"A method and system for providing travel assistance during cross-border vehicle operations"

Abstract

Method 400 and system for providing travel assistance during cross-border vehicle operations comprises receiving goods data and travel data 401 from a user of the vehicle (101, Fig. 1a). The goods dat

Description

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a field of cross border inspection, and more 20 particularly relates to providing travel assistance during cross-border vehicle operations. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002] The following description includes information that may be useful in 25 understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed disclosure, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.

[0003] One of the significant challenges encountered in cross-border transportation is the navigation through customs regulations, which vary distinctly from one jurisdiction to 30 another. Each country has established its own comprehensive framework of rules, procedures, and permissible limits concerning duty-free products and goods. Non-compliance with these regulations can lead to severe repercussions, including substantial delays in the movement of goods and potential financial penalties. To mitigate these risks, it is imperative for stakeholders involved in the transportation and importation of goods to 35 possess a thorough understanding of the customs regulations applicable to each country within the supply chain, commencing from a source or origin country (i.e., source location) and extending to the destination country (i.e., destination location). This knowledge is 31 01 25 crucial for ensuring compliance and facilitating the smooth transit of goods across both international and national borders.

[0004] Accordingly, there is a need to provide seamless travel assistance during cross-border vehicle operations, thereby overcoming the above-mentioned limitations of the 5 conventional techniques. The above-mentioned drawbacks / difficulties / disadvantages of the conventional techniques are explained just for exemplary purpose and this disclosure and description mentioned below would never limit its scope only to such problems. A person skilled in the art may understand that this disclosure and below mentioned description may also solve other problems or overcome the other drawbacks / disadvantages 10 of the conventional arts, which are not explicitly captured above. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0005] The present disclosure overcomes one or more shortcomings of the prior art and 15 provides additional advantages discussed throughout the present disclosure. Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present disclosure. Other embodiments and aspects of the disclosure are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed disclosure.

[0006] In one non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of providing 20 travel assistance during cross-border vehicle operations is disclosed. The method comprises receiving goods related data and travel related data from a user of the vehicle. The goods related data comprises a type and a quantity of one or more goods placed within the vehicle. The travel related data comprises a source location and a destination location to which the user is travelling by the vehicle. Thereafter, the method comprises performing a compliance 25 check of the goods related data vis-a-vis a plurality of regulatory information associated with a plurality of checkpoints between the source location and a destination location. Finally, the method comprises providing travel assistance information to the user based on the compliance check such that the user is aware of the permissibility of carrying the one or more goods from the source location to the destination location. 30

[0007] In another non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, the goods related data is received by scanning while placing the one or more goods in the vehicle.

[0008] In another non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, the method for performing the compliance check of the goods related data further comprises comparing the type and the quantity of the one or more goods vis-a-vis the plurality of regulatory 35 information associated with the corresponding plurality of checkpoints. Based on the comparing, the method further comprises determining whether the type of the one or more goods is allowable at each of the plurality of checkpoints and determining whether the 31 01 25 quantity of the one or more goods is within a permissible limit of each of the plurality of checkpoints.

[0009] In another non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, the method for providing the travel assistance information to the user based on the compliance check 5 comprises classifying the one or more goods into at least one of allowable goods and nonallowable goods based on the type of the one or more goods, and classifying the one or more goods into at least one of within-permissible limit goods and beyond-permissible limit goods based on the quantity of the one or more goods. Further, based on the classifying, the method comprises displaying to the user an allowable notification message 10 corresponding to the allowable goods, a non-allowable notification message corresponding to the non-allowable goods, a within-permissible limit notification message corresponding to the within-permissible limit goods, and a beyond-permissible limit notification message corresponding to the beyond-permissible limit goods.

[0010] In another non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, the non-allowable 15 notification message comprises information pertaining to the non-allowability of the non-allowable goods at one or more checkpoints of the plurality of checkpoints and information pertaining to discarding the non-allowable goods prior to reaching at the one or more checkpoints. Further, the beyond-permissible limit notification message comprises information pertaining to the one or more checkpoints, of the plurality of checkpoints, at 20 which the one or more goods are going beyond the permissible limit, information pertaining to either discarding the beyond-permissible limit goods or altering the beyond-permissible limit goods to bring them within the permissible limit prior to reaching at the one or more checkpoints, and information pertaining to one or more payable amounts, for carrying the beyond-permissible limit goods, corresponding to the one or more one or more checkpoints. 25

[0011] In another non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, the method further comprising displaying a payment notification message related to successful completion of the one or more payment amounts for carrying the beyond-permissible limit goods corresponding to the one or more checkpoints.

[0012] In another non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, the method further 30 comprising determining one or more routes based on the source location and the destination location. The one or more routes are displayed to the user for user selection and each route comprises the plurality of checkpoints having the corresponding plurality of regulatory information. Thereafter, the method comprises receiving a route, among the one or more routes, selected by the user. At last, the method comprises performing the compliance check 35 of the goods related data vis-a-vis the plurality of regulatory information associated with the plurality of checkpoints of the selected route for providing the travel assistance information. 31 01 25

[0013] In another non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, the method further comprising tracking real-time location information of the vehicle vis-a-vis the plurality of checkpoints for providing the travel assistance information such that the travel assistance information is provided to the user before a predefined distance while the vehicle is 5 approaching the plurality of checkpoints.

[0014] In another non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, a system for providing travel assistance during cross-border vehicle operations is disclosed. The system comprises a memory and a processor. The processor is communicatively coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to receive goods related data and travel related data 10 from a user of the vehicle. The goods related data comprises a type and a quantity of one or more goods placed within the vehicle. The travel related data comprises a source location and a destination location to which the user is travelling by the vehicle. Thereafter, the processor is configured to perform a compliance check of the goods related data vis-a-vis a plurality of regulatory information associated with a plurality of checkpoints between the 15 source location and the destination location. Finally, the processor is configured to provide travel assistance information to the user based on the compliance check such that the user is aware of the permissibility of carrying the one or more goods from the source location to the destination location.

