Company patents

Walmart Apollo, LLC

Walmart Apollo, LLC's patent strategy is heavily concentrated in "Business Methods & Fintech," which accounts for 63.6% of its total portfolio, despite a significant decline of -25.5% in 2025 and a further -69.7% so far in 2026, indicating a shifting priority away from this core area. While most categories show a decline in 2025 and 2026 (partial year), the rapid growth in "Conveying & Handling" (70.6% YoY in 2024) and "Computer Vision" (51.0% YoY in 2024) suggests an emerging focus on automation and visual processing technologies, even as these also saw declines in 2025.

Patent Trend by Technology Area

Yearly patent publications since 2023

Product themes

Product-level themes inferred from filings since 2023, with category chips showing where each theme appears. Select a theme to filter the patents below.

1,675 US filings (since 2023) · 12 categories · 40 themes

Automated Storage and Sorting Systems

Systems and methods for efficient storage, retrieval, and sorting of items within warehouses, distribution centers, or manufacturing facilities, often involving vertical lifts, high-throughput sorters, or inventory management logic.

Conveying & Handling
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401since 2023
-41.3%YoY
Physical Item Tracking & Management

Systems and methods for uniquely identifying, tracking, and managing physical items using scannable codes (barcodes, QR codes) or wireless tags (RFID, IoT devices) to link physical objects to digital information, inventory, or services.

Data Recognition (Barcodes, OCR)
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385since 2023
-21.4%YoY
Personalized Recommendations

Systems that use user data, preferences, and machine learning to generate tailored advice, product recommendations, goal-setting plans, or contextual information for individuals across different domains.

Business Methods & Fintech
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298since 2023
-18.1%YoY
Intelligent Decision Support

Systems that process data to provide personalized recommendations, predict events, or automate decision-making processes based on learned patterns, user behavior, or environmental factors.

Databases & Information Retrieval
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242since 2023
-28.0%YoY
Automated Transaction Systems

Systems designed to streamline and automate various commercial transactions, including mobile-enhanced processes, secure online checkouts, customer service interactions, and privilege issuance, often leveraging digital authentication.

Business Methods & Fintech
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167since 2023
-42.9%YoY
Automated Visual Inspection

Systems that employ imaging and image processing to automatically detect defects, verify states, or ensure quality control in manufactured goods, printed materials, or industrial processes.

Data Recognition (Barcodes, OCR)
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113since 2023
-42.9%YoY
System Resource & Power Optimization

Methods and systems for efficiently allocating computing resources, balancing workloads, and managing power states to improve performance, reduce energy consumption, or enhance reliability in computing platforms.

Operating Systems & Program Control
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42since 2023
+142.9%YoY
Collaborative User Experiences

User interface designs and systems that enable multiple users to interact with shared content, provide feedback, or coordinate activities, often across different devices or locations.

Input/Output & User Interfaces
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37since 2023
+10.0%YoY
AI Information Synthesis

Systems and methods utilizing artificial intelligence, particularly large language models and neural networks, to extract, summarize, generate, or categorize information from unstructured or semi-structured data sources.

Databases & Information Retrieval
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34since 2023
+85.7%YoY
Wearable & Mobile Interaction

Designing user interfaces and interaction methods specifically for mobile or wearable devices, enabling control of external systems, monitoring user states, or facilitating real-world transactions.

Input/Output & User Interfaces
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33since 2023
-25.0%YoY
Real-time Anomaly Detection

Methods and systems that identify unusual or suspicious patterns in data streams, often leveraging machine learning models trained on normal behavior, to detect threats, faults, or significant events as they occur.

Pattern Recognition & ML Models
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32since 2023
-10.0%YoY
Document & Information Extraction

Methods and systems for identifying, extracting, and structuring specific entities, relationships, or insights from text-based documents, often involving techniques like named entity recognition, relation extraction, or summarization.

Natural Language Processing
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29since 2023
+33.3%YoY
Robotic Item Picking & Placement

Focuses on the mechanisms, control, and sensing involved in robots or automated systems accurately grasping, moving, and releasing individual items, often in conjunction with conveyor systems or storage units, including path planning and end effector design.

