Integrated import/export system

• US 20030115072A1
• Filed: 12/18/2001
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Descartes Systems Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Management Systems Resources Inc. (The Descartes Systems Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Manucha, Rajiv, Constanzo, Paul R., Crozier, Steven L., Lefevre, Lynn
• Granted Patent: US 7,406,472 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0831 Overseas transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

An integrated import/export system includes a database of records relating to a plurality of shipments of goods, a database server and an application server. The application server communicates with the database server to provide members of a supply chain for a shipment of goods an opportunity to modify records relating to the shipment. As the shipment moves through the supply chain, the records relating to the shipment may be repeatedly updated and accessed by interested parties such as customs brokers and government officials. A central repository for such data minimizes errors from repetitive data entry and provides a more complete source of information relating to the shipment than is typically associated with a shipment at any time in transit.

Claims

1. An integrated import/export system comprising:

a database of records relating to a plurality of shipments of goods, where said goods are shipped between at least two jurisdictions, each record having information relating to at least a first jurisdiction and a second jurisdiction;

a database server in communication with said database; and

an application server in communication with said database server for providing a user interface to at least one client, each said client associated with a member of a supply chain for a particular one of said plurality of shipments of said goods, said interface allowing each said member to modify at least a portion of a record relating to said particular one of said plurality of shipments of said goods.

2. The integrated import/export system of claim 1 wherein said application server only allows a particular one of said members to modify said at least a portion of said record if said particular one of said members has proper security authorization.

3. The integrated import/export system of claim 1 further comprising an electronic data interchange server in communication with said database server.

4. The integrated import/export system of claim 3 wherein said electronic data interchange server allows said system to exchange information with databases and data repositories of said members of said supply chain.

5. The integrated import/export system of claim 3 wherein said electronic data interchange server allows access to databases maintained by governments of said jurisdictions.

6. The integrated import/export system of claim 1 further comprising a file transfer protocol server for enabling receipt and transmission of said records using the file transfer protocol.

7. The integrated import/export system of claim 1 further comprising a hyper-text transfer protocol (HTTP) server for enabling receipt of a request for a page and transmission of said page to an origin of said request.

8. A method of operating an integrated import/export system comprising:

maintaining a database of records relating to a plurality of shipments of goods between at least two jurisdictions;

providing an interface for accessing particular ones of said records in said database to a member of a supply chain for said particular ones of said plurality of shipments of said goods;

receiving, from said member, an instruction to modify one of said particular ones of said records relating to said particular one of said plurality of shipments; and

modifying said one of said records according to said instruction.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving a query for information stored in databases maintained by governments of said at least two jurisdictions;

responsive to receiving said query, accessing said databases maintained by said governments of said at least two jurisdictions to retrieve a result; and

presenting said result of said accessing to a source of said query.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising submitting documentation for entry into said databases maintained by said governments of said at least two jurisdictions.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising querying said databases maintained by said governments of said at least two jurisdictions to determine a clearance status of a given shipment of said plurality of shipments of said goods.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising determining whether said instruction to modify relates to a portion of said one of said records for which said member has modification authority and undertaking said modifying only if said member has modification authority.

13. A computer readable medium containing computer-executable instructions which, when performed by a processor in an import/export system, cause the processor to:

maintain a database of records relating to a plurality of shipments of goods between at least two jurisdictions;

provide an interface for accessing particular ones of said records in said database to a member of a supply chain for said particular ones of said plurality of shipments of said goods;

receive, from said member, an instruction to modify a particular one of said records relating to said particular one of said plurality of shipments; and

modify said one of said records according to said instruction.

14. A record editing system in communication with an integrated import/export system, said record editing system operable to:

display an interface to a member of a supply chain for a particular shipment of goods, said interface allowing interaction with a database of records relating to said shipment of goods maintained at said integrated import/export system, where said goods are shipped between at least two jurisdictions; and

receive, from said member, instructions to modify a record relating to said shipment of goods.

15. A record editing system in communication with an integrated import/export system, said record editing system comprising:

an output means for displaying an interface to a member of a supply chain for a particular shipment of goods, said interface allowing interaction with a database of records relating to said shipment of goods maintained at said integrated import/export system, where said goods are shipped between at least two jurisdictions; and

an input means for receiving, from said member, instructions to modify a record relating to said shipment of goods.

16. A method of modifying a transaction comprising:

receiving a communication initiation from a party to said transaction;

sending a description of an interface for allowing said party to provide an transaction identifier of said transaction and additional data for said transaction;

receiving said transaction identifier of said transaction and said additional data for said transaction; and

modifying an entry in a database identified by said transaction identifier to include said additional data.

17. The method of claim 16 where said transaction occurs over a border between a first jurisdiction and a second jurisdiction and said method further comprises:

querying a database maintained by a government of one of said jurisdictions;

receiving a result of said querying; and

based on said result, further modifying said entry, in said database, identified by said transaction identifier.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising determining whether said party to said transaction has modification authority and undertaking said modifying said entry in said database only if said party to said transaction has modification authority.

19. A method of allowing shipment analysis comprising:

receiving an indication of a proposed shipment from a first jurisdiction to a second jurisdiction; and

based on said indication, providing a first metric for said proposed shipment, said first metric derived from data in a database relating to previous shipments from said first jurisdiction to said second jurisdiction.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

receiving a suggestion of an intermediate jurisdiction; and

based on said suggestion, providing a second metric for said proposed shipment, said second metric derived from data in a database relating to previous shipments from said first jurisdiction to said intermediate jurisdiction and previous shipments from said intermediate jurisdiction to said second jurisdiction.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

determining a plurality of alternative metrics for said proposed shipment, each of said plurality of alternative metrics derived from data in a database relating to previous shipments from said first jurisdiction to a unique intermediate jurisdiction and previous shipments from said unique intermediate jurisdiction to said second jurisdiction;

determining an optimal one of said plurality of alternative metrics; and

providing said optimal one of said plurality of alternative metrics and an indication of an intermediate jurisdiction corresponding to said optimal one of said plurality of alternative metrics.

22. A database comprising a plurality of shipment tables, each said shipment table having a unique field identifying record number, a plurality of keys for linking said shipment tables to uniquely identify shipments and documents associated with said shipments, said plurality of shipment tables including:

a table for shipment identities;

a table for shipment consolidation information;

a table for shipment information;

a table for shipment economic transaction information;

a table for line item detail information;

a table for customs entry information;

a table for jurisdictional document information;

a table for item classification information;

a table for item master information; and

a table for other government department information.