Granted Patent B2

US 12,205,411 · App. 18/665,494 · Granted Jan 21, 2025

Inventor: Craig Mateer (Orlando, FL)

G07B11/00B42D15/0053G09F3/207

Abstract

Claims (92)

1. A method comprising:

a) obtaining, by at least one of at least one processor, an International Air Transport Association (IATA) license plate number of a checked luggage item of a passenger;

b) querying, by at least one of the at least one processor, a database for a primary identifier (PID) that is associated with a security screening image (SSI) of contents within a volume of space of the checked luggage item or information associated with a contents list (CL) derived from the SSI, based on the obtained IATA license plate number;

c) de-personalizing, by at least one of the at least one processor, security screening image (SSI) file sharing data to comprise the PID and a hyperlink to the database or a secondary shared memory location to access the SSI or the CL;

d) assembling, by at least one of the at least one processor, a communication package that includes the SSI file sharing data, wherein the communication package is devoid of personal identifiable information of the passenger; and

e) communicating, by at least one of the at least one processor, the assembled communication package to an authorized computer workstation associated with a border-crossing country.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information associated with the contents lists includes a contents list identifier to a location of the CL within a secure database.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PID is generated by one of a baggage handling system transporting the luggage item to a security screening imaging machine in an originating country that captures the SSI, a radio frequency identification (RFID) device on a container that transports the luggage item, or the security screening imaging machine.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprises: when a) obtaining the IATA license plate number, receiving, by at least one of the at least one processor, a B-Type message generated by a computer system associated with an air carrier in the originating country or the border-crossing country.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprises: when a) obtaining the IATA license plate number, receiving, by at least one of the at least one processor, a B-Type message generated by a computer system associated with an air carrier wherein the B-Type message is one of a transfer baggage sources message or a terminating baggage source message.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprises, when a) obtaining the IATA license plate number:

receiving, by at least one of the at least one processor, a plurality of B-Type messages;

sorting, by at least one of the at least one processor, the plurality of B-Type messages based on at least one of an airport code, flight number or a baggage source indicator set to one of transferring or terminating;

identifying, by at least one of the at least one processor, all IATA license plate numbers associated with the flight number;

generating, by at least one of the at least one processor, a licenses plate numbers list of all IATA license plate numbers associated with the flight number; and

selecting, by at least one of the at least one processor, a respective one IATA license plate number to obtain the IATA license plate number from the license plate numbers list.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprises:

repeating a)-e) for all IATA license plate numbers in the license plate numbers list.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein:

the baggage source indicator is set to a transferring indicator; and

the licenses plate numbers list includes those IATA license plate numbers of luggage items transferring to another flight; and

further comprises:

identifying, by at least one of the at least one processor, the passenger associated with a respective one IATA license plate number; and

obtaining, by at least one of the at least one processor, personal identifying information of the passenger associated with the respective one IATA license plate number;

assembling, by at least one of the at least one processor, a communication package that includes SSI file sharing data and the personal identifying information of the passenger; and

communicating, by at least one of the at least one processor, the assembled communication package to a second authorized computer workstation associated with the border-crossing country prior to the luggage item being loaded on a transferring flight.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the obtaining of the IATA license plate number comprises receiving, by at least one of the at least one processor, a flight manifest generated by a computer system associated with an air carrier to land at an airport in the border-crossing country, wherein the flight manifest includes a list of passenger names associated with a flight number.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the obtaining of the IATA license plate number comprises:

receiving, by at least one of the at least one processor, a plurality of B-Type messages;

sorting, by at least one of the at least one processor, the plurality of B-Type messages based on at least one of an airport code, flight number, a passenger name from the list of passenger names, or a baggage source indicator set to one of transferring or terminating;

identifying, by at least one of the at least one processor, all IATA license plate numbers associated with the list of passenger names;

generating, by at least one of the at least one processor, a license plate numbers list of all IATA license plate numbers associated with the list of passenger names; and

selecting, by at least one of the at least one processor, a respective one IATA license plate number to obtain the IATA license plate number from the license plate numbers list.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein c) the de-personalizing the SSI file sharing data comprises embedding, by at least one of the at least one processor, the hyperlink in text of the PID, the hyperlink providing access to the SSI in the database or the secondary shared memory location.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein c) the de-personalizing the SSI file sharing data further comprises an SSI file name associated with the PID; and

further comprises:

embedding, by at least one of the at least one processor, the hyperlink in text of the SSI file name, the hyperlink providing access to the database or the secondary shared memory location.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein selection of the text associated with the hyperlink using a user interface automatically navigates a browser or an application to a virtual machine or hypervisor for viewing the SSI.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

communicating, by at least one of the at least one processor, the PID to a tracking device affixed to the luggage item;

linking, by at least one of the at least one processor, a tracking device identifier to the PID; and

storing, by at least one of the at least one processor, the tracking device identifier with the PID in a secured database.

15. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory, tangible memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one memory storing at least one instruction,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the at least one instruction to:

a) obtain an International Air Transport Association (IATA) license plate number of a checked luggage item of a passenger;

b) query a database for a primary identifier (PID) that is associated with a security screening image (SSI) of contents within a volume of space of the checked luggage item or information associated with a contents list (CL) derived from the SSI, based on the obtained IATA license plate number;

c) de-personalize security screening image (SSI) file sharing data to comprise the PID and a hyperlink to the database or a secondary shared memory location to access the SSI or the CL;

d) assemble a communication package that includes SSI file sharing data, wherein the communication package is devoid of personal identifiable information of the passenger; and

e) communicate the assembled communication package to an authorized computer workstation associated with a border-crossing country.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the information associated with the contents lists includes a contents list identifier to a location of the CL within a secure database.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the PID is generated by one of a baggage handling system transporting the luggage item to a security screening imaging machine in an originating country that captures the SSI, a radio frequency identification (RFID) device on a container that transports the luggage item, or the security screening imaging machine.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction, when a) obtaining the IATA license plate number, to:

receive a B-Type message generated by a computer system associated with an air carrier in the originating country or the border-crossing country.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction, when a) obtaining the IATA license plate number, to:

receive a B-Type message generated by a computer system associated with an air carrier wherein the B-Type message is one of a transfer baggage sources message or a terminating baggage source message.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction, when a) obtaining of the IATA license plate number, to:

receive a plurality of B-Type messages;

sort the plurality of B-Type messages based on at least one of an airport code, flight number or a baggage source indicator set to one of transferring or terminating;

identify all IATA license plate numbers associated with the flight number;

generate a licenses plate numbers list of all IATA license plate numbers associated with the flight number; and

select a respective one IATA license plate number to obtain the IATA license plate number from the license plate numbers list.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction to:

repeat a)-e) for all IATA license plate numbers in the license plate numbers list.

22. The system of claim 20 , wherein:

the baggage source indicator is set to a transferring indicator; and

the licenses plate numbers list includes those IATA license plate numbers of luggage items transferring to another flight; and

the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction to:

identify the passenger associated with a respective one IATA license plate number;

obtain personal identifying information of the passenger associated with the respective one IATA license plate number;

assembling, by at least one of the at least one processor, a communication package that includes SSI file sharing data and the personal identifying information of the passenger; and

communicating, by at least one of the at least one processor, the assembled communication package to a second authorized computer workstation associated with the border-crossing country prior to the luggage item being loaded on a transferring flight.

23. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction, when a) obtaining the IATA license plate number, to:

receive a flight manifest generated by a computer system associated with an air carrier to land at an airport in the border-crossing country, wherein the flight manifest includes a list of passenger names associated with a flight number.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction, when a) obtaining the IATA license plate number, to:

receive a plurality of B-Type messages;

sort the plurality of B-Type messages based on at least one of an airport code, flight number, a passenger name from the list of passenger names, or a baggage source indicator set to one of transferring or terminating;

identify all IATA license plate numbers associated with the list of passenger names;

generate a license plate numbers list of all IATA license plate numbers associated with the list of passenger names; and

select a respective one IATA license plate number to obtain the IATA license plate number from the license plate numbers list.

25. The system of claim 24 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction to:

repeat a)-e) for all IATA license plate numbers in the license plate numbers list.

26. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction, when c) de-personalizing the SSI file sharing data, to:

embed the hyperlink in text of the PID or a text instruction, the hyperlink providing access to the SSI in the database or the secondary shared memory location.

27. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction, when c) de-personalizing the SSI file sharing data, to:

embed the hyperlink in text of a SSI file name associated with the PID, the hyperlink providing access to the database or the secondary shared memory location.

28. The system of claim 27 , wherein selection of the text associated with the hyperlink using a user interface automatically navigates a browser or an application to a virtual machine or hypervisor for viewing the SSI.

29. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction to:

communicate the PID to a tracking device affixed to the luggage item;

link a tracking device identifier to the PID; and

store the tracking device identifier with the PID in a secured database.

Continuity (20)

References Cited (154)