Abstract:
The invention disclosed provides an apparatus and method to monitor and track the security of bulk cargo from a dispatch point to a receipt point. The apparatus includes a plurality of RFID antennas at a dispatch location and at a receipt location, networked software modules in communication with the RFID antennas, and disposable RFID tags used as security seals affixed to a carrier at multiple locations. The software modules include a Cargo Registration Module, a Dispatch Scanning Module, and a Receipt Scanning Module. The apparatus and method reduce cargo inspection time and labor at the points of departure and receipt. The automation of the dispatch and receipt process eliminates the human element thereby increasing the efficiency of the process. An additional embodiment includes a “single-use” disposable RFID tagged seal adapted to be attached to a transport portal unable to be removed without damaging an RFID transmitter contained within.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present application claims priority to Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/810,731, entitled “Special Transport Security Control and Tracking”, to Ulibarri, filed on Jun. 2, 2006. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to an apparatus and method for the control and tracking of security for bulk cargo. In particular, this invention relates to an apparatus and method that uses disposable radio frequency identification tags as seals and a plurality of software modules to monitor and track the security of bulk cargo from a dispatch point to a receipt point in order to reduce the time required to dispatch and receive shipments.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Bulk cargo is generally cargo that is unpacked and of a homogenous nature. These cargos are typically blown, poured or dropped as a liquid or a solid into a bulk carrier&#39;s hold such as a railroad car, ship hull, or a tanker truck/trailer body. Some examples of bulk cargo include coal, grain, chemicals, dry or liquid edibles, oil, or gas.  
         [0004]     Before a shipment of bulk cargo can be dispatched to its destination, the originating facility or shipping company is responsible for inspecting the cargo and the carrier and insuring they are loaded properly. A visual inspection is conducted to verify that the load is present and unadulterated. Further inspection is conducted to assume that the load is secure and that the cargo carrier is seaworthy or roadworthy and is sealed. Bills of lading are checked and destinations recorded.  
         [0005]     Often a bulk cargo tanker truck has multiple separated bins for carrying payload. Each bin is marked by an identifying number or series of numbers. The inspector must document the identifying numbers for each bin in addition to the carrier identification and the driver identification and finally check these numbers against the manifest to insure correctness. If all checks out properly, the carrier is dispatched. Once the shipment reaches its destination a receiving inspector must repeat the process. This inspection process is time consuming and labor intensive. Because of the time consuming meticulous nature of the task, errors occur causing further delays and in some cases the inspection may be skipped completely.  
         [0006]     Further, there exists the possibility of the cargo being unknowingly compromised. The lock or seal on a particular bin may be broken during shipment and the cargo inside either partially reduced, contaminated, or spoiled. The receiving inspector may or may not notice the breach. Once the unsatisfactory cargo is discovered, responsibility for the loss depends on shipping and inspection documentation. Locating various inspectors for personal testimony and sorting through the paper trail of inspections are time consuming tasks and present unwanted delays.  
         [0007]     The prior art includes examples of systems using RFID tags to track shipping vehicles and packages and to automate inventory and dispatch procedures. However, none of the prior art uses disposable RFID tags and a system of networked software modules to track and monitor the integrity of bulk cargo to increase security and the efficiency of the inspection process.  
         [0008]     U.S. Pat. No. 7,034,683 to Ghazarian discloses a system for vehicle, pallet and personnel tracking including RFID transponders, gate readers and GPS GSM modems. The system allows a vehicle to “electronically” log product content, driver, passengers and so forth into an onboard vehicle CPU. Ghazarian requires an RFID transponder be affixed to each shipped item of concern and therefore does not accommodate the bulk cargo shipping industry. The system incurs extra expense by requiring each carrier vehicle to have on board its own RFID tag reader and an RFID transceiver CPU. Ghazarian does not disclose use of video monitoring equipment, or the use of multiple disposable RFID tags as “seals” at various locations on a truck trailer.  
         [0009]     U.S. Pat. No. 7,053,777 to Allen discloses a system for tracking products in a distribution path by using an RFID tag mountable on the product or the product carrier. This system discloses a plurality of interrogators along the distribution path that provide feedback about the location of the RFID tag and its product. A memory is associated with the RFID tag that includes information about the product in transit. Location data is communicated to a central database from various base stations or interrogators via the internet. Allen does not disclose the use of video to discover security violations or the use of multiple disposable RFID tags as security seals to ensure the integrity of the shipment.  
