HK1141338A - Facility and machine readable medium for assembling and shipping an item in a secure environment - Google Patents

Abstract

A facility and computer instructions for assembling, disassembling, shipping, storing, or combinations thereof, at least one item using a security cleared space connected to a port or aviation authority, comprising: a security cleared space connected to a port or aviation authority, means for screening at least one worker to permit entry of the worker, an assembly/disassembly area within the security cleared space, a storage area within the security cleared space, and a trans-shipment area within the security cleared space for loading items onto a transportation vessel connected to the security cleared space. Computer instructions instruct a processor to cause assembly and disassembly of items, cause movement of items to the storage area, and cause movement of assembled, disassembled, or stored items to the trans-shipment area.

Description

Apparatus and machine-readable medium for assembling and shipping items in a secure environment

Reference to related applications

0001 claims priority of U.S. patent application No.11/733,049 filed on 9.4.2007 and U.S. patent application No.11/733,061 filed on 9.4.2007, which was granted on 26.2.2008, U.S. patent No.7,334,730.

Technical Field

0002 the present invention relates to a device for assembling, disassembling, shipping and/or storing items, connected to a port or aviation authority using a security cleared area, and connected to a machine-readable medium having computer instructions for carrying out the operation of the device.

Background

0003 there is a need for apparatus and computer instructions to ensure compliance with the requirements of the U.S. transportation safety administration and international air transport association, either current or planned, for assembly, disassembly, transportation and storage of items within and to and from the safety clearance area.

0004 there is also a need for assembly equipment and computer instructions in conjunction with cargo terminals to improve timely delivery and reduce inventory storage by combining the assembly equipment with port or aviation authorities and using sophisticated information linkages between the handling systems to enable manufacturers to track the status of shipments and schedule their activities accordingly.

0005 further requires a security clearance assembly facility connected to the port or aviation authority, and computer instructions that will reduce the number of errors in the delivery cycle, reduce damage to components and finished goods, and will reduce handling costs.

0006 there exists a need for a security clearance assembly facility and computer instructions connected to a port or aviation authority that can control logistics, achieve higher quality of service, and optimize transportation security between the assembly facility and the cargo facility.

0007 the present invention meets the above-described needs.

Drawings

0008 specific embodiments of the invention will be better understood in conjunction with the following drawings:

0009 figure 1 shows an isometric view of an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention in use, with an aircraft attached to one of the security cleared buildings.

00010 fig. 2 shows a detailed view of the assembly level in the non-air side building of the present installation.

00011 figure 3 shows a detailed view of the floors inside the building on the air side of the apparatus.

00012 fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a computer system that can use the computer instructions of the present invention.

00013 embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the listed figures.

Detailed Description

00014 before explaining embodiments of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the embodiments are not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, as these may be practiced or carried out in various ways.

00015 product assembly facilities are not traditionally located adjacent to land areas controlled by ports or aviation authorities, primarily due to expensive land costs. However, in today's high-tech global environment, where profits are getting thinner and markets are shrinking, manufacturers are seeking ways to eliminate inefficiencies from supply lines to reduce time and costs from assembly to distribution to markets. The apparatus and program instructions of the present invention combine assembly, disassembly, transportation and storage facilities with port or aviation authority cargo facilities through a sterile connection system, thereby eliminating the costly transportation link from the traditional supply chain, reducing cost and risk, while improving on-time distribution and reducing inventory storage.

00016 the facilities and ports or aviation authorities described herein are connected in a manner to comply with current or planned freight security policies of the U.S. transportation security administration, and/or current or planned freight security policies of the international air transport association, and may also be connected in a manner to comply with other similar regulations and/or regulations.

00017 the apparatus of the present invention and machine-readable media having computer instructions can facilitate the delivery of prefabricated parts and assemblies to a security cleared space for final assembly delivery, the distribution of assembled items for disassembly, and the preparation of finished products for shipment, even with automation. The computerized process can move assembled or disassembled items into a warehouse, or into an aircraft or other conveyance for automated shipment. The finished product or part is then transported from the site by means of a delivery vehicle to an adjacent port or aviation authority. The device and computer instructions of the present invention give manufacturers and distributors of security cleared spaces a tremendous market extension and package the entire process of assembly and delivery into a single, self-contained, closed-loop device.

