Electronically enabled clearance methodology for improved processing at border crossings

• US 8,099,371 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2008
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Wade, Kevin, Koenig, Tamara
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Rutao
• Application Number:
  US12/126,693
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/331
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0831 Overseas transactions

Abstract

An electronically enabled clearance system and method for improved border crossings. The system and method generate and manage an electronic manifest (e-manifest) and an electronic commercial invoice (e-release) according to legal requirements as well as the requirements of a manufacturer that imports goods from other countries. A third party logistics provider may facilitate the interactions between an importer of manufactured goods, a supplier, a carrier, and a broker by serving as intermediary and hosting computer applications that manage the flow of information. A commercial invoice provides details about the goods in a shipment. A shipment control number (SCN) is associated with each commercial invoice. The e-manifest for a vehicle lists every SCN for the parts shipments loaded on the vehicle and therefore, provides a link to the commercial invoice data detailing information about the parts in the shipment.

Claims

1. A computerized method for generating customs documents to facilitate border crossings comprising:

(a) storing at a document processor computer database manufacturer price catalog data, said price catalog data comprising price data for parts ordered by a manufacturer from a plurality of suppliers;

(b) storing at said document processor computer database manufacturer trade compliance data;

(c) at said document processor computer for each of a plurality of parts shipments;

(1) receiving at said document processor computer an advance shipment notice comprising parts shipment data;

(2) assigning a shipment control number to said parts shipment data;

(3) determining at said document processor computer a price for parts in said parts shipment, said price determined according to said manufacturer price catalog data in said document processor computer database;

(4) generating at said document processor computer an electronic commercial invoice for said parts shipment said electronic commercial invoice comprising;

(i) said price for parts in said parts shipment;

(ii) trade data consistent with said manufacturer trade compliance data;

(iii) an invoice number; and

(vi) said shipment control number;

(d) generating at said document processor computer an electronic manifest for said plurality of parts shipments, said manifest listing each of said shipment control numbers associated with said electronic commercial invoices;

(e) transferring from said document processor computer to a border patrol computer said electronic manifest and said electronic commercial invoices for said plurality of shipments; and

(f) receiving at said document processor computer from said border patrol computer accessing said electronic manifest with said list of shipment control numbers and each of said electronic commercial invoices associated with said shipment control numbers acceptance data for said electronic manifest for said plurality of shipments.

2. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein said acceptance data from said border patrol computer comprises an acceptance of said electronic manifest.

3. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein said acceptance data from said border patrol computer comprises a rejection of said electronic manifest.

4. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein said shipment control numbers comprise carrier identifying data.

5. The computerized method of claim 1 further comprising receiving from said border patrol computer at a manufacturer computer a notice of release of a vehicle following confirmation that border patrol requirements for permitting said manufacturer to import said parts shipments are met.

6. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein a document processor computer is controlled by a party selected from the group consisting of said manufacturer and an independent third party logistics provider.

7. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein storing at said document processor computer database manufacturer trade compliance data comprises storing harmonized system codes, NAFTA eligibility data, relationship data, and tax identification data.

8. A computerized method for generating customs documents to facilitate border crossings comprising:

(a) storing at a document processor computer database manufacturer price catalog data comprising price data for parts ordered by a manufacturer from a plurality of suppliers;

(b) storing at said document processor computer database manufacturer trade compliance data;

(c) receiving at said document processor computer a plurality of advance shipment notices, each of said advance shipment notices associated with a parts shipment;

(d) assigning at said document processor computer to each of said parts shipments a shipment control number uniquely identifying each of said parts shipments;

(e) generating at said document processor computer an electronic commercial invoice for each of said parts shipments, said electronic commercial invoice comprising;

(1) said shipment control number uniquely identifying said parts shipment;

(2) an invoice number;

(3) price data for said parts shipment consistent with said manufacturer price catalog data; and

(4) trade data consistent with said manufacturer trade compliance data;

(f) generating at said document processor computer an electronic manifest listing each of said shipment control numbers associated with said electronic commercial invoices; and

(g) transferring from said document processor computer to a border control computer said electronic manifest with said list of shipment control numbers and each of said electronic commercial invoices associated with said shipment control numbers; and

(h) receiving at said document processor computer from said border control computer acceptance data for said electronic manifest.

9. The computerized method of claim 8 wherein said acceptance data from said border patrol computer comprises an acceptance of said electronic manifest.

10. The computerized method of claim 8 wherein said acceptance data from said border patrol computer comprises a rejection of said electronic manifest.

11. The computerized method of claim 8 wherein said shipment control numbers comprise carrier identifying data.

12. The computerized method of claim 8 further comprising receiving from said border patrol computer at a manufacturer computer a notice of release of a vehicle following confirmation that border patrol requirements for permitting said manufacturer to import said parts shipments are met.

13. The computerized method of claim 8 wherein a document processor computer is controlled by a party selected from the group consisting of said manufacturer and an independent third party logistics provider.

14. The computerized method of claim 8 wherein storing at said document processor computer database manufacturer trade compliance data comprises storing harmonized system codes, NAFTA eligibility data, relationship data, and tax identification data.

15. A system for communicating customs document data to a customs agents to facilitate border crossings comprising:

a first database comprising manufacturer price catalog data wherein said price catalog data comprises price data for parts ordered by a manufacturer from a plurality of suppliers;

a second database comprising manufacturer trade compliance data;

a document processor computer for receiving advance shipment notices comprising parts shipments data for parts shipments from said plurality of suppliers;

an application at said document process computer for;

(a) assigning unique shipment control numbers to each of said parts shipments;

(b) generating an electronic commercial invoice for each of said parts shipments comprising said unique shipment control number, an invoice number, price data for said parts shipment consistent with said manufacturer price catalog data, and trade data consistent with said manufacturer trade compliance data; and

(c) generating at said document processor computer an electronic manifest, said manifest listing each of said shipment control numbers associated with said electronic commercial invoices;

a communication link between said document processor computer and a border patrol computer;

for transferring said electronic manifest and said electronic commercial invoices to said border patrol computer to receive from said border patrol computer a notification that vehicle carrying said part shipments has met border patrol requirements.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said shipment control numbers comprise carrier identifying data.

17. The system of claim 15 further comprising a manufacturer computer that receives from said border control computer a notice of release of said vehicle following confirmation that border patrol requirements for releasing said vehicle are met.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein said document processor computer is controlled by a party selected from the group consisting of said manufacturer and an independent third party logistics provider.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein said manufacturer trade compliance data comprises harmonized system codes, NAFTA eligibility data, relationship data, and tax identification data.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein said electronic manifest comprises a trip identifier.