Methods and systems for autonomous dispensing of products

A system comprising:

• a dispensing system;
• a processor operatively connected to the dispensing system;
• and
• a memory operatively connected to the processor, the memory comprising program code that upon execution by the processor cause the system to perform operations that include:
• receiving, by the dispensing system, a first distributed ledger transaction associated with a distributed blockchain ledger that i) identifies an item, ii) identifies a container associated with and containing the item, iii) includes a status indicator in a first state identifying the item as present in the container, and iv) includes an authorization code associated with a mobile device, wherein the item is a physical item, and the dispensing system includes a plurality of participants that are each configured to independently manage a copy of the distributed blockchain ledger and to synchronize each copy of the distributed blockchain ledger with other copies of the distributed blockchain ledger;
• receiving the authorization code from the mobile device;
• creating, by the dispensing system, a second distributed ledger transaction based on the first distributed ledger transaction that changes the status indicator to a second state identifying the item as authorized for dispensing;
• responsive to the creation of the second distributed ledger transaction, autonomously providing access to the item, wherein autonomously providing access to the item comprises transitioning a locking mechanism associated with the container from a locked state to an unlocked state;
• creating, by the dispensing system, a third distributed ledger transaction based on the second distributed ledger transaction that changes the status indicator to a third state identifying the item as dispensed;
• and
• autonomously providing to the plurality of participants, by the dispensing system, access to a synchronized copy of the distributed blockchain ledger.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-readable instructions that upon execution by a processor of a computing device cause the computing device to:

• receive, by a dispensing system, a first distributed ledger transaction associated with a distributed blockchain ledger that i) identifies an item, ii) identifies a container associated with and containing the item, iii) includes a status indicator in a first state identifying the item as present in the container, and iv) includes an authorization code associated with a mobile device, wherein the item is a physical item, and the dispensing system includes a plurality of participants that are each configured to independently manage a copy of the distributed blockchain ledger and to synchronize each copy of the distributed blockchain ledger with other copies of the distributed blockchain ledger;
• receive the authorization code from the mobile device;
• create, by the dispensing system, a second distributed ledger transaction based on the first distributed ledger transaction that changes the status indicator to a second state identifying the item as authorized for dispensing;
• responsive to the creation of the second distributed ledger transaction, autonomously provide access to the item, wherein autonomously providing access to the item comprises transitioning a locking mechanism associated with the container from a locked state to an unlocked state;
• create, by the dispensing system, a third distributed ledger transaction based on the second distributed ledger transaction that changes the status indicator to a third state identifying the item as dispensed;
• and
• autonomously provide, by the dispensing system, access to the plurality of participants to a synchronized copy of the distributed blockchain ledger.