00018 by using the security clearance space, the apparatus and computer instructions of the present invention provide enhanced security and improve the cost and time efficiency of conventional approaches.

00019 items, personnel, workers and vehicles entering the security cleared space are expected to be screened according to the requirements of the current or planned U.S. transportation security administration and/or the current or planned international air transport association, such as regulations (EU)2320/2002, 622/2003, 1138/2004, 781/2004, 831/2006, 49CFR 1550 pending at month 4 of 2007, and the Policy Statement of ECACs in the Field of Civil aviation promotion at month 1 of 2001 (ECAC Policy Statement in the Field of Civil aviation promotion), version 8.

00020 persons, workers, items entering the secure space may be screened using any means for screening, including x-ray, air jet analyzers, metal detectors, radioactive detectors, and by using gamma rays to screen drugs and other chemicals. All vehicles connected to or allowed to enter the security cleared space are also expected to be screened in compliance with the above requirements, which may include a thorough inspection of the vehicle, the use of gamma rays, the wiping of explosives, or the removal of a portion of the vehicle, such as the removal and inspection of the contents of a door panel.

00021 using embodiments of the present invention, the assembly, disassembly, transportation and/or storage of items is performed on-site at a port or aviation authority, for example, at an airport, and the assembled or disassembled items can be transported directly and immediately, reducing the time and cost associated with handling and transporting the assembled or disassembled items to the port or aviation authority for shipment.

00022 embodiments of the invention allow for the use of a single reinforced point for security clearance, thereby enabling all components, personnel, and assembled and disassembled items to be screened and secured at a single location. This feature reduces the cost and time necessary for safety regulations, creating lower prices for customers, assembly personnel and operators. The integrated screening process is expected to be twice as fast as the decentralized screening.

00023 another advantage of embodiments of the present invention is that the apparatus and computer instructions of the present invention allow for the production of free trade zone (free track), bonded storage, or assembly facilities of customs administration (customs services), thereby reducing or eliminating import and export duties (import and export tariffs) related to the delivery or transportation of items from the secure licensed space.

00024 aircraft or other means of transportation, such as ships, trucks, and other means of transportation and transport vessels, can remain attached to the security cleared space throughout the assembly or disassembly process, further improving efficiency over conventional methods by allowing for direct and immediate transport of items to and from the means of transportation attached to the site. The transport is connected to the security cleared space in accordance with current or planned requirements of the U.S. transportation security administration for shipment and/or requirements of the international air transport association for shipment.

00025 the security cleared space also allows for the manufacture of components within the manufacturing area without the need for a separate manufacturing floor and additional screening of the manufactured components other than the use of distributed assembly of components.

00026 in one embodiment, a machine-readable medium of the invention having computer instructions may be connected to multiple networks. A single network can communicate with all levels of security cleared space and all users, a personal network can communicate with individual users, or any combination of networks can communicate with any combination of levels and assembly/manufacturing areas. It is contemplated that one or more networks can have encryption, secure login tools, password protection, and can include biometric files, such as voice print, retina, or fingerprint files, for the user to ensure greater security.

00027 the present invention can use labels (labels), such as scannable bar codes or radio frequency identification labels (tags), check characters, text or combinations thereof to further increase efficiency and facilitate automation of one or more steps in the method. Manifest clearance forms, labels, or similar documents may be scanned and transmitted while the shipment is en route, further increasing the efficiency of the method.

00028 the apparatus includes one or more scanning devices for scanning labels and/or manifest clearance forms to permit items to be shipped from a security clearance space and/or to capture insurance coverage for manufacturers, assemblers, agents, forwarders, shippers, carriers, customers, others, and combinations thereof. Additional steps required by the insurance agency to acquire insurance coverage may also be performed, such as submitting a fee to initiate a shipping policy.

