Patent ID: 7036728

Claim:
A method of improving carrier baggage inspection by a baggage screening entity, comprising: making available to consumers a special lock, having a combination lock portion and having a master key lock portion, the master key lock portion for receiving a master key that can open the master key lock portion of this special lock, the special lock designed to be applied to an individual piece of carrier baggage, the special lock also having an identification structure associated therewith that matches a corresponding identification structure previously provided to the baggage screening entity, which special lock the baggage screening entity has agreed to process in accordance with a special procedure, marketing the special lock to the consumers in a manner that conveys to the consumers that the special lock will be subjected by the baggage screening entity to the special procedure, the identification structure signaling to a baggage screener of the baggage screening entity that the baggage screening entity has agreed to subject the special lock associated with the identification structure to the special procedure, and the baggage screening entity acting pursuant to a prior agreement to look for the identification structure while screening baggage and, upon finding said identification structure on an individual piece of baggage, to use the special procedure previously agreed to by the baggage screening entity to, if necessary, open the individual piece of baggage.