Customs inspection and data processing system and method thereof for web-based processing of customs information

• US 10,108,921 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Public Warehousing Company KSC
• Original Assignee: Public Warehousing Company KSC
• Inventors: Sultan, Tarek
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawley, Talia F
• Application Number:
  US12/240,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20090089125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,676 Days
• Field of Search: 703 1, 705 30, 705 31
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0831 Overseas transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

A multi-user, multi-organization web-based system for processing customs information is provided. The system includes a server device connected to a communication network and having a communication server module for communicating over the network. The server device receives a declaration pertaining to a consignment, including identification of specific goods in the consignment and predetermined parameters of the consignment. The server device further includes an application program module that verifies the declaration, conducts a risk analysis of the received information, calculates an amount of customs duty and taxes for the consignment, and determines whether or not to initiate an inspection process based on the risk analysis. A computer-implemented method for processing the customs information is also provided. The method includes the steps of receiving a declaration pertaining to a consignment, and verifying the declaration. Also included are the steps of conducting a risk analysis of the received information, calculating an amount of customs duty and taxes for the consignment, and determining whether or not to initiate an inspection process based on the risk analysis.

Claims

1. A computer implemented web-based system for processing customs information at a customs organization, comprising:

a client-user device connected to a communication network to generate and register an electronic declaration document from a user pertaining to a consignment using a declaration module;

a server device connected to the communication network for processing customs information for goods clearance received at a customs organization, said server device having a communication server module for communicating over said network;

said server device receiving the electronic declaration document pertaining to a consignment at the customs organization from the client-user device over the communication network prior to receipt of the consignment from the user at the customs organization, the electronic declaration document including identification of specific goods in said consignment and predetermined parameters of said consignment, said predetermined parameters comprising tariff, rule, or regulatory information pertaining to said consignment; and

said server device including an application program module at the customs organization that, prior to receipt of the consignment at the customs organization,

identifies the user corresponding to said electronic declaration document and the consignment;

verifies said electronic declaration document received at the customs organization using the declaration module,

configures a risk management module based on a transaction history and at least one factor pertaining to the user;

conducts a risk analysis using the risk management module, wherein the risk management module considers the electronic declaration document and accompanying electronic documentation using risk and target criteria for the risk analysis to determine a status for said declaration document,

wherein the risk analysis configures the risk management module to define the risk and target criteria, analyze and assess risk based on the risk and target criteria, prescribe risk target action according to the risk, and track and report the risk target action,

wherein the status pertains to the identification of specific goods, the risk parameters and the predetermined parameters listed within said declaration document,

calculates an amount of customs duty and taxes for said consignment, and determines whether to initiate an inspection process at said customs organization based on results of said status for said declaration document when the consignment is received at the customs organization.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said inspection process is initiated based on the risk analysis results, and said application program module causes said server device to re-calculate the amount of said customs duty and taxes if there is a consignment discrepancy.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said application program module causes said server device to record said consignment discrepancy.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said application program module causes said server device to accept customs duty and tax payment from said user.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said server device issues a clearance document after said user pays said customs duty and taxes for said consignment.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said inspection process is initiated, said application program module causes said server device to accept payment from a user if there is no consignment discrepancy.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said server device issues a clearance document after said user pays said customs duty and taxes for said consignment.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said inspection process is not initiated, said application program module causes said server device to accept payment from said user.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein said server device issues a clearance document after said user pays said customs duty and taxes for said consignment.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said risk analysis includes identifying, analyzing and evaluating a risk corresponding to the predetermined parameters and the risk criteria.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said risk analysis further includes comparing said risk against target criteria.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said risk analysis further includes comparing said received information with target criteria.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein a system administrator defines and updates said target criteria.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said application program module causes said server device to retrieve price information from a reference price database in order to calculate said amount of customs duty and taxes for said consignment.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said information pertaining to said consignment includes information obtained from a manifest document.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said information pertaining to said consignment includes information obtained from a shipping invoice.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said information pertaining to said consignment includes information obtained from a customs declaration.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein a customs department initiates an inspection process based on said results of said status.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein said inspection process is at least one of a random inspection, a sample inspection, and a full inspection.

38. The system of claim 1, wherein said server device receives said declaration from a user of the server device.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein said server device comprises a user login, wherein said server device receives a user profile of said user, and wherein said system identifies said user and said user profile.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein said system displays errors in data entry by the user and prompts said user to provide said declaration in a recognized format.

41. The system of claim 1, wherein the application program module pays the amount of customs duty and taxes for said consignment.

42. The system of claim 1, wherein the application program module:

randomly allocates an inspection request to an inspector based on workload and availability;

randomly allocates an assessment request to an assessment officer based on workload and availability;

sends required information to other governmental agencies; and

validates approvals from other governmental agencies for release of shipment.

43. The system of claim 1, wherein said consignment is imported or exported through an Air, Sea or Land port.

44. The system of claim 1, wherein the application program module defines a new duty calculation formula and risk criteria.

45. The system of claim 38, wherein said user enters all information related to said consignment'"'"'s manifest, bill of lading, delivery order, commercial invoice and declaration and the risk management module automatically runs said risk analysis based on said entered information.

46. The system of claim 1, wherein said application program module takes into consideration any exemptions, quota or bi-lateral agreements when calculating the applicable duty and taxes for said consignment.

47. The system of claim 1, wherein said application program module is initiated by an assessment officer, and wherein said application program module causes said server device to display a historical value of commodity for assessment and valuation.

48. The system of claim 1, wherein said application program module causes said server device to re-calculate the amount of said customs duty and taxes if there is a consignment value discrepancy.