Conveying & Handling
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29since 2023
-87.5%YoY
Specialized Data Integration

Methods and systems for integrating, transforming, and managing complex or domain-specific data from disparate sources into a unified structure, often for specific applications like social networks, genomics, or business forms.

Databases & Information Retrieval
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25since 2023
-25.0%YoY
Context-Aware Conversational AI

AI systems designed to engage in natural language dialogue, maintain conversation state, understand user intent, and generate relevant responses, often across multiple communication channels or modalities.

Natural Language Processing
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23since 2023
-12.5%YoY
Efficient Visual Feature Extraction

Algorithms and hardware optimizations for rapidly identifying and characterizing relevant visual features (e.g., objects, motion, gradients) from images or video streams, often integrating machine learning for feature representation and recognition, with a focus on real-time performance and reduced computational cost.

Pattern Recognition & ML Models
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22since 2023
-57.1%YoY
Video Quality & Encoding Optimization

Methods and apparatus for improving the visual fidelity, resolution, or compression efficiency of video signals, often through advanced processing, up-scaling, or neural network-based filters.

Computer Vision
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21since 2023
-42.9%YoY
Video Enhancement & Object Tracking

Methods and systems for improving the quality of video streams, generating intermediate frames, or continuously locating and following objects within a sequence of images, even under occlusion.

Image Processing
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18since 2023
-62.5%YoY
Large Model Text Generation

Techniques for generating human-like text or other content using large pre-trained models, often involving prompt engineering, speculative decoding, or multi-modal inputs for content creation.

Machine Learning & AINatural Language Processing
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17since 2023
+200.0%YoY
Airspace & Drone Traffic Management

Systems and methods for monitoring, controlling, and optimizing the movement of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other aircraft, including real-time connectivity, flight planning, and route modification.

Wireless Networks
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17since 2023
-25.0%YoY
AR/VR User Interfaces

Techniques for rendering, interacting with, and managing content within augmented or virtual reality environments, including spatial tracking, gaze interaction, and dynamic multi-application display management.

Input/Output & User Interfaces
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14since 2023
0.0%YoY
MLOps & Model Deployment

Systems and methods for automating the lifecycle of machine learning models, including pipeline deployment, model management, versioning, and configuring for different inference environments.

Machine Learning & AI
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14since 2023
+33.3%YoY
Vehicle Docking & Loading Automation

Systems and mechanisms designed to safely and efficiently interface transport vehicles (trucks, trailers) with loading docks or automated loading systems, including vehicle restraint, telescopic loading arms, and specialized vehicle-mounted conveyors.

Conveying & Handling
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12since 2023
0.0%YoY
Vision-Based Object & Pose Estimation

Methods and apparatus for detecting objects and determining their three-dimensional position and orientation (pose) using imagery or point cloud data, often for navigation, surveying, or environmental understanding.

Computer Vision
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11since 2023
-40.0%YoY
Generative AI for Images

Techniques utilizing deep learning models like Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) or diffusion models to create new images, modify existing ones, or generate synthetic data based on various inputs or conditions.

Computer VisionImage Processing
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9since 2023
new
Location-Aware Mobile Services

Mobile applications and systems leveraging wireless communication and location data (e.g., GPS, RFID, geo-fencing) to provide context-specific services, transactions, or user interactions.

Wireless Networks
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8since 2023
+200.0%YoY
Image Quality Control & Calibration

Systems and methods for maintaining and improving the quality of printed images, encompassing adjustments to developing bias based on environmental conditions, paper characteristic detection, and color profile generation.

Data Recognition (Barcodes, OCR)
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8since 2023
-50.0%YoY
Workflow Automation & Orchestration

Systems and methods for automating multi-step tasks, business processes, or service interactions, often involving AI agents, programmable interfaces, or formal orchestration languages to streamline operations.

Operating Systems & Program Control
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8since 2023
-66.7%YoY
AI for Medical Diagnostics

Utilizing machine learning, particularly deep learning, to analyze medical data such as images, sensor readings, or physiological signals for disease prediction, diagnosis, or treatment assessment.