[0015] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way 20 limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 25

[0016] The embodiments of the disclosure itself, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. One or more embodiments are now described, by way of example 30 only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0017] Figs, la-lb illustrate exemplary environments of performing scanning of goods placed in a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Fig. 1c illustrates an exemplary environment of a display displaying travel assistance information to a user of the vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the 35 present disclosure; 31 01 25

[0019] Fig. 2 shows an exemplary environment depicting a system for providing travel assistance during cross border vehicle operations, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0020] Fig. 3 shows a detailed diagram of a system for providing travel assistance during 5 cross-border vehicle operations, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Fig. 4 illustrates a flowchart depicting a method of providing travel assistance during cross-border vehicle operations, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and 10

[0022] Fig. 5 illustrates a detailed flowchart depicting a method of providing travel assistance during cross-border vehicle operations, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] The figures depict embodiments of the disclosure for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative 15 embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION 20

[0024] The foregoing has broadly outlined the features and technical advantages of the present disclosure in order that the detailed description of the disclosure that follows may be better understood. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. 25

[0025] The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the disclosure, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying Figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the Figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended 30 as a definition of the limits of the present disclosure.

[0026] The present disclosure addresses the growing need for efficiency and transparency in cross-border customs duties within the context of global trade. To address these issues, the present disclosure provides a system and method for facilitating seamless customs duty processes for vehicle users by integrating the Machine Learning (ML) techniques. 35 Additionally, the system employs ML-based analytics for real-time decision-making and predictive modeling, which enhances duty assessments and ensures compliance with 31 01 25 customs regulations. This comprehensive solution reduces delays, lowers administrative costs, and fosters efficient trade interactions between nations.

[0027] Particularly, the disclosed method and system provide travel assistance information to the user of the vehicle by performing compliance checks of the goods placed 5 in the vehicle. Based on the compliance check, if it is determined that one or more goods placed in the vehicle are not allowed to carry at border or checkpoint while traveling across national borders or international borders, then the user is provided with a notification for discarding the one or more goods that are absolutely not allowed at the particular checkpoint. On the other hand, if it is determined that quantity of the one or more goods is 10 allowed, however exceeding a permissible limit of duty-free goods, then the user is provided with a notification. The notification may be indicative of either discarding the one or more goods or providing a link comprising one or more payable amounts for the one or more goods going beyond the permissible limit. Once the payment is completed, the user can present the notification showing the successful payment status at the checkpoint and 15 proceed to cross the border without any further inconvenience.

[0028] Figs, la-lb illustrate exemplary environments of performing scanning of the goods placed in a vehicle 101, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The environment 100 is exemplified in a scenario where one or more goods 103 may be placed in the vehicle 101. The vehicle 101 may correspond to any light utility vehicle or long-haul 20 vehicle involved in transportation of goods across national or international borders. Particularly, Fig. la illustrates an environment where the goods are placed in a trunk of the vehicle 101. Whereas Fig. lb illustrates another environment where the goods may be placed on a passenger seat or a rear seat of the vehicle 101 as shown in Fig. lb. A person skilled in the art may appreciate that the goods may be placed anywhere in the vehicle 101 25 and not limited to the scenarios shown in Figs, la-lb. In an exemplary embodiment, the one or more goods 103 may comprise, but not limited to, grocery items, computing devices, automotive parts, cosmetics, etc.,

[0029] Each container of the one or more goods 103 may comprise but not limited to a barcode 105. The barcode 105 may comprise goods related data such as a type of goods, 30 brand associated with the goods, quantity of the goods, and number of items of goods inside the container. In a non-limiting embodiment, the barcode 105 may comprise, but not limited to, a source location of the goods and a destination location of the goods etc. It may be well appreciated to a person skilled in the art that the barcode 105 may include any number of information and cannot be taken into limiting sense. Although Figs, la-lb illustrates a 35 barcode 105 for providing the afore-mentioned goods related data, any suitable means may be used to provide the goods related data. In one embodiment, the barcode 105 may be automatically scanned using a barcode scanner sensor, or hand-held barcode scanner, a 31 01 25 Radio Frequency (RF) scanner or any user device associated with the user of the vehicle 101. In another embodiment, the barcode 105 may be scanned using a camera 107 (e.g., Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) camera) which may be coupled to Electronic Control Unit (ECU) 203 of the vehicle 101. In another embodiment, the barcode 105 may 5 be scanned using any computing device such as mobile device, Personal Computer (PC), tablet, etc., capable of capturing or scanning the information of the one or more goods 103.

[0030] In one embodiment, the barcode 105 may be scanned automatically with the help of the sensor or camera placed in the vehicle 101. In another embodiment, if the sensor or camera fails to identify the barcode 105 of the goods or misses the scanning of the barcode 10 105, then the user may manually feed the information in an Application Programming Interface (API) of the vehicle or the disclosed system. In one embodiment, the barcode 105 may be scanned while the user inserts the goods in the vehicle 101. In an exemplary embodiment, the barcode 105 may be scanned once the goods are placed in the vehicle 101. Upon completion of the scanning, the goods related data is transmitted to the ECU 203 of 15 the vehicle 101, or the user may directly transmit the goods related data to the system via a communication network for further processing.

[0031] Fig. 1c illustrates an exemplary environment of a display displaying scanned results 103 of the one or more goods to a user of the vehicle 101, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In a non-limiting embodiment, the display 109 may 20 be a Head Unit Display (HUD) installed in a dashboard between the driver’s seat and the passenger’s seats that displays integrated information. In another non-limiting embodiment, the display 109 may include, but not limited to, Thin-Film Transistor-Liquid Crystal display (TFT-LCD), Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) display, microLED, and Light field displays, etc. In one embodiment, the goods related data may be displayed 25 on the display 109 of the vehicle 101 upon completion of the scanning. The user may feed navigation information or travel related data such as a source location and a destination location to which the user is travelling by the vehicle 101. The travel related data may be sent to the system to provide the travel assistance to the user during the cross-border vehicle operations. A detailed explanation of providing the travel assistance to the user is described 30 in forthcoming paragraphs.