         [0010]     World Patent Pub. No. 053566A1 to Braun discloses a system for monitoring a container door during transport. The system includes an onboard device attached to the container door and in communication with a central computer system. The central computer system processes alerts transmitted by the onboard device and tracks the position of the onboard device. The onboard device includes a complicated rechargeable battery powered processor/sensor component and an antenna component including a GPS antenna/receiver. The processor/sensor can sense container conditions such as door opening/closing, light, temperature, humidity, and vibration/motion. Braun does disclose recording events such as the opening and the closing a door of the container during transport. However, Braun is not suited to the bulk cargo industry, does not address the time consuming process of dispatch and receipt inspections, and does not disclose the use of multiple disposable RFID tags as seals.  
         [0011]     U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2006/0011721 to Olsen, III, et al. discloses a system used to automate inventory and dispatch procedures by detecting arrivals and departures of delivery vehicles and container devices in a staging area. In one embodiment, the truck and the trailer are each fitted with a permanent RFID tag. Each RFID tag includes unique identification information stored in an information management system. Alerts are issued when the truck pulling the trailer arrives at a location. Upon departure an alert is issued if a truck and trailer have inconsistent destinations. In another embodiment, the system uses GPS tracking to trigger when the truck and trailer are within a certain distance of the reader system. Olsen does not disclose using multiple disposable RFID tags as security seals to monitor cargo integrity. Olsen also does not disclose a software system to monitor and coordinate cargo integrity.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0012]     The invention provides an apparatus and method for monitoring and tracking the integrity of bulk cargo from a dispatch point to a receipt point by providing multiple radio frequency identification (RFID) tags used as security seals affixed to various locations on a carrier vehicle and separate software modules each running on computers connected to each other via the internet or other wide area network. The software modules include a cargo registration module (CRM), a dispatch scanning module (DSM), and a cargo receipt scanning module (RSM). The invention further comprises RFID interrogation hardware to scan the carrier vehicles and trailers and read the RFID seals. The apparatus and method reduce cargo inspection time and labor at the bulk cargo carrier&#39;s point of departure and at the point of receipt.  
         [0013]     In another preferred embodiment, each vehicle is equipped with a GPS transponder. A fourth software module, a GPS transit tracking module (GTTM), may display positional and carrier ID information, gross weight, average speed, and estimated time of arrival.  
         [0014]     In another preferred embodiment, the DSM and the RSM provide an interface to a closed-circuit television video feed equipped with a digital video recorder to display and capture exception events in order to aid in the inspection of the carrier prior to rescanning.  
         [0015]     RFID tags are fitted to multiple permanent and non-permanent locations on the carrier vehicle and transmit a unique number which is read by an RFID scanner. The permanent locations include the cab and the trailer of the carrier itself for identification and tracking purposes. Additional non-permanent locations include the loading and unloading hatches and the various fittings around the trailer including maintenance ports and clean out valves. The number of RFID locations varies by trailer type and carrier. The RFID tags in the non-permanent locations act as disposable security seals that will fail to respond to the interrogation hardware if removed or tampered with. If an RFID tag does not respond, the current scanning module will indicate an alarm condition noting which seal is not responding.  
         [0016]     The use of the multiple RFID tags fitted to multiple permanent and non-permanent locations on the carrier vehicle supported by the CRM, the DSM, and the RSM provides for reduced cargo inspection time and labor at the point of departure and the point of receipt. Reducing the inspection time increases the efficiency of the dispatch and receipt procedures and allows more shipments to be made. By eliminating the human inspection element, inspection errors are reduced and the inspection itself is assured to actually occur. The system further provides assurance to the driver and the originating facility and the receiving facility that the integrity of cargo has not been compromised during shipment. If a breach occurs, the automated, documented trail of secure checks helps to pinpoint when the breach occurred and therefore reduces the liability with regard to the safety and security of the cargo of each company that may have had control of the cargo during shipment.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a special transport network of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a pictorial diagram of a carrier trailer unit showing typical sealing arrangements.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a computer screen image of the cargo registration module (CRM) of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram of the dispatch security sequence within the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a computer screen image of the dispatch scanning module (DSM) of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  is a computer screen image of the dispatch scanning module (DSM) of the preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein a dispatch exception has occurred.  
