wherein recording the first event processing information further comprises generating a smart contract indicating when resources are to be transferred from the seller to the first buyer in case of a return;
cause, by communicating with a shipping computing system, the item to be shipped to the first buyer;
receive a second event processing request corresponding to a second sale of the item;
process the second event processing request, resulting in second event processing information indicating a second transfer of resources from a second buyer of the item to the seller, and wherein use of the distributer ledger ensures security of the first event processing request and the second event processing request;
create a second element of the distributed ledger corresponding to the item;
record, in the second element of the distributed ledger, the second event processing information, an identity of the second buyer, a return policy for the item, and the identity of the seller, wherein a second portion of the distributed ledger is visible to the second buyer and the seller; and
cause the item to be sent from the first buyer to the second buyer, wherein the first buyer sent a request to return the item, and wherein causing the item to be sent from the first buyer to the second buyer comprises:
generating, based on the distributed ledger, anonymous shipping information corresponding to the second buyer, wherein the anonymous shipping information comprises a quick response (QR) code,
allowing the first buyer to access the anonymous shipping information using the distributed ledger,
recording shipping confirmation information indicating that the item has been shipped from the first buyer to the second buyer, wherein causing the item to be sent from the first buyer to the second buyer reduces a delivery time associated with shipping the item to the second buyer and prevents the reverse supply chain logistics, and
recording receipt confirmation information indicating that the item has been received by the second buyer.