Blockchain technology can be applied to almost any industry young and old. The Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA) is a partnership dedicated to standardizing and promoting the use of blockchain in various transportation systems. BiTA is the largest commercial blockchain alliance in the world and includes members such as FedEx, BP, and GE Transportation as well as tech giants Microsoft and Google. Most recently, machine learning-logistics platform Tachyon joined the alliance in early October 2020. 

The latest publication from a BiTA member is U.S. Patent Pub. No. 20200324798 comes from Progress Rail, a locomotive manufacturer owned by Caterpillar. The invention generate and stores commands between a train and a remote controller in a blockchain ledger for automatic train operation (ATO). Because the chain stores an immutable sequence of interactions including commands, status updates, and sensor data, the ledger can be used to validate authorized communications and ensure that they will serve a safe and intended purpose. The ledger can also be useful for auditing and record-keeping. 

The application is one of the first filings from a transportation company in BiTA and is also Progress Rail’s first blockchain-related patent application. You can view the portfolios of more BiTA members and other cryptocurrency patents on the Magic Number® Cryptocurrency Patent Radian®.