         [0023]      FIG. 7  is a flow diagram of the receipt security sequence within the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  is a computer screen image of the receipt scanning module (RSM) of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 9  is a computer screen image of the receipt scanning module (RSM) of the preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein a receipt exception has occurred.  
         [0026]      FIG. 10  is a plan view of the bolt portion of a seal of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0027]      FIG. 11  is an isometric view of the expansion nut portion of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0028]      FIG. 12  is a plan view of an assembled seal of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0029]      FIG. 13  is a side view of a closing mechanism of a typical transport carrier as known in the art.  
         [0030]      FIG. 14  is a front view of a closing mechanism of a typical transport carrier as known in the art.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
       [0031]     The present invention is described in this specification in terms of systems and methods for improving the security and integrity in the transport of bulk materials from dispatch to receipt. Persons skilled in the art, however, will recognize that any computer system that includes suitable programming means for operating in accordance with the disclosed methods also falls well within the scope of the present invention. Suitable programming means include any means for directing a computer system to execute the steps of the method of the invention. The invention may also be embodied in a computer program product, such as a diskette, CD, DVD, removable storage device, networked program or other recording medium, for use with any suitable data processing system. Although the exemplary embodiments described in this specification are oriented to software installed and executing automatically on computer hardware, alternative embodiments may be implemented manually by hand or semi-manually by the use of an electronic digital assistant or handheld scanner and are within the scope of the present invention. Within the preferred embodiment of the present invention the programming means is the NET framework operating in a Microsoft Windows operating system on typical business PC-based computer hardware.  
         [0032]     In  FIG. 1 a  special transport network  1  is shown in the form of a block diagram wherein a transport unit is dispatched securely from dispatch plant  10  to receive plant  20 , the transport unit transiting some geographical distance to receive plant  20  where it is securely received.  
         [0033]     Within the dispatch plant  10  at a given time is the transport unit in dispatch  2  which has a set of dispatched RFID tagged seals  5  attached at various locations and designed to ensure that any cargo contained with the transport unit in dispatch  2  is known and has not been adulterated after the loading and dispatch process. The dispatch plant  10  also has within it a dispatch center CPU  12  for processing data and operating dispatch and transit mapping programs, a GPS base station  15  for gathering GPS telemetry, a dispatch RFID scanner  17  for scanning dispatched RFID tagged seals  5  and a dispatch CCTV  18  with digital video recorder capability for capturing and recording video images of the transport unit in dispatch  2 . CCTV  18  is used to investigate dispatch security exceptions which occur when the dispatch RFID scanner  17  fails to read any of the set of dispatch RFID tagged seals  5 . Transport unit in dispatch  2  will have a vehicle and operator assigned to it.  
         [0034]     Dispatch center CPU  12  operates a set of software programs, the essential software programs for the purposes of the present invention being a cargo registration module, CRM  13  for data entry of cargo related information and dispatch information; a dispatch scanning module, DSM  14 , to scan with dispatch RFID scanner  17  and to dispatch or not to dispatch a transport unit based on the results of said scan; a GPS transit tracking module, GTTM  16 , for tracking the progress of transport unit in dispatch  2 ; a database  11  which is attached to dispatch center CPU  12  and used by CRM  13  for storing data related to the transport units.  
         [0035]     Transport unit in dispatch  2  becomes transport unit in transit  3  upon successful dispatch from dispatch plant  10 . Successful dispatch means that transport unit in dispatch  2  has the associated vehicle, its operator and all of its set of dispatch RFID tagged seals  5  physically in place and verified. While in transit, transport unit in transit  3  interacts with GPS satellite  21  to determine its location. Transport unit in transit  3  transmits location data via wireless network connectivity to the GPS base stations in dispatch plant  10  and receive plant  20 , the base station in dispatch plant  10  being GPS base station  15  and the base station in receive plant  20  being GPS base station  25 . Upon reaching receive plant  20  transport unit in transit  3  is received in to receive plant  20  as transport unit in receipt  4 .  