00029 conventional manifest clearance forms do not identify a particular floor or area within a building to which an item is to be dispensed or located. Embodiments of the present invention may include the use of a manifest clearance form that allows a user, operator, or shipper to identify from the manifest the precise location of screened and cleared items.

00030 in one embodiment, the manifest clearance form may be scanned while the item is in transit from the security clearance space to a delivery point outside the security clearance space. The scanned manifest clearance form can be transmitted to the designated internet protocol address.

00031 the apparatus of the invention includes a governmental customs inspection station to enable items from the security cleared space to pass through to an aircraft or other vehicle for transport to a particular destination. Additional steps required by the government for virtually transparent (physical clear) government customs inspection can also be performed, such as steps required by the U.S. department of agriculture for inspecting drugs and pharmaceuticals. The item may also arrive at a particular destination directly from the security cleared space without the use of a transport vehicle.

00032 referring now to fig. 1, fig. 1 depicts one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention. The inventive device is shown as two buildings in a security cleared space adjacent an airport. The security cleared space is any kind of space, such as a building, a space surrounded by walls and gates, an open area designated by marks on walls and floors, a temporary building, an inflatable structure, a pre-constructed building, or other similar structures or areas. The security cleared space may be a single area within a security cleared building, or multiple areas as shown in fig. 1.

00033 while the adjacent port facility is shown in fig. 1 as an airport, the port and airline regulatory agencies may include military posts, cargo terminals, railway facilities or stations, ferry terminals, freight facilities, other intermodal facilities, and other like public or private facilities.

00034 fig. 1 shows a two storey building. Airside building 20 is shown to include floors 12b, 14b, and 15 b. It is contemplated that the aircraft 24 or other conveyance may be capable of delivering items to the air side building 20 for assembly, disassembly, shipment, manufacture, or storage. The aircraft 24 is also able to transport items outside the security cleared space. Each floor 12b, 14b, and 15b may be used for any purpose, including parking, storage, packaging, distribution, shipping, manufacturing, and other purposes. Air side building 20 may have any number of floors.

00035 the airside building 20 is connected to the non-airside building 18 by a secure connecting bridge 22. Although the secure bridge 22 is shown as an elevated passageway, the secure bridge 22 may also be a ground walkway, sidewalk, or corridor, or underground tunnel. Secure attachment bridge 22 may include conveyor belts, motorized rollers, and similar devices that facilitate the transport of items between air side building 20 and non-air side building 18. Any number of connecting bridges or other connecting devices may be used to connect air side building 20 and non-air side building 18. The connection between the buildings may also be a door or other type of access.

00036 a non-air side building 18 having floors 5a, 8a, 10a, 12a, 14a, and 15 a. Each floor 5a, 8a, 10a, 12a, 14a, and 15a may include one or more assembly areas, parking areas, pallet build and break down (break down) areas, storage areas, receiving and shipping areas, and vertical transport systems for transferring items between floors. The assembly area may include a manufacturing area. Individual floors are preset and individual zones of floors can be leased to individual users. Further, the presetting of individual floors and individual zones of floors can be adapted or customized as needed for assembling and disassembling or manufacturing a particular item. Non-air side building 18 may have any number of floors.

00037 while the non-air side building 18 is shown as a multi-story building, the non-air side building 18 may be a single-story building that includes multiple assembly and disassembly areas within the single-story building.

00038 the device shown in figure 1 is adjacent to an airport runway or taxiway 28. Additional ground transportation equipment, such as trucks 32, may be used to assist in transporting items between air side building 20 and non-air side building 18. Additional vehicles, such as trucks 32, may also be used to deliver and ship items or components to and from the security cleared space.