[0032] Fig. 2 shows an exemplary networked vehicle environment for providing travel assistance during cross border vehicle operations, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The environment depicts a system 201 which interacts with a vehicle 101 via a communication network 207. The vehicle 101 may comprise, but not limited to, 35 one or more sensors 107, an ECU (an Electric control unit or a microcontroller) 203, and a memory 205 which may be communicatively coupled to each other. As described earlier, the one or more sensors 107 may be placed or installed in the vehicle 101 in such a manner 31 01 25 that they may scan the barcode 105 for accessing the goods related data. Once the scanning is completed, the one or more sensors 107 may transmit the goods related data to the ECU 203. Thereafter, the ECU 203 may be configured to obtain the goods related data from the one or more sensors 107 to further transmit to the system. Subsequently, the user of the 5 vehicle 101 may feed navigation information or travel related data on a display of the vehicle 101. The travel related data may comprise a source location and a destination location to which the user is travelling by the vehicle 101. In some embodiments, the memory 205 may be configured to store the goods related and the travel related data. The ECU 203 may fetch the goods related data and travel 10 related data from the memory 205 to transmit the goods related data and travel related data to the system 201. Thereafter, the ECU 203 may be configured to transmit or send the goods related data and the travel related data to the system 201 for providing travel assistance during cross-border vehicle operations. In an embodiment, the system 201 may be a cloud system or server system which communicates with the vehicle 101 or ECU 203 of the 15 vehicle 101 to obtain goods related data, travel related data, and the like. The system 201 may process and store the goods related data and travel related data for use in other operations performed by the system and / or other computing system (described in Fig. 3). In one embodiment, the system 201 may be the server system acting as a single computing device or may include a plurality of different computing devices. The computing devices 20 may be physically or logically grouped together to operate as a server system. In a nonlimiting embodiment, the memory 205 may be configured to store the plurality of regulatory information which may be shared for Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications for performing the compliance checks when one or more vehicles are approaching a common checkpoint. The system may receive the regulatory information 25 associated with a corresponding checkpoint from a server storing the real-time, updated regulatory information either in advance or upon nearing a checkpoint.

[0033]

[0034] In an embodiment, the communication network 207 may comprise, but not limited to, any wired network, wireless network, or combination thereof. In an exemplary 30 embodiment, the communication network 207 may be a personal area network (PAN), a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), an over-the-air network, a cable network, a satellite network, a cellular telephone network, or a combination thereof. The communication may be sent and / or received between the vehicle 101 and the system 201 via the communication network 207. A detailed description of the system 201 is provided 35 in forthcoming paragraphs.

[0035] Fig. 3 shows a detailed diagram of a system 301 (also referred as 201 in Fig. 2) for providing travel assistance during cross-border vehicle operations, in accordance with an 31 01 25 embodiment of the present disclosure. The description of Fig. 3 is provided in conjunction with Figs. 1-2 for ease of understanding. As mentioned earlier, the system 301 may be the server system acting as a single computing device or a plurality of different computing devices for providing travel assistance during cross border vehicle operations. The system 5 301 may comprise, but not limited to, a processor 303, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) model 305, an Input / Output (I / O) interface 307, one or more modules 309, and a memory 311. In some implementations, the system 301 may include a navigation module (not shown in this fig.). In some embodiments, the system 301 may comprise other components to implement desired functions of the present disclosure. In a non-limiting embodiment, the system 301 10 may be configured internally within the vehicle 101. In one implementation, the processor 303 may be configured to implement the functionality of the system 301. In another implementation, the one or more modules 309 may be configured to implement the functionality of the system 301. In some embodiments, the processor 303 may be communicatively coupled to the AI model 305, I / O interface 307, one or more modules 15 309, and the memory 311 for implementing the functions of the system 301. The system 301 may be configured to provide the travel assistance to the user upon receiving the goods related data and the travel related data from the vehicle 101.

[0036] In one implementation, the ECU 203, the processor 303, the AI model 305, and one or more modules 309 may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, 20 microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, state machines, logic circuitries, and / or any devices that manipulate signals based on operational instructions. In one embodiment, the ECU 203 and the processor 303 may be configured as a standalone processing unit or combination of one or more processors for implementing the techniques disclosed in the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the ECU 203 and 25 the processor 303 may be implemented through software or hardware or a suitable combination of software and hardware as per the implementation requirements of the present disclosure. Among other capabilities, the ECU 203 and the processor 303 may be configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions and other information stored in the memory 205 and the memory 311 respectively. 30

[0037] In an exemplary embodiment, the AI model 305 may be stored in the memory 311 and the processor 303 may fetch the instructions from the memory 311 to perform the desired functions. In a non-limiting embodiment, the AI model 305 may be any suitable machine learning model capable of comparing the scanned goods related data or user provided goods related data with the stored regulatory information. The AI model 305 may 35 find difference between the scanned goods related data and the stored regulatory information and may calculate the duty or payment amount to be paid for the difference. In alternative embodiment, the AI model 305 may suggest discarding the non-permissible 31 01 25 goods. In some embodiments, the AI model 305 may be validated with respect to actual scenarios i.e., testing language model, associated fines and quantity checks of the goods. In a non-limiting embodiment, the operation performed by the AI model 305 may be performed by a microcontroller following a rule-based approach for performing the 5 compliance checks. As an example, the microcontroller may be configured to establish communication with the regulatory authority for providing the plurality of regulatory information (with the help of language translator if required) upon identification of the approaching checkpoint. Thereafter, the microcontroller may be configured to identify the goods related data placed in the vehicle and compare the goods related data with the 10 regulatory information. Based on the comparison, the microcontroller may be configured to provide the travel assistance information to the user on the display / user interface or the API according to the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0038] In one implementation, the I / O interface 307 may be any hardware component which may allow the system 301 to communicate with external devices such as peripherals 15 and other computers. In some embodiments, the I / O interface 307 facilitates exchanges of data such as goods related data, travel related data, etc. between the vehicle 101 and the system 301. In some embodiments, the one or more modules 309 may comprise, but not limited to, a receiving module 313, a performing module 315, a providing module 317, and other modules 319. It may be well appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the one or 20 more modules 309 may include additional modules to implement desired functions of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the one or more modules 309 may be implemented through software or hardware or a suitable combination of software and hardware as per the implementation requirements of the present disclosure. It shall be appreciated that such the modules 313-319 may be represented as a single module or a 25 combination of different modules 309.