         [0036]     Transport unit in receipt  4  has a set of received RFID tagged seals  6  which may be different than the set of dispatched RFID tagged seals  5  due to the possibility of tampering. The intent of the receiving process is to compare the set of received RFID tagged seals  6  to the set of dispatched RFID tagged seals  5 , alerting security systems when a match does not occur or allowing transport unit in receipt  4  entry to automatically enter the receiving plant  20  when a match does occur. Information contained in database  11  relating transport unit in dispatch  2  to transport unit in receipt  4  is communicated to receipt center CPU  22  via a standard communications network  29 . In particular, the RFID numbers in the set of dispatched RFID tagged seals  5  are sent from dispatch plant  10  to receive plant  20  and must be matched to the RFID numbers in the set of received RFID tagged seals  6  detected at receive plant  20 .  
         [0037]     Receive plant  20  has a receipt center CPU  22  for processing data and operating receipt security programs and transit mapping programs, a GPS base station  25  for gathering GPS telemetry, a receipt RFID scanner  27  for scanning received RFID tagged seals  6  and a dispatch CCTV  28  with digital video recorder capability for capturing and recording video images of the transport unit in receipt  4 . CCTV  28  is used to investigating receive security exceptions which occur when receive RFID scanner  27  fails to read any of the set of received RFID tagged seals  6 .  
         [0038]     Receipt center CPU  22  operates a set of software programs, the preferred software programs for the purposes of the present invention being a receipt scanning module, RSM  24 , to scan receipt RFID scanner  27  and to receive or not to receive a transport unit based on the results of the scan; and a GPS transit tracking module, GTTM  26 , for tracking the progress of transport unit in transit  3 .  
         [0039]     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, CCTV cameras and digital video recorders, CCTV  18  and CCTV  28 , are realized with the combination of a camera from PELCO corporation of Clovis, Calif., model Spectra III and a video system from Dedicated Micros corporation of Chantilly, Va., model Digital Sprite 2.  
         [0040]      FIG. 2  is a pictorial drawing of a typical cargo carrier in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Cargo carrier  30  is used to carry bulk dry goods for the baking industry such as flour and has a set of four bins, first bin  31 , second bin  32 , third bin  33  and fourth bin  34 , each bin potentially having a different cargo. Each bin must have at least one seal in order to minimally maintain integrity between dispatch and receipt. Cargo carriers similar to cargo carrier  30  have between 4 (four) RFID tagged seals and 24 (twenty-four) RFID tagged seals. At least one permanent RFID tag is placed on a truck to which the cargo carrier is attached and at least one permanent RFID tag is attached to the cargo carrier. Permanent tags are considered non-destructible in the context of the present invention. Some RFID tagged seals are “semi-permanent” and not being removed each time the carrier is loaded or unloaded. Other seals are temporary and are destroyed each time the cargo carrier  30  is loaded or unloaded. Semi-permanent tags are placed on maintenance ports used to clean out bins. The maintenance ports are typically checked on a schedule but are not checked and cleared after every trip. To show examples of the types of ports that can be sealed or have an RFID attached, a number of RFID tagged seals are shown in  FIG. 2 . First clean-out valve  41  and second clean-out valve  42  are RFID sealed and semi-permanent being destroyed only on scheduled inspection. Single output port  43  combines the flow out of all four bins and is RFID sealed, the RFID seal being broken upon unloading. Single maintenance port  44  is RFID sealed. First bin  31  has a first set of three seals  45  on output ports, one of which is broken upon unloading, the other two are semi-permanent. Second bin  32  has a second set of three seals  46  on output ports, one of which is broken upon unloading, the other two are semi-permanent. Third bin  33  has a third set of three seals  47  on output ports, one of which is broken upon unloading, the other two are semi-permanent. Fourth bin  34  has a fourth set of three seals  48  on output ports, one of which is broken upon unloading, the other two are semi-permanent. First bin  31  has a first input port seal  49 . Second bin  32  has a second input port seal  50 . Third bin  33  has a third input port seal  51 . Fourth bin  34  has a fourth input port seal  52 . Third clean out valve  53  has a semi-permanent RFID seal which is typically destroyed on a maintenance schedule as is fourth clean out valve  54  which also has an RFID seal, fifth clean-out valve  55  which also has an RFID seal and sixth clean-out valve  56  which also has an RFID seal. Finally, cargo carrier  30  has a permanent RFID tag  57  attached so as to identify the cargo carrier as it passes through the dispatch or receipt scan.  