00039 fig. 2 shows the internal structure of a floor of a predetermined non-air side building 18. The assembly area 36 is shown for assembling items for shipment. The assembly area 36 may also be a disassembly area for disassembling items, a storage area for storing items, a transfer area for loading items for a transport vehicle, a manufacturing area for manufacturing items, or other types of areas. Assembly area 36 includes assembly lines 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, and 52. Assembly lines 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, and 52 may include assembly equipment, conveyor belts, motorized rollers, and other similar equipment for assembling and disassembling articles. One or more workers can individually or simultaneously operate or perform tasks on any of assembly lines 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, and 52.

00040 personnel and workers may include line operators, managers, shifts, forklift operators, managers, floor operators, agents, transit personnel, customs officials, financial officials, drug enforcement agencies and related animals, customs agents, ground operators, medical personnel, engineers, construction engineers, security personnel, leasing agents, airport agency managers, airline officials, pilots or crews, loading managers, ramp (ramp) operators, ramp managers, life safety and regulatory officials, safety officials, police officers, food distribution personnel, cleaning personnel, U.S. department of agriculture personnel, other similar personnel, and combinations thereof.

00041 it is also possible to preset one or more assembly steps or movements of the articles to be carried out using automated devices and machines, such as automatic storage and retrieval modules (asmms manufactured by Seimens Dematic from germany and usa), tracked raised vehicles (ETV), for example manufactured by Mitsubishi (Mitsubishi) japan, electric rollers or electric ball panels (power ball panels), for example manufactured by L dige of germany, Tracked Vehicles (TV), for example trailers on rails or embedded tracks (inlaid track) or tracked vehicles manufactured by Mannesmann of germany.

00042 each assembly line 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, and 52 can independently assemble or disassemble the same or different articles or components, or perform separate steps in the assembly or disassembly process. Assembly area 36 may include a combination of individual modules or a similar combination of assembly stations mechanically or electronically connected together.

00043 one or more assembly lines may include means for marking and/or means for packaging articles or groups of articles. The encapsulation may be performed as follows: one or more aluminum metal containers, such as Unit Load Devices (ULDs), one or more cargo pallets or webs, tamper-resistant tape, such as manufactured by 3M company, minnesota, one or more tamper-resistant crates, such as wooden crates, or a combination thereof, are used. The sealing may be performed according to customs agency standards, weather protection requirements, anti-counterfeiting, or a combination thereof.

00044 the encapsulation of the articles prevents tampering with the sealed articles and allows personnel to quickly and visually determine whether one or more of the articles has been tampered with or tampered with.

00045 fig. 2 shows a first conveyor belt 49 that is pre-designed to connect the non-air side structure 18 and the air side structure 20 shown in fig. 1 for conveying items between the structures. The pre-designed first conveyor belt 49 may be integrated with the secure connection bridge 22 shown in fig. 1.

00046 a second conveyor belt 51 conveys articles 53 to the assembly area 36. The first conveyor belt 49 and the second conveyor belt 51 may be separate or connected conveyor belts. Any configuration of conveyor belts or other machinery may be used to facilitate transporting items and components to and from non-air side building 18 and assembly area 36. First conveyor belt 49 and second conveyor belt 51 may also be other linear transport devices including, but not limited to, motorized rollers, ball decks (ball decks), and other material transport vehicles.

00047 fig. 2 also shows adjacent areas 47a, 47b, and 47 c. Adjacent areas 47a, 47b, and 47c may be used for storage, transport, pallet (pallet) construction and disassembly, additional assembly or disassembly areas, manufacturing, truck docking or receiving areas, office space, or locations for vertical transport systems. In a pre-designed embodiment, adjacent areas 47a, 47b, and 47c may include elevators, stairways, or other connections to other floors.

00048 fig. 2 further illustrates a vertical transport system 45 which may be any type of elevator, lift, including a freight elevator, or other vertical transport system that may be used to transport items, parts, groups of items, groups of parts, pallets, baled items and parts, and other items and equipment between floors of a non-shipping side building.

00049 also shows stairs 43a, 43b, 43c and 43 d. Stairways 43a, 43b, 43c and 43d may connect one or more floors of non-air side building 18.