[0039] In some implementations, the memory 205 and the memory 311 may be an external memory chip or an inbuilt Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM) memory of the vehicle 101 and the system 301 respectively. In an embodiment, the memory 205 and the memory 311 may be a computer-readable medium known in the 30 art including, for example, volatile memory, such as static random-access memory (SRAM) and dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), and / or synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) and / or non-volatile memory, such as read only memory (ROM), erasable programmable ROM, flash memories, hard disks, optical disks, and magnetic tapes. In some implementations, the memory 205 and the memory 311 may be 35 configured to store data which may comprise, but not limited to, goods related data, travel related data. The memory 311 may additionally comprise a plurality of regulatory information, or any other data 323 in the form of various data structures. Additionally, the 31 01 25 data may be organized using data models, such as relational or hierarchical data models. In one embodiment, the plurality of regulatory information may comprise customs duty regulations for all the state or national or international borders, etc. In another embodiment, the plurality of regulatory information may include rules and regulations such as the type 5 of goods allowable across all the state or national or international borders. In an exemplary embodiment, the plurality of regulatory information may include rules and regulations such as permissible limit of the goods of all the state or national or internation borders. It may be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the plurality of regulatory information may comprise any other information associated with custom duty / import duty for carrying the 10 goods while driving across the borders. In certain embodiments, the system 301 may periodically verify the accuracy of the plurality of regulatory information and initiate an update of the plurality of regulatory information in the event of a detected discrepancy. In some embodiments, the memory 311 may be communicatively coupled to the processor 303 and the one or more modules 309 and may be configured to store various data 15 processed by the processor 303 and the one or more modules 309.

[0040] In some embodiments, the navigation module may assist in location-based services. For instance, the navigation module may assist the user to reach the destination location by providing maps and / navigation instructions to applications running on the user device. In some embodiments, the navigation module may also communicate with an 20 application running on the user device during the travel to obtain the location information from the user device (e.g., Global Positioning System (GPS) component coupled to and / or embedded in the user device). Thus, the system 301 may track the real-time location information of the user from the application running on the user device. In some embodiments, the navigation module may assist in invoking the API and corresponding 25 notification for the proposed cross-border travel assistance.

[0041] In accordance with the present disclosure, the processor 303 may be configured to collect or obtain a plurality of regulatory information associated with custom duty / regulations from various Government Regulatory Board or Authorities of state or national or international borders. The plurality of regulatory information data may be stored in the 30 memory 311 for use by the processor 303 for further processing. It may be well appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the regulatory information for the state or national or internation borders may be available in their language of origin. Accordingly in one implementation, the vehicle 101 may additionally comprise a data translation tool which may be configured to translate the regulatory information to any language which may be 35 understood by the user of the vehicle 101. In some embodiments, the user may select the language based on his / her preference from a drop-down list and the results (i.e., the travel assistance information) may be displayed to the user based on the selected language. In 31 01 25 another implementation, the data translation tool may reside in the system 301 and the facility of providing the language translation may be provided by the system 301.

[0042] After collecting the plurality of the regulatory information from various Government authorities, the plurality of regulatory information may be segregated and 5 classified based on regions, goods, and associated regulations. It may be well noted by a person skilled in the art that the plurality of regulatory information may be updated from time to time upon receiving updates regarding the custom regulations, import duty, and the associated payable amounts from various regions. Thereafter, the AI model 305 may be trained for the custom regulations, import duty and the associated payable amounts (i.e., 10 fine or penalty) for various regions. Once the AI model 305 is trained, the AI model 305 is deployed on the system 301 for providing the travel assistance during cross border vehicle operations.

[0043] In accordance with the present disclosure, the processor 303 may be configured to receive the goods related data and the travel related data from the user of the vehicle 101. 15 In one embodiment, the goods related data may be received by automatically scanning the goods by one or more sensors 107 installed in the vehicle 101. The goods related data may be received while placing the goods in the vehicle 101. Alternatively, as described above, the user may manually feed the goods related data into the vehicle 101, or any computing device if the sensor or camera is unable to identify the goods as described earlier. The goods 20 related data may comprise, but not limited to, a type of the one or more goods 103 and a quantity of the one or more goods 103 placed in the vehicle 101. Once the one or more goods are placed in the vehicle 101, the user may be required to feed the travel related data into the vehicle 101 or through his / / her computing device connected with the vehicle 101. The travel related may comprise the source location and the destination location to which 25 the user is travelling by the vehicle 101. In some embodiments, the processor 303 may be configured to determine whether the route requires change in region (i.e., state or country) based on the destination location. If it is determined that no change is required, then the user may proceed to drive the vehicle 101 towards the destination location. This scenario may be applicable in circumstances where the user may be aware of the custom regulations 30 of the plurality of checkpoints falling in his journey. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is change in the region, then the user may proceed to scan the goods placed in the vehicle 101. In a non-limiting embodiment, a change in the destination location during transit may result in the execution of the entire disclosed technique for the newly specified destination. 35

[0044] In some embodiments, the processor 303 may be configured to display the scanned goods and may prompt the user to determine whether the scanned goods are accurate or not. If the scanned goods are inaccurate, then the processor 303 may be configured to 31 01 25 prompt the user to feed the goods related data manually on the display 109 or the screen of the vehicle 101. In some embodiments, the processor 303 may be configured to determine one or more routes based on the source location and the destination location. Each route may comprise the plurality of checkpoints having the corresponding plurality of regulatory 5 information. The one or more routes may be displayed to the user for his selection. Thereafter, the processor 303 may be configured to receive a route among the one or more routes which is selected by the user.