         [0041]     CRM  13  is a software module consisting of a database interface with data entry forms that allow an originator at dispatch plant  10  to build a transport unit (describing for example, a truck, cargo carrier, or rail car), a transport unit being a database record that contains identifying data elements such as those shown in TABLE 1.  
                             TABLE 1                           Data elements provided by CRM                Data Element   Description                       RFID tag   Identify the RFID tags affixed to the various           numbers   openings on a transport unit           Transport   Identifies specific vehicle or carrier           Carrier ID           Cargo ID   Identifies the cargo loaded into each bin           Operator ID   Identifies the operator (driver) of the               transport unit           Inspector ID   Identifies the responsible transport inspector           Dispatcher ID   Identifies the responsible dispatcher           Dispatch Date   Identifies the date and time of successful           and Time   dispatch           Dispatched From   Identifies the originating plant or mill           Dispatched To   Identifies the receiving plant or mill                      
 
         [0042]     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the data elements of Table 1 are entered on site using CRM  13  software. Some data elements, such as the RFID tag numbers may be automatically scanned into the CRM  13  system. Other data elements may be entered by a person such as the dispatcher. The data elements are stored in database  11 .  
         [0043]     RFID tag numbers identify the RFID tags affixed to openings on a transport unit. The RFID tags will transmit a unique number when interrogated by an RFID scanner device. These numbers are then matched to the carrier bins or other features of the transport unit. All of the RFID tags in the preferred embodiment of the present invention are tamper-proof and disposable, in that they will fail to transmit their ID numbers if removed. The RFID tags are disposable in the sense that they are constructed of plastic materials. When the RFID tags are removed from the vehicle, they are destroyed such that they are no longer usable. The RFID devices used in the RFID tagged seals in the preferred embodiment of the present invention are the Alien Squiggle Family of EPC Gen 2 RFID tags from Alien Technology of Morgan Hill, Calif. Further description of the structure of the seals will be provided.  
         [0044]     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the RFID scanners, dispatch RFID scanner  17  and receipt RFID scanner  27 , are manufactured by Alien Technology, model number ALR 9800 Enterprise RFID reader  
         [0045]     Transport carrier ID identifies the vehicle in which the cargo with Cargo ID is loaded and to which the RFID tagged seals are affixed. Cargo ID identifies the specific type of cargo. Operator ID identifies the operator of the vehicle associated with the transport carrier ID.  
         [0046]     The vehicle with transport carrier ID must be inspected before dispatch. The inspection may be a local physical inspection or it may be a remote inspection via CCTV and RFID scanner. The person responsible for the inspection is identified with Inspector ID. Once the vehicle with transport carrier ID clears inspection it is ready for dispatch. A dispatcher identified with Dispatch ID sets a destination in the Dispatched “To” data element, the Dispatched “From” data element is the location of the vehicle at the time of dispatch, the time and date being set in the Dispatch date and time data element.  
         [0047]     A screen shot of CRM  13  data entry form  100  is shown in  FIG. 3 . Data entry form  100  includes a transport unit window  101  which shows the database records of database  11 . Each row describes a transport unit and each column contains a set of data elements for the transport units, the data elements being those described in Table 1. When a particular row is highlighted in the transport unit window  101 , a corresponding graphical diagram of the vehicle associated with highlighted row is indicated. The graphical diagram includes blocks for each bin. The first bin has a first cargo block  102  indicating the cargo ID and a first tag block  112  indicating the RFID tag number associated with the seal on the first bin; the second bin having second cargo block  104  indicating the cargo ID and a second tag block  114  indicating the RFID tag number associated with the seal on the second bin; the third bin having third cargo block  106  indicating the cargo ID and a third tag block  116  indicating the RFID tag number associated with the seal on the third bin; and the fourth bin having fourth cargo block  108  indicating the cargo ID and a fourth tag block  118  indicating the RFID tag number associated with the seal on the fourth bin. The vehicle is identified in the vehicle block  122  and the operator is identified in the operator block  120 . The graphical display of the vehicle provides a convenient mechanism for the dispatcher to quickly assess the dispatch situation.  