00050 figure 3 shows the internal structure of a predetermined one storey of air side building 20. Parking area 100 is adjacent to air side building 20. Although fig. 3 shows parking area 100 adjacent to air side building 20, parking area 100 may be remote from air side building 20. One or more of the airside buildings 20 or the non-airside buildings 18 shown in fig. 1 are also pre-designed and may include one or more parking areas, such as underground parking areas. Parking area 100 is further pre-designed to accommodate trucks or other cargo vehicles that are not currently loading or unloading items or components from air side building 20.

00051 first ramps 104 and second ramps 105 connect parking area 100 with truck dock 102, allowing a truck or other cargo vehicle to receive and unload items and components directly from air side building 20.

00052 items entering or leaving the airside building 20 through the truck dock 102 can be manually transported inside the airside building 20, manually loaded or unloaded, or transported using automated equipment. The first ramp 104, the second ramp 105, the truck dock area 102, the parking area 100, and/or any other portion of the airside building 20, including screening checkpoints, or similar devices for screening all items, personnel, workers, or vehicles entering the security cleared space, are pre-designed.

00053 fig. 3 shows a first conveyor 108, a second conveyor 109, and a third conveyor 110 for transporting items and components within the illustrated levels of an airside building 20. Figure 3 further shows first adjacent area 106 and second adjacent area 107 that include vertical transport devices, such as an ARSM vertical transport system, for transporting items and components between floors in air side building 20. Any floor in the airside building 20 may include any number of vertical transport devices. First adjacent area 106 and/or second adjacent area 107 can also include storage areas, transit areas, screening areas, or other types of areas.

00054 at least one vertical conveyance device can convey items to the levels of air side building 20 with secure connector bridges 22 as shown in figure 1 to enable the transport of items and components to and from non-air side building 18.

00055 the airside building 20 also includes a first cargo passage 112, a second cargo passage 114, and a third cargo passage 116 for receiving items and parts for distribution and loading assembled or disassembled items into an aircraft or other port facility transport. First cargo passage 112, second cargo passage 114, and third cargo passage 116 may include provisions for screening cargo, personnel, workers, and vehicles to allow access to air side building 20.

00056 referring now to fig. 4, there is shown a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of a computer system for use in the method of the present invention.

00057 a processor 50 having a data store 52 is connected to the network 54. The network 54 may be the internet, a local area network, a wide area network, a virtual private network, a satellite network, a cellular network, a fiber optic network, a telephone system, or various other different types of networks, or combinations thereof, the network 54 enabling the processor 50 to communicate with the security cleared space. The pre-design may use multiple processors and/or multiple networks.

00058 communicate with the network 54 via the first gateway protocol 60 and the second gateway protocol 62. The first input device 56 and the second input device 58 may be a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, a scanning device, a bar code reading device, a keyboard, a touch screen, a graphical user interface, or other tracking system or device, which may include the use of a microphone, a voice recognition system, or a biometric security entry device. Any number of gateway protocols and input devices may be used independently or simultaneously.

00059 it is contemplated that the first input device 56 and the second input device 58 can access the processor 50 via the network 54 and input data 66 to the data store 52 and read data 66 from the data store 52. The first input device 56 and the second input device 58 may have one or more displays for viewing the data 66 retrieved from the data store 52. The user 64 is shown in communication with the first input device 56.

00060 the data store 52 shown holds data 66 relating to one or more items or components, which can be accessed by one or more users or input by one or more users.

00061 data 66 includes information relating to one or more screened, to be assembled, stored, or shipped component parts, one or more assembled, to be disassembled, stored, or shipped items, one or more stored, to be assembled, disassembled, or shipped items, or combinations thereof. The data 66 may also include data obtained from scanned tags, manifest clearance forms, and other similar information.

00062 this type of data includes bar codes or serial numbers or Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) devices relating to the items assembled, destination coordinates, shipping date, shipping method, insurance value, quantity, owner, shipper, forwarder, customs information, hazardous cargo information, similar types of information, and combinations thereof. The data relating to the item may also include the location of the item within the security cleared space. The data may also include information on shipping receipts, which typically include data for the U.S. Federal aviation administration used to transport items.

