Method for controlling transaction management server, transaction management server and program

• US 8,417,647 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2005
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsui-Soko Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Mitsui-Soko Company Limited
• Inventors: Fujioka, Kei, Natori, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, GREGORY L
• Application Number:
  US11/222,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20070022030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,770 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/331
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

A control method, for a transaction management server of a transaction administrator administrating commodity transactions between a seller and a buyer, comprises transmitting to a forwarder terminal an instruction to transport a commodity received along with price information of the commodity from a seller terminal; writing the price information into a database; receiving from the forwarder terminal and writing into the database the number of the waybill issued when the commodity is loaded into transportation by the forwarder; transmitting to the seller terminal information indicating that the transaction administrator has made an alternative payment for the commodity; receiving from the forwarder terminal and writing into the database the number of the waybill put on the commodity having arrived at a destination and commodity identification information; receiving the commodity identification information of the commodity delivered to the buyer from the forwarder terminal, and transmitting to a buyer terminal a payment request based on the price information stored in association with the commodity identification information.

Claims

1. A control method for a transaction management server of a transaction administrator administrating commodity transactions between a seller and a buyer, the transaction management server being communicatively connected to a seller terminal of the seller of a commodity, to a buyer terminal of the buyer of the commodity, to an export forwarder terminal of an export forwarder to transport the commodity, and to an import forwarder terminal of an import forwarder to transport the commodity,

wherein it is concluded as a contract in the transaction that the commodity is the property of the seller until the commodity is brought out from a discharge-point warehouse and obligation of the buyer to the seller is generated when the commodity is brought out from the discharge point-warehouse,

the control method comprising the steps of the transaction management server:

writing into a database forecast information including a desired delivery date of the commodity, the forecast information containing a production plan of a buyer product, the buyer product being a product into which the buyer assembles the commodity;

writing into the database loading-point warehousing registration information including a loading-point warehousing date transmitted from the export forwarder terminal when the commodity arrives at a loading-point warehouse;

receiving a transportation instruction to transport the commodity from the loading-point warehouse along with information indicating a price of the commodity from the seller terminal;

writing into the database the information indicating the price of the commodity in association with the received transportation instruction;

transmitting the transportation instruction to the export forwarder terminal;

receiving from the export forwarder terminal, identification information of a waybill issued when the commodity is loaded from the loading-point warehouse into transportation means by the export forwarder according to the transportation instruction, wherein the waybill is a document of value assuring exchange for the commodity;

writing into the database the received identification information of the waybill in association with the transportation instruction;

transmitting to the seller terminal, information indicating that the transaction administrator has made a payment for the commodity to the seller on behalf of the buyer, wherein the transaction management server transmits to the seller terminal information indicating that the payment for the commodity to the seller on behalf of the buyer by the transaction administrator was financed by a finance institution on security of receivables based on the waybill;

receiving from the import forwarder terminal, commodity identification information assigned to the commodity by the import forwarder when the commodity has arrived at the discharge-point warehouse along with the identification information of the waybill put on the commodity;

writing into the database the received commodity identification information in association with the transportation instruction stored in association with the received identification information of the waybill;

writing into the database discharge-point warehousing date information indicating a date of arrival at the discharge-point warehouse in association with the transportation instruction;

receiving from the buyer terminal a commodity delivery request requiring delivery of the commodity from the discharge-point warehouse to a factory of the buyer;

transmitting the commodity delivery request to the import forwarder terminal;

receiving from the import forwarder terminal delivered commodity identification information of the commodity delivered from the discharge-point warehouse by the import forwarder to the buyer;

transmitting to the buyer terminal a payment request asking payment for the commodity paid by the transaction administrator on behalf of the buyer, the transmitted payment request including a payment amount, the payment amount calculated by adding predetermined fees to the price of the commodity stored in the database in association with the received commodity identification information; and

when a prolonged period passes from the date of arrival at the discharge-point warehouse, as indicated by the discharge-point warehousing date information, transmitting to the buyer terminal a request asking the buyer to receive the commodity.

2. The control method for a transaction management server of claim 1, wherein the transportation instruction is a shipping instruction, wherein the transportation means is a vessel or an airplane, and wherein the waybill is a bill of lading or an air waybill.

3. The control method for a transaction management server of claim 1, wherein the database stores information indicating a difference between a money amount paid by the transaction administrator to the seller and a money amount paid by the buyer to the transaction administrator.

4. A transaction management server of a transaction administrator administrating commodity transactions between a seller and a buyer, the transaction management server being communicatively connected to a seller terminal of the seller of a commodity, to a buyer terminal of the buyer of the commodity, to an export forwarder terminal of an export forwarder to transport the commodity, and to an import forwarder terminal of an import forwarder to transport the commodity,

wherein it is concluded as a contract in the transaction that the commodity is the property of the seller until the commodity is brought out from a discharge-point warehouse and obligation of the buyer to the seller is generated when the commodity is brought out from the discharge point-warehouse,

the transaction management server comprising:

a processor;

memory coupled to the processor; and

a storage device storing a program which, when executed, causes the transaction management server to perform actions comprising;

writing into a database forecast information including a desired delivery date of the commodity, the forecast information containing a production plan of a buyer product, the buyer product being a product into which the buyer assembles the commodity;