         [0048]     Below the transport unit window  101  is a set of blocks displaying various other data in the transport unit data record that is highlighted: the dispatch date block  136 , the point of origin block  132 , the destination block  134 , the inspector block  138 , and the dispatcher block  140 .  
         [0049]     A set of database file controls  142  are used to create, edit, save and delete database records in database  11 . Dispatch button  144  is used to initiate a dispatch security scan.  
         [0050]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a dispatch security scan  150  in the context of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Elements of  FIG. 1  are also used in the description of the dispatch security scan  150 . The dispatch security scan  150  begins with begin scan step  154  which loads the scanned vehicle transport unit data  152  extracted from database  11  for the transport unit associated with the vehicle to be scanned. Begin scan step  154  then initiates the dispatch scan on the vehicle, deploying the RFID scanner  17  according to  FIG. 1 . Begin scan step  154  ends by reading a set of scanner RFID numbers from RFID scanner  17  into dispatch computer  12 . A successful dispatch scan means that scanned RFID numbers on the scanned vehicle match the RFID numbers that were entered into the scanned vehicle transport unit data by CRM  13 . Matching step  156  checks for a successful scan and, if successful, the dispatch security scan  150  moves on to signal step  157 , send dispatch data step  158  and display successful dispatch screen step  159 . If matching step  156  is not successful then the dispatch security scan  150  moves to exception step  160 .  
         [0051]     Signal step  157  signals the departure gate attendant to allow the vehicle to pass, or in another embodiment where the departure gate is automatically controlled, signal step  157  opens the departure gate.  
         [0052]     Send dispatch data step  158  causes the scanned vehicle transport unit data  152  to be sent from the dispatch center CPU  12  to the receipt center CPU  22  via communications network  29 .  
         [0053]     Display successful dispatch screen step  159  displays a screen similar to screen shot  180  of  FIG. 5  in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. In screen shot  180  the set of bins  182  are graphically shown to be scanned successfully with “Scan OK” indicated for each bin. If the scans are unsuccessful, a typical display of “scan failed” would appear instead. The status button  184  of signal step  157  is shown as “Dispatch Successful Gate Open for Departure”. (A new scan may be initiated with scan button  186 . The various video screens  188  and associated controls shown in screen shot  180  are disabled.)  
         [0054]     Exception step  160  causes a control signal to be sent to the CCTV camera in CCTV step  162 . In CCTV step  162  the CCTV is activated and the resulting video signal is sent back to dispatch center CPU  12  in display exception step  164 . The video is stored for archive in video store step  166 .  
         [0055]     Display exception step  164  displays a screen similar to screen shot  200  of  FIG. 6  in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. In screen shot  200  the set of bins  202  are graphically shown to be scanned with success or with failure: the successful scans indicated by “Scan OK” and the failed scan indicated by “Not Scanned” with the bin graphically colored red. A status button  204  indicates that the dispatch security scan is in exception state by displaying “Dispatch Error”. A new scan may be initiated by selecting the scan button  214 . Live video from the CCTV camera is displayed in Alarm Video Display area  210 . Stored video from video store step  166  is displayed in Stored Video Display area  220 . A set of video controls  222  are available to locate, zoom into, rotate, and preset camera angles to observe views of the vehicle and its features including the RFID tagged seals.  
         [0056]     Restart dispatch scan step  163  causes a new scan to be initiated at begin scan step  154  by clicking the scan button  186 .  