00063 the computer instructions 68 may reside in memory or data storage 52 of the processor 50. Computer instructions 68 provide logical instructions that apply to articles and components and may include, but are not limited to, instructions for the following purposes: cause assembly and disassembly of the items, cause movement of the items to a warehouse or a transfer area, which may include final packaging and consolidation of the items prior to shipment, customs approval of the items prior to shipment, routing of the consolidated and approved items to be weighed, screening of the approved products prior to shipment, valuation of the items prior to shipment and application of insurance coverage for the items, and directing the approved, screened, weighed, valued, and insured items to be delivered to a particular aircraft or vehicle for shipment.

00064 the computer instructions 68 may also include instructions for automating the assembly and disassembly process, for example, using mechanical equipment including intelligent pallets and computer-controlled processing units. The computer instructions 68 may further include instructions to facilitate the assembly and disassembly process by displaying information, lists, messages, or recommendations, for example, through the use of a display device 65 shown in communication with the processor 50.

00065 the computer instructions may also be used to instruct the processor to display a list of items to be assembled or disassembled in the assembly area, to display a message of items or parts to be assembled or disassembled, to indicate the readiness of the items for assembly, disassembly, storage, or shipment, to indicate the location of the items, and other like information to facilitate assembly, disassembly, storage, and/or shipment of the items. The computer instructions may further be for causing and/or automating the manufacture of the component or article within the security cleared space.

00066 by using the apparatus and computer instructions of the present invention, one or more components, which may comprise raw materials for assembling an article, e.g., silicon for manufacturing silicon chips, can be obtained by distribution from a means of transportation, e.g., land-based, sea-based, or air-based, from storage within, or manufactured within, the security cleared space. The received items may be screened according to current or planned U.S. transportation safety management regulations, as well as current or planned international air transport association regulations, and other similar regulations.

00067 after, the assembly and disassembly of the article may be accomplished by building a production line within the security cleared space, or by other means. Assembly and disassembly may be accomplished using any conventional tool, procedure, or step necessary to produce the assembled article, such as a conveyor belt or a power roller panel. The delivery system may use smart pallets and a wireless network for communicating with personnel to identify portions and locations within the security cleared space, improving the assembly process in a secure environment. Automated assembly lines employing intelligent pallets and computer controlled processing units may also be used.

00068 the assembled or disassembled article is then ready for storage or transport to a destination. This may be done by inputting data relating to the assembled article into the processor. The data entered may be a bar or serial code relating to the item, coordinates of the item's destination, a check digit for the storage location, similar information, or a combination thereof.

00069 while the present invention has been described with emphasis on the embodiments, it should be understood that within the scope of the claims, the embodiments may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.

Claims (25)

1. An apparatus for assembling, shipping, storing, or combinations thereof, at least one item using a security cleared space connected to a port or aviation authority in compliance with U.S. transportation security administration cargo security policies, international air transport association cargo security policies, or combinations thereof, the apparatus comprising:

a security cleared space for assembling, shipping, storing, or a combination thereof, at least one item, wherein said security cleared space is connected to said port or aviation authority and complies with U.S. transportation security administration cargo security policies, international air transport association cargo security policies, or a combination thereof;

means for screening at least one worker to allow the at least one worker to access the security cleared space, wherein the means for screening complies with the requirements of the U.S. transportation safety administration, the International air transport Association, or a combination thereof;

an assembly area within the security cleared space for forming at least one assembled item from at least one screened component, wherein the at least one screened component has been screened in compliance with the requirements of the U.S. transportation safety administration, the international air transport association, or a combination thereof;

a storage area within the security cleared space for holding the at least one screened component, the at least one assembled item, or a combination thereof;

a transfer area within said security cleared space for loading said at least one screened component, said at least one assembled item, or a combination thereof, onto a transport vehicle attached to said security cleared space in compliance with United states transportation Security administration requirements for transportation, International air transport Association requirements for transportation, or a combination thereof;

a processor in communication with said security cleared space and data storage;

computer instructions in said data storage for instructing said processor to cause assembly of at least one assembled item from said at least one screened component;

computer instructions in said data storage device for instructing said processor to cause said at least one screened component, at least one assembled item, or a combination thereof, to move to said storage area to form at least one stored item; and

computer instructions in the data storage device for instructing the processor to cause the at least one screened component, the at least one assembled item, the at least one stored item, or a combination thereof, to move to the transfer area.

