A new patent filing finds retail giant Walmart seeking to utilize blockchain technology to perfect a smarter package delivery tracking system.

In an application released by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Thursday, Walmart describes a "smart package" that would include a device which would record information on a blockchain regarding the contents of the package, its environmental conditions, its location and more. It also suggests that its smart package could be used in tandem with other emerging technologies including "autonomous vehicles," such as drones.

The patent was first submitted in August of 2017, and notably builds on a filing Walmart submitted for a blockchain-based drone package delivery tracking system last year.

Walmart explains in the filing that online shopping has created shipping challenges for retailers, particularly with regard to perishable products requiring temperature control, thus necessitating further innovation.