Enhanced trade compliance system: advanced shipment notice

• US 20050262161A1
• Filed: 02/16/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Potts, Tom, Peach, Laurie, Holmes, Frederic, Halterman, Matt, Swirt, Mark, Uy, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,730,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

Methods and systems for proactively processing errors in customs data transmitted to a customs broker are disclosed. A computer receives multiple sets of customs data from multiple importers, each set of data having its own format. The customs data are intercepted by the computer at a central processing division before the customs data are delivered to customs brokers from each of the importers. The computer converts the customs data to have a universal format, then processes the data to detect errors. Information about a detected errors, including correction data to resolve the error, may be transmitted to a customs broker before the customs broker detects the error in his own set of customs data received from the importer.

Claims

1. A method of proactively processing errors in customs data transmitted to a customs broker comprising:

receiving in a computer a first set of customs data from a first importer, the customs data being arranged in a first format;

receiving in the computer a second set of customs data from a second importer, the customs data being arranged in a second format;

converting each of the first and second sets of data to be arranged in a third format;

accessing the converted first and second sets of data and detecting an error in at least one of them; and

communicating the detected error to a customs broker before the customs broker detects the error in copies of the first and second sets of data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the customs data comprise commercial invoice data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the customs data comprise shipping manifest data.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second importers respectively comprise first and second divisions of a company.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the error comprises an omission of information from the customs data.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the error comprises indication of a product having no company classification code associated with it, the method further comprising:

comparing the indicated product to a list of company classification codes;

detecting that the indicated product is not included in the list;

receiving a new company classification code for the indicated product; and

communicating the new company classification code to the customs broker before the customs broker detects the error.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating an audit exceptions file that includes information about the detected error.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising receiving correction data to resolve the detected error, and modifying the converted customs data to include the correction data.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the receiving correction data comprises calculating the correction data.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the receiving correction data comprises receiving input from a user after the user manually inspects the audit exceptions file.

11. Computer-readable media embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform a method of proactively processing errors in customs data transmitted to a customs broker, the method comprising:

receiving in a computer a first set of customs data from a first importer, the customs data being arranged in a first format;

receiving in the computer a second set of customs data from a second importer, the customs data being arranged in a second format;

converting each of the first and second sets of data to be arranged in a third format;

accessing the converted first and second sets of data and detecting an error in at least one of them; and

communicating the detected error to a customs broker before the customs broker detects the error in copies of the first and second sets of data.

12. The computer-readable media of claim 11 wherein the error comprises indication of a product having no company classification code associated with it and the method further comprises:

comparing the indicated product to a list of company classification codes;

detecting that the indicated product is not included in the list;

receiving a new company classification code for the indicated product; and

communicating the new company classification code to the customs broker before the customs broker detects the error.

13. The computer-readable media of claim 11 wherein the method further comprises generating an audit exceptions file that includes information about the detected error.

14. The computer-readable media of claim 13 wherein the method further comprises receiving correction data to resolve the detected error, and modifying the converted customs data to include the correction data.

15. The computer-readable media of claim 14 wherein the receiving correction data portion of the method comprises calculating the correction data.

16. The computer-readable media of claim 14 wherein the receiving correction data portion of the method comprises receiving input from a user after the user manually inspects the audit exceptions file.

17. A system for proactively processing errors in customs data transmitted to a customs broker comprising:

an input device configured to receive a first set of customs data from a first importer, the customs data being arranged in a first format;

the input device further configured to receive in the computer a second set of customs data from a second importer, the customs data being arranged in a second format;

a processor configured to convert each of the first and second sets of data to be arranged in a third format, and to detect an error in at least one of the converted first and second sets of data; and

an output device configured to transmit information about the detected error to a customs broker before the customs broker detects the error in copies of the first and-second sets of data.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the error comprises indication of a product having no company classification code associated with it and wherein the processor is further configured to compare the indicated product to a list of company classification codes, detect that the indicated product is not included in the list, identify a new company classification code for the indicated product, and communicate the new company classification code to the customs broker before the customs broker detects the error.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the processor is further configured to generate an audit exceptions file that includes information about the detected error.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the input device is further configured to receive correction data to resolve the detected error, and wherein the processor is further configured to modify the converted customs data to include the correction data.