2. An apparatus for assembling, shipping, storing, or combinations thereof, at least one item using a security cleared space connected to a port or aviation authority in compliance with U.S. transportation security administration cargo security policies, international air transport association cargo security policies, or combinations thereof, the apparatus comprising:

a security cleared space for removing, shipping, storing, or a combination thereof, at least one item, wherein the security cleared space is connected to the port or aviation authority and complies with U.S. transportation security administration cargo security policies, international air transport association cargo security policies, or a combination thereof;

means for screening at least one worker to allow access to said security cleared space, wherein said means for screening complies with the requirements of the U.S. transportation safety administration, international air transport association requirements, or a combination thereof;

a disassembly area within said security cleared space for obtaining at least one component from at least one assembled item and screening said at least one component with at least one worker to form at least one screened component, wherein said at least one assembled item has been screened in compliance with the United states transportation Security administration requirements, International air transport Association requirements, or combinations thereof;

a storage area within the security cleared space for holding the at least one screened component, the at least one assembled item, or a combination thereof;

a transfer area within said security cleared space for loading said at least one screened component, said at least one assembled item, or a combination thereof onto a transport vehicle attached to said security cleared space in compliance with United states transportation Security administration requirements for transportation, International air transport Association requirements for transportation, or a combination thereof;

a processor in communication with said security cleared space and data storage;

computer instructions in said data storage for instructing said processor to cause disassembly of said at least one assembled item to obtain at least one screened component;

computer instructions in said data storage for instructing said processor to cause said screened component, said at least one assembled item, or a combination thereof, to move to said storage area to form at least one stored item; and

computer instructions in the data store for instructing the processor to cause the screened component, the at least one assembled item, the at least one stored item, or a combination thereof, to move to the transfer area.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the processor communicates with the security cleared space using at least one network.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said processor communicates with said security cleared space simultaneously via at least two gateway protocols.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one screened component, the at least one assembled item, the at least one stored item, or a combination thereof comprises at least one label.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one tag is a bar code, a radio frequency identification tag, a check character, text, a manifest clearance form, or a combination thereof.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a scanning device for scanning said at least one tag to initiate insurance coverage from at least one insurance company capable of clearing said at least one assembled item or combination thereof while en route from said security cleared space to a delivery point outside said security cleared space.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a government customs inspection station for enabling the at least one screened component, the at least one assembled item, or a combination thereof to pass through the security cleared space to the transport for transport to a particular destination or to pass through the security cleared space to a particular destination without using the transport.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, further comprising means for providing at least one package to the at least one screened component, the at least one assembled item, the at least one stored item, or a combination thereof, wherein the at least one package is at least one aluminum metal container, at least one cargo mesh, tamper-evident tape, at least one tamper-evident crate, or a combination thereof.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, further comprising an automated assembly line using intelligent pallets and a computer-controlled processing unit at the assembly area for composing the at least one assembled item.

