Export license compliance system (“ELCS”) using controlled communications

• US 8,954,388 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2013
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mark D. Menefee
• Original Assignee: Mark D. Menefee
• Inventors: Menefee, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rostami, Mohammad S
• Application Number:
  US14/087,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20140081878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/628
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products

Abstract

An internet based method and system for communicating terms and conditions of an issued export license to all parties (e.g., exporter, distributor, consignee) in a transaction. The system directs prescribed export related messages from the exporter to the parties. The messages include instructions to the recipients to take certain actions required by the export license terms, and directs those parties to report the results back to the exporter.

Claims

1. A computerized method for export license compliance, comprising:

receiving, via a computer network, license information from at least one exporter that is licensed to export an item, the license information including at least information on the validity period of the license;

storing the license information on a computer memory;

receiving, via the computer network, distributor information from at least one distributor that receives the item from the exporter and is authorized by the license to sell the item, the distributor information including at least a date of re-export of the item;

storing the distributor information on the computer memory;

receiving, via the computer network, consignee information from at least one consignee that is a customer of the at least one distributor, the consignee information including at least a date of receipt of a shipment from the distributor;

storing the distributor information on the computer memory;

storing a first specified time period for receiving the distributor information and a second specified time period for receiving the consignee information on the computer memory;

using a computer processor to generate and transmit a notification to at least one of the exporter and the distributor in the even the date of re-export of the item is not received before the first specified time period elapses; and

using a computer processor to automatically generate and transmit a notification to at least one of the exporter and the consignee in the event the date of receipt of the shipment from the distributor is not received before the second specified time period elapses;

storing, on the computer memory, a log of times and dates that consignee information and distributor information was posted to the website by the at least one consignee and the at least one distributor.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying at least one of the license information, the distributor information, and the consignee information on a website.

3. The computerized method of claim 2 further comprising:

restricting access to the website to authorized users having user types, the user types including exporter, distributor, and consignee user types, and wherein exporter, distributor, and consignee user types each have specifically tailored access.

4. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a graphical user interface whereby a first authorized user may request information from a second authorized user, and a second authorized user may respond to the first authorized user'"'"'s information request.

5. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising:

using a computer processor to generate an electronic message containing pertinent posted and un-posted export related information, and transmit the electronic message to the exporters, distributors, and consignees through a network connection.

6. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the license information further comprises at least two of:

a number and description of an export item, an export commodity control number, a harmonized tariff system number, shipping information, license terms and conditions, and a complete copy of an export license and its conditions.

7. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the distributor information further includes at least two of:

a date of receipt of shipment, a confirmation of quantity and condition, a confirmation of understanding and compliance with applicable license terms and conditions, a complete copy of import and export documents, and an end user certification.

8. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the consignee information further includes at least two of:

a confirmation of quantity and condition of a product, a confirmation of understanding and compliance with applicable license terms and conditions, a copy of a signed end-use certification, information to verify end-user and end-use legitimacy, a complete copy of import documents, an acceptance of the license terms and conditions, and a statement that the product will not be used to develop Weapons of Mass Destruction or their means of delivery.

9. A computerized system for export license compliance, comprising:

a computer processor and storage device configured to generate a user interface accessible by a plurality of computers through network connections, wherein the user interface is configured to

receive, store, and post license information from at least one exporter that is licensed to export an item, the license information including at least information on the validity period of the license,

receive, store, and post distributor information from at least one distributor that receives the item from the exporter and is authorized by the license to sell the item, the distributor information including at least a date of re-export of the item, and

to receive, store, and post consignee information from at least one consignee that is a customer of the at least one distributor, the consignee information including at least a date of receipt of a shipment from the distributor;

a configuration program module for providing and storing on the storage device a first deadline for receiving the distributor information date of re-export of the item and a second deadline for receiving the date of receipt of the shipment from the distributor, and for automatically notifying the distributor of the first deadline and automatically notifying the consignee of the second deadline, through the network connections; and

a notification program module configured to automatically notify the at least one exporter, distributor, and consignee of posted distributor information and consignee information relevant to their respective export role, to automatically notify at least one of the exporter and the distributor if the distributor fails to post the date of re-export of the item by the first deadline, and to automatically notify at least one of the exporter and the consignee if the consignee fails to post the date of receipt of the shipment by the second deadline;

a logging program module configured to record, on the storage device, the times and dates that consignee information and distributor information was posted to the website by the at least one consignee and the at least one distributor.

10. The computerized system of claim 9, wherein access to the user interface is restricted to authorized users having user types, the user types including exporter, distributor, and consignee user types, and wherein the distributor, and the consignee user types each have access to only a sub-set of data available to the exporter user types.

11. The computerized system of claim 9, wherein the user interface is configured to receive a request for information from a first authorized user, provide that request to a second authorized user, and receive a response to the request from the second authorized user.

12. The computerized system of claim 9, further comprising:

using the computer processor to generate an electronic message containing pertinent posted and un-posted export related information, and transmit the electronic message to the exporters, distributors, and consignees through a network connection.

13. The computerized system of claim 9 wherein the license information further comprises at least two of:

a number and description of an export item, an export commodity control number, a harmonized tariff system number, shipping information, license terms and conditions, and a complete copy of an export license and its conditions.

14. The computerized system of claim 9, wherein the distributor information further includes at least two of:

a date of receipt of shipment, a confirmation of quantity and condition, a confirmation of understanding and compliance with applicable license terms and conditions, a complete copy of import and export documents, and an end user certification.

15. The computerized system of claim 9, wherein the consignee information further includes at least two of:

a confirmation of quantity and condition of a product, a confirmation of understanding and compliance with applicable license terms and conditions, a copy of a signed end-use certification, information to verify end-user and end-use legitimacy, a complete copy of import documents, an acceptance of the license terms and conditions, and a statement that the product will not be used to develop Weapons of Mass Destruction or their means of delivery.

16. A computer program product having a non-transitory computer readable storage medium with computer program logic recorded thereon for export license compliance, comprising:

means for receiving, storing, and posting to a website license information from at least one exporter that is licensed to export an item, the license information including at least information on the validity period of the license,

means for receiving, storing, and posting to the website distributor information from at least one distributor that receives the item from the exporter and is authorized by the license to sell the item, the distributor information including at least a date of re -export of the item, and

means for receiving, storing, and posting to the website consignee information from at least one consignee that is a customer of the at least one distributor, the consignee information including at least a date of receipt of a shipment from the distributor;

means for providing a first specified time period for receiving the distributor information and a second specified time period for receiving the consignee information from a designated party of the at least one distributor and the at least one consignee,

means for automatically transmitting notifications to at least one of the exporter and the distributor designated party in the event the distributor designated party fails to post the distributor information date of re-export of the item or consignee information to the website before the first specified time period elapses, and by the corresponding deadline

means for automatically transmitting notifications to at least one of the exporter and the consignee in the event the consignee fails to post the date of receipt of the shipment from the distributor before the second specified time period elapses; and

means for logging the times and dates that consignee information and distributor information was posted to the website by the at least one consignee and the at least one distributor.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein access to the website is restricted to authorized users having user types, the user types including exporter, distributor, and consignee user types, and wherein the distributor, and the consignee user types each have access to only a sub-set of data available to the exporter user types.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

means for receiving a request from a first authorized user for information from a second authorized user and for transmitting the request to the second authorized user; and

means for receiving a response to the request from the second authorized user and for transmitting the response to the first authorized user.