writing into the database loading-point warehousing registration information including a loading-point warehousing date transmitted from the export forwarder terminal when the commodity arrives at a loading-point warehouse;

receiving a transportation instruction to transport the commodity from the loading-point warehouse along with information indicating a price of the commodity from the seller terminal;

writing into the database the information indicating the price of the commodity in association with the received transportation instruction;

transmitting the transportation instruction to the export forwarder terminal;

receiving from the export forwarder terminal;

identification information of a waybill issued when the commodity is loaded from the loading-point warehouse into transportation means by the export forwarder according to the transportation instruction, wherein the waybill is a document of value assuring exchange for the commodity;

writing into the database the received identification information of the waybill in association with the transportation instruction;

transmitting to the seller terminal, information indicating that the transaction administrator has made a payment for the commodity to the seller on behalf of the buyer, wherein the transaction management server transmits to the seller terminal information indicating that the payment for the commodity to the seller on behalf of the buyer by the transaction administrator was financed by a finance institution on security of receivables based on the waybill;

receiving from the import forwarder terminal, commodity identification information assigned to the commodity by the input forwarder when the commodity has arrived at the discharge-point warehouse-along with the identification information of the waybill put on the commodity;

writing into the database the received commodity identification information in association with the transportation instruction stored in association with the received identification information of the waybill;

writing into the database discharge-point warehousing date information indicating a date of arrival at the discharge-point warehouse in association with the transportation instruction;

receiving from the buyer terminal a commodity delivery request requiring delivery of the commodity from the discharge-point warehouse to a factory of the buyer;

transmitting the commodity delivery request to the import forwarder terminal;

receiving from the import forwarder terminal delivered commodity identification information of the commodity delivered by the import forwarder to the buyer;

transmitting to the buyer terminal a payment request asking payment for the commodity paid by the transaction administrator on behalf of the buyer, the transmitted payment request including a payment amount, the payment amount calculated by adding predetermined fees to the price of the commodity stored in the database in association with the received commodity identification information; and

when a prolonged period passes from the date of arrival at the discharge-point warehouse, as indicated by the discharge-point warehousing date information, transmitting to the buyer terminal a request asking the buyer to receive the commodity.

5. A machine readable recording medium storing a program for a transaction management server of a transaction administrator administrating commodity transactions between a seller and a buyer, the transaction management server being communicatively connected to a seller terminal of the seller of a commodity, to a buyer terminal of the buyer of the commodity, to an export forwarder terminal of an export forwarder to transport the commodity, and to an import forwarder terminal of an import forwarder to transport the commodity,

wherein it is concluded as a contract in the transaction that the commodity is the property of the seller until the commodity is brought out from a discharge-point warehouse and obligation of the buyer to the seller is generated when the commodity is brought out from the discharge point-warehouse,

the program, when executed, causing the transaction management server to perform actions comprising:

writing into a database forecast information including a desired delivery date of the commodity, the forecast information containing a production plan of a buyer product, the buyer product being a product into which the buyer assembles the commodity;

writing into the database loading-point warehousing registration information including a loading-point warehousing date transmitted from the export forwarder terminal when the commodity arrives at a loading-point warehouse;

receiving a transportation instruction to transport the commodity from the loading-point warehouse along with information indicating a price of the commodity from the seller terminal;

writing into the database the information indicating the price of the commodity in association with the received transportation instruction;

transmitting the transportation instruction to the export forwarder terminal;

receiving from the export forwarder terminal, identification information of a waybill issued when the commodity is loaded from the loading-point warehouse into transportation means by the export forwarder according to the transportation instruction, wherein the waybill is a document of value assuring exchange for the commodity;

writing into the database the received identification information of the waybill in association with the transportation instruction;

transmitting to the seller terminal, information indicating that the transaction administrator has made a payment for the commodity to the seller on behalf of the buyer, wherein the transaction management server transmits to the seller terminal information indicating that the payment for the commodity to the seller on behalf of the buyer by the transaction administrator was financed by a finance institution on security of receivables based on the waybill;

receiving from the import forwarder terminal, commodity identification information assigned to the commodity by the import forwarder when the commodity has arrived at the discharge-point warehouse along with the identification information of the waybill put on the commodity;

writing into the database the received commodity identification information in association with the transportation instruction stored in association with the received identification information of the waybill;

writing into the database discharge-point warehousing date information indicating a date of arrival at the discharge-point warehouse in association with the transportation instruction;

receiving from the buyer terminal a commodity delivery request requiring delivery of the commodity from the discharge-point warehouse to a factory of the buyer;

transmitting the commodity delivery request to the import forwarder terminal;

receiving from the import forwarder terminal delivered commodity identification information of the commodity delivered by the import forwarder to the buyer;

transmitting to the buyer terminal a payment request asking payment for the commodity paid by the transaction administrator on behalf of the buyer, the transmitted payment request including a payment amount, the payment amount calculated by adding predetermined fees to the price of the commodity stored in the database in association with the received commodity identification information; and

when a prolonged period passes from the date of arrival at the discharge-point warehouse, as indicated by the discharge-point warehousing date information, transmitting to the buyer terminal a request asking the buyer to receive the commodity.