System and method for screening deliveries to trade shows
A system and method for ensuring safe delivery of items to an event, such as a conference or trade show. The system uses a controlled-access website or app and a program with a database operated by a security coordinator. All prospective attendees are vetted, and after being verified as bona fide attendees who qualify as a reliable exhibitor/shipper, are given access to the database for the purpose of obtaining (by download) a particularized set of coded labels to be applied to a particular item to be shipped. The coded labels are then printed, applied to the items to be shipped and sent to a staging location for screening. At the staging location, the security coordinator scans all coded labels of shipped items when they arrive, and the program compares the scanned data with the data in the database to see if the shipped items are associated with a reliable exhibitor/shipper. If there is a match, the shipped items can then be forwarded to the event, and if the shipped item does not bear a coded label that is associated with a reliable exhibitor/shipper, the item is moved to a remote location for further investigation.
1. A system for screening deliveries of a shipped item to an event comprising:
a database of reliable exhibitors/shippers who plan to attend the event, a controlled-access source where a reliable exhibitor may obtain coded labels for download and application to a shipped item, the database associating a particular set of coded labels with a particular item to be shipped by one of the reliable exhibitor/shippers, a handheld scanner capable of reading the coded labels on a shipped item, a program for comparing data read by the handheld scanner with data in the database of reliable exhibitor/shippers and for verifying that scanned data from the handheld scanner matches with data in the database, the program capable of sending to the handheld scanner an accept message when a match is found and a reject message when no match is found, and a remote safe location for receiving rejected shipped items.
2. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of the coded labels contains at least one code selected from the group consisting of a QR code and a bar code.
3. A system in accordance with claim 2 wherein the program annuls the coded label after the coded label has been verified.
4. A system in accordance with claim 3 wherein the event is one selected from the group consisting of: a trade show and a conference.
5. A system in accordance with claim 4 wherein the controlled-access source is selected from the group consisting of a website and an app.
6. A method for screening deliveries of a shipped item to an event comprising:
creating a database of reliable exhibitors/shippers that have indicated an intention to attend the event,
establishing a controlled-access source from which a reliable exhibitor/shipper may obtain via a download a particularized set of coded labels for use on a particular item to be shipped, and associating in the database the particularized set of coded labels with a particular reliable exhibitor/shipper who downloaded the particularized set of coded labels,
instructing the reliable exhibitor/shipper to send an item to be shipped to a staging location associated with the event,
providing a handheld scanner to a security coordinator at the staging location,
upon receipt of an item shipped at the staging location, scanning the shipped item to obtain scanned data relating to the shipped item, and comparing the scanned data to information in the database to verify that the coded label is one that was downloaded by a reliable exhibitor/shipper, and
if the coded label on a shipped item matches with data in the database allowing the shipped item to be delivered to the event, and if the coded label on a shipped item does not match with data in the database transferring the shipped item to a secure area for further investigation.