[0045] Upon receiving the goods related data and the travel related data, the processor 303 may be configured to perform a compliance check of the goods related data vis-a-vis the 10 plurality of regulatory information associated with a plurality of checkpoints (i.e., borders). The plurality of checkpoints may be of the national country or the international country across the route through which the user is travelling. In some embodiments, the processor 303 may be configured to perform the compliance check of the goods related data vis-a-vis the plurality of regulatory information associated with the plurality of checkpoints 15 associated with the selected route. For performing the compliance check, the processor 303 may be configured to compare the type of the one or more goods 103 with the plurality of regulatory information associated with the corresponding plurality of checkpoints. Also, the processor 303 may be configured to compare the type of goods with the regulatory information using the AI model 305 which is trained with the plurality of regulatory 20 information of all the state or national or internation borders. Based on comparing, the processor 303 may be configured to determine whether the type of the one or more goods 103 is allowable at each of the plurality of checkpoints. Additionally, the processor 303 may be configured to determine whether the quantity of the one or more goods 103 is within the permissible limit of each of the plurality of checkpoints based on the comparison. 25

[0046] Once the compliance check is performed, the processor 303 may be configured to provide travel assistance information to the user based on the compliance check. The travel assistance information may be provided on the display 109 of the vehicle or any user device associated with the user of the vehicle. For providing the travel assistance information to the user, the processor 303 may be configured to classify the one or more goods 103 into 30 at least one of allowable goods and non-allowable goods based on the type of the one or more goods 103. Further, the processor 303 may be configured to classify the one or more goods 103 into at least one of within-permissible limit goods and beyond-permissible limit goods based on the quantity of the one or more goods 103.

[0047] Based on the classifying, the processor 303 may be configured to display a 35 notification message to the user. In an embodiment, the notification message may comprise an allowable notification message corresponding to the allowable goods. In another embodiment, the notification message may comprise non-allowable notification message 31 01 25 corresponding to the non-allowable goods. In a non-limiting embodiment, the notification message may comprise a within-permissible limit notification message corresponding to the within-permissible limit goods. In another non-limiting embodiment, the notification message may comprise a beyond-permissible limit notification message corresponding to 5 the beyond-permissible limit goods.

[0048] The non-allowable notification message may comprise information related to the non-allowability of the non-allowable goods at one or more checkpoints of the plurality of checkpoints. For example, the non-allowable notification message may be provided in a text format listing all the non-allowable goods at the upcoming checkpoints of the selected 10 route while the vehicle is approaching that checkpoint. Similarly, the non-allowable notification message may comprise information pertaining to discarding of the non-allowable goods prior to reaching at the one or more checkpoints. Further, the beyond-permissible limit notification message may comprise information pertaining to the one or more checkpoints at which the one or more goods 103 are going beyond the permissible 15 limit. For example, the message will list all the goods which are allowable, however not within the permissible limit. Further, the beyond-permissible limit notification message may comprise information pertaining to either discarding the beyond-permissible limit goods or altering the beyond-permissible limit goods to bring them within the permissible limit prior to reaching at the one or more checkpoints. Hence, the system 301 provides an 20 option for the user to reduce the amount of the beyond-permissible limit goods so that they can comply with the regulatory requirements. Further, the beyond-permissible limit notification message may comprise information pertaining to one or more payable amounts (i.e., fine or penalty), for carrying the beyond-permissible limit goods, corresponding to the one or more one or more checkpoints. As an example, the one or more payable amount 25 may correspond to a total amount to be paid in respect of the goods going beyond the permissible limit.

[0049] For making the payment for the beyond-permissible limit goods, the processor 303 may be configured to transmit a payment link associated with the one or more payable amounts to the user device or on the dashboard / display 109 of the vehicle 101. After the 30 payment related to the one or more payable amounts is made by the user, the processor 303 may be configured to display 109 a payment notification message related to successful completion of the one or more payable amounts for carrying the beyond-permissible goods corresponding to the one or more checkpoints. The user may show the payment notification message (which is just one click away) to the concerned authorities at the checkpoints and 35 may be allowed to cross the border with the goods carried in the vehicle 101 without any further inconvenience. 31 01 25

[0050] In some embodiments, if the user does not take any action and continues with the non-allowable goods and the beyond permissible limit goods, then the processor 303 may be configured to provide a warning message to the user before a predefined distance of the one or more checkpoints. In certain embodiments, the warning message may be provided 5 as a text alert, an audio alert, video alert, or any other appropriate form of notification. Thus, with the help of the travel assistance information, the user is made aware of the permissibility of carrying the one or more goods 103 from the source location to the destination location.

