Method and system for automatically detecting that international shipment movement has satisfied a threshold condition

• US 7,567,912 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2005
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avolin LLC
• Original Assignee: TradeBeam Incorporated (CDC Corporation)
• Inventors: Karras, Kristopher W., Cook, Mark T., Viarengo, Steve M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garg; Yogesh C
• Application Number:
  US11/257,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20060095358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/7, 705/26, 705/27, 705/28, 705/37, 705/34, 705/39, 705/40, 705/500
• US Class Current: 705/333
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/207 Tax processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 Legal services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

The present invention relates to a network that tracks international shipments. In particular, it relates to automatic linking of supporting documents to electronic reports of shipment movements, including cross-border movements, and automatic detection when a shipment movement has reached a threshold condition, which may to be reported to an interested party, such as a bank.

Claims

1. A method of secure and reliable automatic recognition of threshold condition satisfaction related to international reporting of shipment movement, the method including;

exposing a registration module via a public or private network;

registering computerized data sources in a plurality of countries involved in international shipment movement to report the shipment movement, including

establishing a secure connection,

authenticating the computerized data source and

exposing a reporting module via the public or private network consistent with assigned roles for the computerized data sources;

establishing a computerized database of particular threshold conditions and required particular supporting logistical documents;

computing the particular threshold conditions of interest and associated logistical document collection requirements by automatically translating INCO shipping terminology as applicable to particular shipment movements;

accepting from the computerized data sources reports of the particular shipment movements and automatically linking the reports to the required particular supporting logistical documents provided by the computerized data sources;

accepting an electronically submitted invoice and automatically linking the invoice to the particular shipment movements; and

monitoring, using a computer, the reports and comparing them to the threshold conditions, notifying at least one interested party who is not moving shipments that the particular shipment movement has reached the particular threshold condition and that the required supporting logistical documents have been linked, and exposing the linked supporting logistical documents and the invoice to the interested party.

2. The method of claim 1, further including tracking the event reports and generating a notice to the exporter that it would be timely to generate the invoice for the goods.

3. The method of claim 1, further including receiving in INCO terminology at least some of the contractual terms and automatically translating the INCO terminology into a trigger that can be compared to the event reports.

4. The method of claim 1, further including triggering a payment by the bank to the exporter from the importer'"'"'s line of credit.

5. The method of claim 4, further including triggering a discount on interest payable by the importer for financing the payment, in consideration of prompt reporting of the advice leading to an opportunity for the bank to factor the payment with the exporter.

6. The method of claim 4, further including triggering an extended time for the importer to repay amounts advanced from the importer'"'"'s line of credit, in consideration of prompt reporting of the advice leading to an opportunity for the bank to factor the payment with the exporter.

7. The method of claim 1, further including receiving from the exporter a trade financing request supported by the electronic report to the bank that the contractual terms have been met and the invoice approved and forwarding the request to the bank.

8. The method of claim 1, further including promptness of the electronic transmission of advice electronically triggering financial consideration in favor of the importer upon realization by the bank of revenue from a factoring with the exporter of payment for the goods.

9. A server-based system including:

at least one secure network connection;

a computer with resources coupled to the secure network connection adapted to

expose a registration module via a public or private network;

register data sources in a plurality of countries involved in international shipment movement to report the shipment movement, including

establishing a secure connection,

authenticating the data source and

exposing a reporting module via the public or private network consistent with assigned roles for the data sources;

establish a database of particular threshold conditions and required particular supporting logistical documents;

compute the particular threshold conditions of interest and associated logistical document collection requirements by automatically translating INCO shipping terminology as applicable to particular shipment movements;

accept from the data sources reports of the particular shipment movements and automatically linking the reports to the required particular supporting logistical documents provided by the data sources;

accept an electronically submitted invoice and automatically linking the invoice to the particular shipment movements; and

monitor the reports and comparing them to the threshold conditions, notifying at least one interested party who is not moving shipments that the particular shipment movement has reached the particular threshold condition and that the required supporting logistical documents have been linked, and exposing the linked supporting logistical documents and the invoice to the interested party.

10. One or more machine readable memories impressed with logic adapted to

expose a registration module via a public or private network;

register data sources in a plurality of countries involved in international shipment movement to report the shipment movement, including

establishing a secure connection.

authenticating the data source and

exposing a reporting module via the public or private network consistent with assigned roles for the data sources;

establish a database of particular threshold conditions and required particular supporting logistical documents;

compute the particular threshold conditions of interest and associated logistical document collection requirements by automatically translating INCO shipping terminology as applicable to particular shipment movements;

accept from the data sources reports of the particular shipment movements and automatically linking the reports to the required particular supporting logistical documents provided by the data sources;

accept an electronically submitted invoice and automatically linking the invoice to the particular shipment movements; and

monitor the reports and comparing them to the threshold conditions, notifying at least one interested party who is not moving shipments that the particular shipment movement has reached the particular threshold condition and that the required supporting logistical documents have been linked, and exposing the linked supporting logistical documents and the invoice to the interested party.