11. A machine-readable medium coupled to at least one network, the network having a processor, a data storage device, at least one input device, and a display device, the medium containing computer instructions for instructing the processor to:

receiving first data from at least one input device having information relating to at least one component for assembling at least one assembled article, wherein the at least one component is screened in compliance with International air transport Association requirements and United states transportation safety administration requirements;

storing said first data in said data memory;

causing at least one component relating to said first data to be transferred to an assembly area within a security cleared space, wherein said security cleared space is connected to a port or aviation authority and is a secure area that meets the requirements of the international air transport association and the U.S. transport security administration for cargo security policies;

assembling the components in the assembly area of the security cleared space into at least one of the assembled items;

receiving second data of the assembly of the components into the at least one assembled item;

assigning a manifest to said at least one assembled item;

transporting said at least one assembled item to a designated storage area within said security cleared space or to a transfer area within said security cleared space for loading into a transport vehicle, said transport vehicle interfacing said security cleared space in compliance with International air transport Association and United states transportation Security administration requirements for transportation; and

providing a report to at least one operator regarding at least one stage of assembly, transport, or storage of the at least one component, the at least one assembled item, or a combination thereof.

12. A machine-readable medium coupled to at least one network, the network having a processor, a data storage device, at least one input device, and a display device, the medium containing computer instructions for instructing the processor to:

receiving first data from at least one input device having information relating to at least one assembled item for disassembling at least one assembled item into at least one screened component, wherein the at least one assembled item is screened in compliance with International air transport Association requirements and United states transportation safety administration regulatory requirements;

storing said first data in said data memory;

causing at least one assembled item relating to said first data to be transferred to a disassembly area within a security cleared space, wherein said security cleared space is connected to a port or aviation authority and is a secure area that meets the requirements of the international air transport association and the U.S. transport security administration for cargo security policies;

disassembling the assembled item in the disassembly area of the security cleared space into at least one screened component;

receiving second data that the assembled item has been disassembled into the at least one screened component;

assigning a manifest to the at least one screened component;

causing said at least one screened component to be transported to a designated storage area within said security cleared space or to a transfer area within said security cleared space for loading into a transport vehicle that is connected to said security cleared space in compliance with International air transport Association and United states transportation Security administration requirements for transportation; and

providing a report to at least one operator regarding at least one stage of disassembly, transportation, or storage of at least one screened component, at least one assembled item, or a combination thereof. 13. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising computer instructions for instructing the processor to display on the display a list of assembled items to be assembled from the at least one component at the assembly area.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising computer instructions that cause the processor to display on the display device a message of at least one assembled item assembled from the at least one component at the assembly area.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 11 or 12, further comprising computer instructions for forwarding the first data, the second data, or a combination thereof, using the at least one input device via at least two gateway protocols.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 11 or 12, further comprising computer instructions for instructing the processor to label the at least one assembled item, the at least one screened component, or a combination thereof.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the tag is a bar code, a radio frequency identification tag, a check character, text, or a combination thereof.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising computer instructions for instructing the controller to scan the label, form scanned data, transmit the scanned data to at least one freight insurance company for initiating coverage for manufacturers, assemblers, agents, transshippers, shippers, carriers, customers, and combinations thereof, and archive the scanned data to the data store.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the tag includes a manifest clearance form for enabling clearance of the at least one assembled item.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising computer instructions for instructing the processor to scan the manifest clearance form, form scanned manifest data, transmit the scanned manifest data to at least one network, and specify an internet protocol address for enabling clearance of the at least one assembled item while en route from the security cleared space to a delivery point outside the security cleared space, and store the scanned manifest data to the data store.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 11 or 12, further comprising computer instructions for instructing the processor to activate a means for packaging to package the at least one assembled item, the at least one screened component, or a combination thereof, according to customs agency standards, weather protection requirements, anti-counterfeiting, or a combination thereof.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the means for packaging is using at least one aluminum metal container, at least one cargo web, tamper-resistant tape, at least one tamper-resistant crate, or a combination thereof.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 11 or 12, further comprising computer instructions for operating an automated assembly line using the intelligent pallet and the computer-controlled processing unit.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 11 or 12, further comprising computer instructions for instructing the processor to fabricate additional components.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising computer instructions for instructing the processor to display on the display a list of screened components resulting from disassembly from at least one assembled item at the disassembly area.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising computer instructions that cause the processor to display a message on the display device to retrieve at least one screened component for disassembly from the at least one assembled item.