[0051] In a non-limiting example, assuming the goods related data may include Brand A 10 “Alcohol”, with “5” items, each containing 750ml. This information may be scanned and provided to the user on the display 109 of the vehicle 101. Further, the travel related data may include a source location as France, a destination location as Germany and one of the passing points between France and Germany may be Switzerland. In this scenario, based on the custom regulations / regulatory information of Switzerland, it is determined whether 15 the Brand A “Alcohol” is allowed or not in France, Switzerland, and Germany. In case the Brand A “Alcohol” is not allowed, then the user must discard it before reaching the checkpoint. On the other hand, if the Brand A “Alcohol” is allowed, then the further determination is made whether the quantity of the Brand A “Alcohol” falls within the permissible limit that is allowed in France, Switzerland, and Germany. If the quantity of 20 the Brand A “Alcohol” is within the permissible limit of said countries, then the user is allowed to carry the alcohol, and he / she may proceed towards his destination. In the present example, if the permissible limit for carrying the alcohol in France is 5 L, the permissible limit for carrying the alcohol in Switzerland is 4L, and the permissible limit for carrying the alcohol in Germany is 5L. Then, there is no payable amount to be paid at respective 25 checkpoints (could be national or international borders) because the quantity of Alcohol is within the permissible limit of all the 3 countries. Alternatively, if the quantity of the alcohol exceeds the permissible limit, then the user has two options: either he has to discard the one or more bottles of alcohol by making some alterations in the quantity or he / she has to make a payment i.e., fine or penalty for the exceeded quantity of alcohol. The user will 30 be provided with a secured payment link in the API comprising the total amount to be paid for the exceeding quantity of alcohol. Once the payment is made, the user may show the successful status of the payment at the checkpoint, and he may proceed towards his destination hassle free.

[0052] In another non-limiting example, consider goods data related to Brand B "Meat" 35 with a total of ‘6’ items, each weighing 1 kg. This information may be scanned and displayed on the display 109 of the vehicle. The travel data may include a source location in France, a destination in Germany, and one of the passing points between France and 31 01 25 Germany may be Switzerland. Based on the customs regulations of France, Switzerland, and Germany, it is determined whether the Brand B “Meat” is allowed in these countries. If not allowed, the user must discard the meat before reaching the checkpoint. If allowed, a further check determines whether the quantity falls within the permissible limits of each 5 country. For instance, the permissible limit is 5 kg in France, 10 kg in Switzerland, and 1 kg in Germany. If the quantity is within these limits, the user may carry the meat and proceed toward the destination. In the present example, since the user is carrying ‘6’ goods, each weighing 1 kg, resulting in a total of 6 kg of meat. As the quantity exceeds the allowable limit by 1 kg for crossing the France border and by 1 kg for crossing the Germany 10 border, the duty or payable amount 'X' is required to be paid for the excess quantity of meat. The user will be provided with a secured payment link comprising the total amount ‘X’ to be paid for the excess quantity of Meat. Once the payment is made, the user may present the successful payment confirmation at the checkpoints of France, Switzerland, and the Germany, allowing for hassle-free continuation toward the destination. 15

[0053] This way, the present disclosure enables accurate and efficient processing of goods at border checkpoints by managing real-time calculations of customs duties, import taxes, and associated fees of goods. Further, automated pre-clearance and duty estimation processes facilitate faster clearance times, reducing delays and waiting periods at borders. This ensures a more efficient, accurate, and reliable cross-border goods transportation 20 experience. Additionally, the disclosure enhances compliance and transparency with both national and international trade regulations.

[0054] Fig. 4 depicts a method 400 of providing travel assistance during cross-border vehicle operations, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The description of Fig. 4 is provided in conjunction with Figs. 1-3 for clarity purposes. The 25 method 400 may be described in the general context of computer executable instructions. Generally, computer executable instructions may include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, procedures, modules, and functions, which perform specific functions or implement specific abstract data types.

[0055] The order in which the method 400 is described is not intended to be construed as 30 a limitation, and any number of the described method blocks may be combined in any order to implement the method. Additionally, individual blocks may be deleted from the methods without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter described. Further, it may be noted that the method 400 may be performed by a processor 303 or any of the modules 309 of the system 301, as shown in Fig. 3. 35

[0056] At block 401, the method 400 may comprise receiving goods related data and travel related data from a user of the vehicle 101. The goods related data may comprise a type and a quantity of one or more goods 103 placed within the vehicle 101. Further, the travel 31 01 25 related data may comprise a source location and destination location to which the user is travelling by the vehicle 101. In some embodiments, the method may comprise determining one or more routes based on the source location and the destination location. The one or more routes may be displayed to the user for user selection where each route may comprise 5 the plurality of checkpoints having the corresponding plurality of regulatory information. Thereafter, the method may comprise receiving a route among the one or more routes which may be selected by the user. In some embodiments, the method may comprise tracking real-time location information of the vehicle 101 vis-a-vis the plurality of checkpoints for providing the travel assistance information. The travel assistance information may be 10 provided to the user before a predefined distance while the vehicle 101 is approaching the plurality of checkpoints. In an embodiment, the goods related may be received by scanning the one or more goods 103 while placing them in the vehicle 101. If the goods related data is not identified while scanning the goods or the sensors 107 or camera missed the scanning of the goods related data, then the user may manually feed the goods related data on display 15 109 of the vehicle 101. The method at block 401 may be performed by the processor 303 or the receiving module 313.