         [0057]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart of a receipt security scan  250  in the context of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Elements of  FIG. 1  are also used in the description of the receipt security scan  250 . The receipt security scan  250  begins when a vehicle arrives at the entrance to the receiving plant  20 . The arrived vehicle is associated to the transport unit in receipt  4  of  FIG. 1 . The receipt security scan  250  is initiated by a gate operator which may be automatic. Prior to the vehicle arrival, the receive data step  251  receives transport unit data records from various dispatch plants over communications network  29 , one of the data records being associated to the arrived vehicle that is to be scanned. The associated data record  252  is stored locally on the receipt center CPU  22 . Upon initiation of the receipt scan, begin scan step  254  loads the associated data record  252 . Begin scan step  254  then initiates the receipt scan on the vehicle, deploying RFID scanner  27  according to  FIG. 1 . Begin scan step  254  ends by reading a set of scanned RFID numbers from RFID scanner  27  into receipt computer  22 . A successful receipt scan means that scanned RFID numbers on the scanned vehicle match the RFID numbers that were entered into the associated data record  252 . Matching step  256  checks for a successful scan and, if successful, receipt security scan  250  moves on to signal step  257 , send receipt data step  258  and display successful receipt screen step  259 . If matching step  256  is not successful, then dispatch security scan  250  moves to exception step  260 .  
         [0058]     Signal step  257  signals the receiving gate attendant to allow the vehicle to physically pass into receiving plant  20  or in another embodiment where the receiving gate is automatically controlled, the signal step  257  opens the receiving gate.  
         [0059]     Send receipt data step  258  causes a “successful receipt” message to be sent from the receiving center CPU  22  to the dispatch center CPU  12  via communications network  29 . The dispatch center CPU  12 , in turn, logs the “successful receipt” information into the data record associated with the transport unit in receipt  4  contained in database  11  as transport unit in dispatch  2 .  
         [0060]     Display successful receipt screen step  259  displays a screen similar to screen shot  300  of  FIG. 8  in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. In screen shot  300  the set of bins  302  are graphically shown to be scanned successfully with “Scan OK” indicated for each bin. If the scans are unsuccessful a typical display of “scan failed” would appear instead. The status button  304  of signal step  257  is shown as “Receipt Successful Gate Open for Entry”. A new scan may be initiated with scan button  306 . The live video screens  310  and archived video screen  312  with associated controls shown in screen shot  300  are disabled.  
         [0061]     Exception step  260  causes a control signal to be sent to the CCTV camera in CCTV step  262 . In CCTV step  262  the CCTV is activated and the resulting video signal is sent to receipt center CPU  22  in display receipt exception step  264 . The video is stored for archive in video store step  266 .  
         [0062]     Display receipt exception step  264  displays a screen similar to screen shot  400  of  FIG. 9  in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. In screen shot  400  the set of bins  402  are graphically shown to be scanned with success or with failure: the successful scans indicated by “Scan OK” and the failed scan indicated by “Not Scanned” with the bin graphically colored red. A status button  404  indicates that the receipt security scan is in exception state by displaying “Receipt Error”. A new scan may be initiated by selecting the scan button  406 . Live video from the CCTV camera is displayed in Alarm Video Display area  408 . Stored video from video store step  266  is displayed in Stored Video Display area  410 . A set of video controls  412  are available to locate, zoom into, rotate, and preset camera angles to observe views of the vehicle and its features including the RFID tagged seals.  
         [0063]     Restart receipt scan stop  263  causes a new scan to be initiated as a begin scan step  254  by clicking the scan button  306 .  
         [0064]      FIG. 10  shows bolt portion  1002  of a seal used to protect the integrity of the cargo. Bolt portion  1002  is generally an integrally formed shaft  1014  with head  1006  on one end and bolt base  1004  on the opposite end. In the preferred embodiment, bolt portion  1002  is approximately 5 inches in length. Cylindrically shaped shaft  1014  extends between head  1006  and bolt base  1004  and is approximately ¾ inch in diameter. Bolt base  1004  is cylindrical in shape and has a diameter greater than the diameter of shaft  1014 . Head  1006  is conical in shape and includes a cylindrical flange  1008 . Flange  1008  has a diameter greater than the diameter of shaft  1014 . Face  1016  is approximately perpendicular to the central axis of bolt portion  1002  and includes tag chamber  1010 . Tag chamber  1010  comprises is hole along the longitudinal axis of bolt portion  1002 . Tag chamber  1010  runs completely through the length of head  1006  and shaft  1014  and approximately halfway through the length of bolt base  1004 . In the preferred embodiment, the diameter of tag chamber  1010  is approximately ½ inch and accommodates a disposable RFID tag. Stops  1012  and  1013  are protrusions located on shaft  1014  and prevent the nut from moving on shaft  1014 .  