Machine Learning & AIComputer VisionImage Processing
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7since 2023
n/a
Emergency & Safety Communication Systems

Technologies for transmitting critical alerts and information during emergencies, often involving wireless networks, specialized devices, and protocols to ensure timely and targeted communication to users or emergency services.

Wireless Networks
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7since 2023
n/a
Multimodal Data Fusion

Techniques for combining and analyzing information from multiple distinct data modalities (e.g., text, image, video, audio, sensor data) to derive richer insights or improve system performance and decision-making.

Machine Learning & AIDatabases & Information RetrievalNatural Language Processing
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6since 2023
new
Conveyor Belt Design & Monitoring

Innovations in the physical structure, materials, support mechanisms, and operational monitoring of conveyor belts to improve durability, cleanliness, safety, or specific handling capabilities, including specialized drive mechanisms.

Conveying & Handling
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6since 2023
-50.0%YoY
Sensor-based Environment Perception

Techniques and hardware for autonomous systems to gather and interpret data about their surroundings, including obstacle detection, object recognition, and depth estimation, to inform control decisions.

Computer Vision
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4since 2023
new
Multi-modal Sensor Fusion

Techniques for combining data from disparate sensor types (e.g., cameras, radar, mobile device signals) to achieve a more robust and comprehensive understanding of an environment or subject, often leveraging machine learning for interpretation and correlation.

Computer VisionPattern Recognition & ML Models
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4since 2023
new
Specialized Neural Network Architectures

Development and optimization of novel neural network layers or architectures specifically designed to improve performance or efficiency for computer vision tasks.

Computer Vision
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4since 2023
new
Virtualization & Secure Remote Access

Technologies enabling the creation and management of virtual computing environments, including virtual machines and virtual desktops, with an emphasis on secure and efficient remote access, updates, and performance.

Operating Systems & Program Control
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4since 2023
new
Real-time Graphics Rendering

Techniques and hardware architectures designed to efficiently generate and display complex 3D graphics, particularly for interactive applications like virtual reality, focusing on speed and visual quality.

Image Processing
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3since 2023
0.0%YoY
Damage Detection & Structural Assessment

Automated systems using image processing and artificial intelligence to identify, classify, and assess the extent of damage to structures or objects, supporting maintenance or insurance claims.

Image Processing
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2since 2023
+100.0%YoY
3D Reconstruction & Modeling

Processes for creating or manipulating three-dimensional digital representations of objects or environments, including mesh generation, surface fitting, and depth estimation from multiple views.

Image Processing
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2since 2023
new
Federated & Distributed ML

Methods for training machine learning models across multiple decentralized devices or servers while keeping data localized, often involving aggregation of model parameters and secure communication.

Machine Learning & AI
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1since 2023
new

Patents

Showing 2481-2490 of 2600

Page 249 of 260
US 10977660 B2GRANTED
G06Q20/40

System and method for automatically processing online refund request

Filed:2019-01-31Pub:2021-04-13
Applicant:Walmart Apollo, LLC

A system can include one or more processors and non-transitory computer-readable media storing computing instructions configured to run on the one or more processors and perform a method for automatically processing an online return request. The method performed by the system can receive a refund request from a user computer used by a customer of a grocery store, the refund request for returning a grocery item (a) previously purchased as part of a transaction of the grocery store and (b) paid for by a payment method via the transaction; and process a refund solution based on the transaction and the grocery item. In this system, the method can process the refund solution by determining a returnable status of the grocery item according to one or more returnability rules dynamically generated by a machine learning model. If the returnable status of the grocery item is negative, the method performed by this system can deny the return request. If the returnable status of the grocery item is not negative, the method performed by this system can then proceed with generating a cost-benefit analysis result based on one or more cost-benefit factors associated with the grocery item. If the cost-benefit analysis result is negative, the method performed by this system can process the refund request by returning a return amount to the customer for the grocery item; otherwise, the method can provide to the user computer an authorization for return of the grocery item to a physical location of the grocery store in order for the customer to receive the return amount for the refund request. Other embodiments are disclosed.