49. The system of claim 47, wherein said application program module causes said server device to record a consignment value discrepancy and request documents from a user of said system.

50. The system of claim 10, wherein said risk analysis includes consideration of all transactions and stakeholders.

51. The system of claim 1, wherein said inspection process results in generating an inspection report to record a consignment discrepancy or risk finding.

20. A method for processing customs information at a customs organization utilizing a client-user device and a server device connected to a communication network, said server device having a communication server module for communicating over said network with a user of said server device for processing customs information at a customs organization for goods clearance, the method comprising the steps of:

generating and registering, at the client-user device, an electronic declaration document for a user pertaining to a consignment using a declaration module;

receiving, at the server device from the client-user device over the communication network, the electronic declaration document pertaining to a consignment at the customs organization prior to receipt of the consignment from the user at the customs organization, including identification of specific goods in said consignment and predetermined parameters of said consignment, said predetermined parameters comprising tariff, rule, or regulatory information pertaining to said consignment;

identifying the user corresponding to said electronic declaration document and the consignment;

verifying, at the server device using the declaration module, said electronic declaration document received at the customs organization prior to receipt of the consignment at the customs organization;

configuring a risk management module based on a transaction history and at least one factor pertaining to the user;

conducting, at the server device, a risk analysis using the risk management module, wherein the risk management module considers the electronic declaration document and accompanying electronic documentation using risk criteria for the risk analysis to determine a status for said declaration document,

wherein the risk analysis includes

defining the risk and target criteria,

analyzing and assessing risk based on the risk and target criteria, prescribing risk target action according to the risk, and tracking and reporting the risk target action,

wherein the status pertains to the identification of specific goods, the risk parameters and the predetermined parameters listed within said declaration document;

calculating, at the server device, an amount of customs duty and taxes for said consignment; and

determining, at the server device, whether or not to initiate an inspection process at said customs organization based on results of said status for said declaration document when the consignment is received at the customs organization.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of re-calculating the amount of said customs duty and taxes if said inspection process is initiated and there is a consignment discrepancy.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of recording said consignment discrepancy.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of accepting payment from said user.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of issuing a clearance document after said user pays said customs duty and taxes for said consignment.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of accepting payment from said user if said inspection process is initiated and there is no consignment discrepancy.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of issuing a clearance document after said user pays said customs duty and taxes for said consignment.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of accepting payment from said user if said inspection process is not initiated.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of issuing a clearance document after said user pays said customs duty and taxes for said consignment.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein said risk analysis includes identifying, analyzing and evaluating a risk corresponding to the predetermined parameters and the risk criteria.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said risk analysis further includes comparing said risk against target criteria.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein a system administrator defines and updates said target criteria.

32. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of retrieving price information from a reference price database in order to assess a declared value of said goods.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein said information pertaining to said consignment includes information obtained from a manifest document.

34. The method of claim 20, wherein said information pertaining to said consignment includes information obtained from a shipping invoice.

35. The method of claim 20, wherein said information pertaining to said consignment includes information obtained from a customs declaration.

36. The method of claim 20, wherein a customs department initiates an inspection process based on said results of said status.

37. The method of claim 20, wherein said inspection process is at least one of a random inspection, a sample inspection, and a full inspection.

52. The method of claim 20, further comprising receiving a user profile of said user at said server device, and wherein said system identifies said user and said user profile.

53. The method of claim 20, further comprising displaying errors in data entry by the user and prompting said user to provide said declaration in a recognized format.

54. The method of claim 20, further comprising paying the amount of customs duty and taxes for said consignment.

55. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

randomly allocating an inspection request to an assessment officer based on workload and availability;

randomly allocating an assessment request to an assessment officer based on workload and availability;

sending required information to other governmental agencies; and

validating approvals from other governmental agencies for release of shipment.

56. The method of claim 20, wherein said consignment is imported or exported through an Air, Sea or Land port.

57. The method of claim 20, further comprising defining, at the server device, a new duty calculation formula and risk criteria.

58. The method of claim 20, further comprising transmitting information related to said consignment'"'"'s manifest, bill of lading, delivery order, commercial invoice and declaration from said user to said server device and automatically running said risk analysis based on said transmitted information.

59. The method of claim 20, further comprising taking into consideration any exemptions, quota or bi-lateral agreements when calculating, at the server device, the applicable duty and taxes for said consignment.

60. The method of claim 20, wherein said steps are initiated by an assessment officer, and further comprising displaying a historical value of a commodity for assessment and valuation.

61. The method of claim 20, further comprising re-calculating the amount of said customs duty and taxes if there is a consignment value discrepancy.

62. The method of claim 60, further comprising recording a consignment value discrepancy and requesting documents from said user.

63. The method of claim 20, wherein said risk analysis includes consideration of all transactions and stakeholders.

64. The method of claim 20, wherein said inspection process results in generating an inspection report to record a consignment discrepancy or risk finding.

65. The method of claim 20, further comprising delivering a document to traders for requirements related to customs clearance.

66. The method of claim 20, further comprising providing online services for customs clearance processing to stakeholders in a plurality of different languages.

67. The method of claim 20, further comprising receiving information related to goods declaration for imports, exports, re-export, re-import, temporary import, temporary export, transit, transshipment, courier express bill, free zone bills, bonded warehouse bills, or postal packages.

68. The method of claim 20, further comprising executing data validation, authentication checks and risk analysis to ensure internal referential integrity, completeness of data, or compliance.

69. The method of claim 20, further comprising accepting duty payment from said user in a plurality of currencies.

70. The method of claim 20, further comprising defining a new duty calculation formula, exemption, bi-lateral agreement, or new risk criteria for use by the server device.