         [0065]     In the preferred embodiment, RFID tag  1202  is a Gen 2 Squiggle manufactured by Alien Technology Corporation (www.alientechnology.com). Tag  1202  resides in tag chamber  1010  and is held in place by a suitable non-metallic epoxy. Tag chamber  1010  is filled with a polyurethane adhesive or foam adhesive such as from the VORAMER family of products manufactured by Dow Chemical Company of Midland, Mich. (www.dow.com) to securely embed RFID tag  1202 . Once the seal is completely assembled, the ends of RFID tag  1202  will be within approximately ¼ inch of the ends of bolt portion  1002 .  
         [0066]      FIG. 11  shows nut portion  1102 . In the preferred embodiment, bolt portion  1002  and nut portion  1102  are both formed of durable and flexible plastic such as Teflon or nylon manufactured by DuPont of Wilmington, Del. (www.dupont.com). Nut portion  1102  includes cylindrically shaped nut base  1104  integrally formed with a top  1108 . Nut base  1104  defines concentrically aligned and hole  1106 . Nut base  1104  has approximately the same outer diameter as bolt base  1004  while hole  1106  has a slightly larger diameter than flange  1008 . Top  1108  is a generally frustroconical shape having face  1114 . Top  1108  includes a conical shaped hollow interior shown as center hole  1118 . Abutment face  1114  is approximately perpendicular to the central axis of top  1108  and defines a circular opening shown as top hole  1110 . Hole  1106  passes through nut base  1104  and leads to center hole  1118  which leads to top hole  1110 . Top  1108  further includes four expansion slots  1112 . In other embodiments, a greater or lesser number of expansion slots may be provided depending on engineering choice.  
         [0067]      FIG. 12  shows nut portion  1102  engaged with bolt portion  1002 . Nut portion  1102  slides over head  1006  and past flange  1008  until nut portion  1102  abuts stops  1012  and  1013 . The close proximity to the ends of the seal prevent the seal from being cut, damaged, or removed without breaking RFID tag  1202 .  
         [0068]      FIGS. 13 and 14  illustrate a typical closing mechanism providing a location for a one-time use seal that includes an embedded disposable RFID tag. As can be seen in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the typical closing mechanism comprises clasp  1302  rotatably connected to carrier  1310  via hinge  1306 . Clasp  1302  defines clasp slot  1312 . Clasp slot  1312  is a generally rectangular shaped opening with proportions capable of allowing loop  1304  to pass through. Loop  1304  is rigidly connected to carrier  1310  and defines eyelet  1308 . In the preferred embodiment, loop  1304  is semicircular in shape but could also be rectangular, square, or oval.  
         [0069]     In practice, to secure the integrity of the bulk cargo in a particular bin, an assembled seal as shown in  FIG. 12  is secured in loop  1304 . To access the cargo in the bin, the shaft of the bolt must be cut to be removed, thus destroying the embedded RFID tag. Once destroyed, the RFID tag will not respond to an interrogator and thus an alert will be shown during a dispatch or receipt scan.  
         [0070]     Once the bin is loaded with product, clasp  1302  is rotated until it becomes adjacent to carrier  1310 . Loop  1304  extends through clasp slot  1312 . Bolt portion  1002  is inserted through eyelet  1308  while bolt base  1004  prevents bolt portion  1002  from passing completely through. Nut portion  1102  slides over head  1006  and past flange  1008 . Expansion slots  1112  allow top  1108  to expand enough to permit head  1006  to pass through top  1108  and out of top hole  1110 . The conical shape of head  1006  and center hole  1118  facilitate the assembly. The elastic nature of the Teflon material allows nut portion  1102  to deform through the expansion of expansion slots  1112  which permits head  1006  to pass through top  1108 . Top  1108  subsequently returns to shape after flange  1008  passes through top hole  1110 , hence locking the nut portion onto the bolt. Once nut portion  1102  is securely and irreversibly attached to bolt portion  1002 , the port is “sealed” and transport may begin. The cargo in the bin now cannot be accessed without breaking the seal and destroying the embedded RFID tag.  
         [0071]     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.