[0057] At block 403, the method 400 may comprise performing a compliance check of the goods related data vis-a-vis a plurality of regulatory information associated with a plurality of checkpoints between the source location and the destination location. In some 20 embodiments, for performing the compliance check of the goods related data, the method may comprise steps of comparing the type and the quantity of the one or more goods 103 vis-a-vis the plurality of regulatory information associated with the corresponding plurality of checkpoints. In another embodiment, the method may comprise steps of performing compliance check of the goods related data vis-a-vis the plurality of regulatory information 25 associated with the plurality of check points of the selected route for providing the travel assistance information. Based on the comparing, the method may further determine whether the type of the one or more goods 103 is allowable at each of the plurality of checkpoints. Additionally, the method may determine whether the quantity of the one or more goods 103 is within a permissible limit of each of the plurality of checkpoints. The 30 method at block 403 may be performed by the processor 303 or the performing module 315. At block 405, the method may comprise providing travel assistance information to the user based on the compliance check such that the user is made aware of the permissibility of carrying the one or more goods 103 from the source location to the destination location. The method at block 405 may be performed by the processor 303 or the providing module 35 317. In order to provide the travel assistance information to the user based on the compliance check, the method may further classify the one or more goods 103 into at least one of allowable goods and non-allowable goods based on the type of the one or more 31 01 25 goods 103. Thereafter, the method may comprise steps of classifying the one or more goods 103 into at least one of within-permissible limit goods and beyond-permissible limit goods based on the quantity of the one or more goods 103. Post classification, the method may comprise displaying a notification message to the user. In an embodiment, the notification 5 message may comprise an allowable notification message corresponding to the allowable goods. In another embodiment, the notification message may comprise non-allowable notification message corresponding to the non-allowable goods. In a non-limiting embodiment, the notification message may comprise a within-permissible limit notification message corresponding to the within-permissible limit goods. In another non-limiting 10 embodiment, the notification message may comprise a beyond-permissible limit notification message corresponding to the beyond-permissible limit goods. In some embodiments, the non-allowable notification message may comprise information pertaining to the non-allowability of the non-allowable goods at one or more checkpoints of the plurality of checkpoints. Additionally, the non-allowable notification message may 15 comprise information pertaining to discarding of the non-allowable goods prior to reaching at the one or more checkpoints. In some embodiments, the beyond-permissible limit notification message may comprise information pertaining to the one or more checkpoints at which the one or more goods 103 are going beyond the permissible limit. Further, the beyond-permissible limit notification message may comprise information pertaining to 20 either discarding the beyond-permissible limit goods or altering the beyond-permissible limit goods to bring them within the permissible limit prior to reaching at the one or more checkpoints. In one embodiment, the beyond-permissible limit notification message may comprise information pertaining to one or more payable amounts, for carrying the beyond-permissible limit goods, corresponding to the one or more one or more checkpoints. 25

[0058] After the payment related to the one or more payable amounts is made by the user, the method may comprise steps of displaying a payment notification message related to successful completion of the payable amounts for carrying the beyond-permissible goods corresponding to the one or more checkpoints. The user may show the payment notification message to concerned authorities at the checkpoints and may be allowed to cross the border 30 with the goods carried in the vehicle 101.

[0059] Fig. 5 illustrates an exemplary method 500 for providing travel assistance during cross-border vehicle operations, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method begins at block 501, wherein the user places goods inside the vehicle 101. At block 503, the method may comprise step where the user inputs travel-35 related data, such as the source location and destination, into a navigation system. Subsequently, at block 505, the travel-related data and goods-related data may be transmitted to the server, and retrieve regulatory information for checkpoints that will be 31 01 25 encountered while enroute to the destination location, activating the proposed AI model. At block 507, the method may determine whether there is a change in the route between the source location and the destination location. If no route change is detected, the user proceeds directly toward the destination location, as indicated at block 511. Alternatively, 5 if a route change is determined, then the method determines updated list of checkpoints that will be encountered while enroute to the destination location and their corresponding regulatory information. At block 513, the method evaluates whether the scanned goods are accurate in terms of type and quantity. If inaccuracies are determined, the user is prompted to re-enter the goods-related data at block 515. The method at block 517 may compare 10 goods-related data with stored, or obtained in real-time upon nearing a checkpoint, regulatory information using an AI algorithm. At block 519, the method may determine whether the types of goods comply with the regulatory requirements of checkpoints along the route. If the goods are non-allowable goods, the method at block 521 may prompt the user to discard the non-allowable goods with reasoning for the discard action. If the goods 15 are allowable goods complying with regulatory requirements, the method at block 523 may proceed to determine whether the quantity of goods is within-permissible limit goods. If the quantity of goods is within-permissible limit goods, the method may notify the user to proceed toward the destination, as shown at block 525. If the quantity of goods exceeds the beyond-permissible limit goods, the method may calculate the excess amount to be paid, 20 as indicated at block 527, and prompts the user to make the payment at block 529. Upon successful payment, the method may generate a notification confirming the transaction at block 531, which the user may display to authorities at the one or more checkpoints. The user may then continue toward the destination location, as shown in block 525.

[0060] A description of an embodiment with several components in communication with 25 each other does not imply that all such components are required. On the contrary, a variety of optional components are described to illustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the disclosure. When a single device or article is described herein, it will be clear that more than one device / article (whether they cooperate) may be used in place of a single device / article. Similarly, where more than one device or article is described herein (whether 30 they cooperate), it will be clear that a single device / article may be used in place of the more than one device or article or a different number of devices / articles may be used instead of the shown number of devices or programs. The functionality and / or the features of a device may be alternatively embodied by one or more other devices which are not explicitly described as having such functionality / features. Thus, other embodiments of the disclosure 35 need not include the device itself. Finally, the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. It is therefore intended that the scope of the disclosure be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on an application based here on. Accordingly, the embodiments of the present disclosure are intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the disclosure, which is set forth in the following claims. While various aspects and 5 embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.

[0061] Reference Numerals: 31 01 25 Reference Numeral Description 101 Vehicle 103 Goods 105 Barcode 107 One or more sensors 109 Display 200 Exemplary environment 201,301 System 203 Electronic Control Unit (ECU) 205 Memory 207 Communication network 303 Processor 305 AI model 307 I / O interface 309 Modules 311 Memory 313 Receiving module 315 Performing module 317 Providing module 319 Other modules 321 Regulatory information 323 Other data 400, 500 Method flowcharts 401-405 Method steps 501-531 Method steps 31 01 25

[0062] Claims:

Claims

Claims:WE CLAIM:

1. A method of providing travel assistance during cross-border vehicle operations, the5 method comprising:detecting a barcode of the one or more goods (103) placed within the vehicle and providing corresponding scanned data to a processor (305) for generating at least part of the goods related data by at least one vehicle sensor (107) coupled to the processor (305);receiving goods related data and travel related data from a user of the vehicle by 10 the processor (305) coupled to a memory (311), wherein the goods related data comprises a type and a quantity of one or more goods placed within the vehicle, and wherein the travel related data comprises a source location and a destination location to which the user is travelling by the vehicle;performing a compliance check of the goods related data vis-a-vis a plurality of 15 regulatory information associated with a plurality of checkpoints between the source location and a destination location by the processor (305); andproviding travel assistance information to the user based on the compliance check such that the user is aware of permissibility of carrying the one or more goods from the source location to the destination location by the processor (305).

202. The method of claim 1, wherein the goods related data is received by at least one of:Scanning by a vehicle camera while placing the one or more goods in the vehicle; and25 receiving user input pertaining to the goods related data from the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the compliance check of the goods related data further comprises:receiving the regulatory information associated with a corresponding checkpoint 30 from a server;comparing the type and the quantity of the one or more goods vis-a-vis the plurality of regulatory information associated with the corresponding plurality of checkpoints;based on the comparison,determining whether the type of the one or more goods is allowable at each35 of the plurality of checkpoints; anddetermining whether the quantity of the one or more goods is within a permissible limit of each of the plurality of checkpoints.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the travel assistance information to the user based on the compliance check comprises:classifying the one or more goods into at least one of allowable goods and nonallowable goods based on the type of the one or more goods;5 classifying the one or more goods into at least one of within-permissible limitgoods and beyond-permissible limit goods based on the quantity of the one or more goods vis-a-vis the plurality of regulatory information associated with the corresponding plurality of checkpoints; anddisplaying, based on the classifying, on a display of the vehicle or user interface or 10 user device of the user,an allowable notification message corresponding to the allowable goods,a non-allowable notification message corresponding to the non-allowable goods,a within-permissible limit notification message corresponding to the15 within-permissible limit goods, anda beyond-permissible limit notification message corresponding to the beyond-permissible limit goods, andwherein the non-allowable notification message comprises:information pertaining to the non-allowability of the non-20 allowable goods at one or more checkpoints of the plurality of checkpoints,andinformation pertaining to discarding the non-allowable goods prior to reaching at the one or more checkpoints; andwherein the beyond-permissible limit notification message comprises:25 information pertaining to the one or more checkpoints, of theplurality of checkpoints, at which the one or more goods are going beyond the permissible limit vis-a-vis the regulatory information,information pertaining to either discarding the beyond-permissible limit goods or altering the beyond-permissible limit goods to bring them30 within the permissible limit prior to reaching at the one or morecheckpoints, andinformation pertaining to one or more payable amounts, for carrying the beyond-permissible limit goods, corresponding to the one or more checkpoints.

355. The method of claim 4, displaying a payment notification message related to successful completion of the one or more payment amounts, for carrying the beyond-permissible limit goods corresponding to the one or more checkpoints.5 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:determining one or more routes based on the source location and the destination location, wherein the one or more routes are displayed to the user for user selection, and wherein each route comprises the plurality of checkpoints having the corresponding plurality of regulatory information;10 receiving a route, among the one or more routes, selected by the user; andperforming the compliance check of the goods related data vis-a-vis the plurality of regulatory information associated with the plurality of checkpoints of the selected route for providing the travel assistance information.LO CXI15 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking real-time location informationof the vehicle vis-a-vis the plurality of checkpoints for providing the travel assistance information such that the travel assistance information is provided to the user before a predefined distance while the vehicle is approaching towards the plurality of checkpoints.20 8. A system for providing travel assistance during cross-border vehicle operations,comprising:a memory (311); anda processor (305) communicatively coupled to the memory (311) and to at least one vehicle sensor (107) configured to automatically scan a barcode of the one or more25 goods placed within the vehicle and to provide corresponding scanned data to the processor (305) for generating at least part of the goods related data, wherein the processor (305) is configured to:receive goods related data and travel related data from a user of the vehicle in a user interface, wherein the goods related data comprises a type and a quantity30 of one or more goods placed within the vehicle, and wherein the travel related datacomprises a source location and a destination location to which the user is travelling by the vehicle;perform a compliance check of the goods related data vis-a-vis a plurality of regulatory information associated with a plurality of checkpoints between the35 source location and the destination location; andprovide travel assistance information to the user based on the compliance check such that the user is aware of the permissibility of carrying the one or more goods from the source location to the destination location.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein to perform the compliance check of the goods related data, the processor (305) is further configured to:compare the type and the quantity of the one or more goods vis-a-vis the plurality 5 of regulatory information associated with the corresponding plurality of checkpoints;based on the comparing,determine whether the type of the one or more goods is allowable at each of the plurality of checkpoints; anddetermine whether the quantity of the one or more goods is within a 10 permissible limit of each of the plurality of checkpoints.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein to provide the travel assistance information to the user interface based on the compliance check, the processor (305) is further configured to: classify the one or more goods into at least one of allowable goods and non-15 allowable goods based on the type of the one or more goods;classify the one or more goods into at least one of within-permissible limit goods and beyond-permissible limit goods based on the quantity of the one or more goods;display, based on the classifying, on the user interface or user device of the user, an allowable notification message corresponding to the allowable goods, 20 a non-allowable notification message corresponding to the non-allowablegoods,a within-permissible limit notification message corresponding to the within-permissible limit goods, anda beyond-permissible limit notification message corresponding to the 25 beyond-permissible limit goods, andwherein the non-allowable notification message comprises:information pertaining to the non-allowability of the non-allowable goods at one or more checkpoints of the plurality of checkpoints, andinformation pertaining to discarding the non-allowable goods prior to 30 reaching at the one or more checkpoints; andwherein the beyond-permissible limit notification message comprises:information pertaining to the one or more checkpoints, of the plurality of checkpoints, at which the one or more goods are going beyond the permissible limit,35 information pertaining to either discarding the beyond-permissible limitgoods or altering the beyond-permissible limit goods to bring them within the permissible limit prior to reaching at the one or more checkpoints, andinformation pertaining to one or more payable amounts, for carrying the beyond-permissible limit goods, corresponding to the one or more one or more checkpoints.19 11 25T +44(0)30 0300 2000A

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