Refined total variation bounds in the multivariate and compound Poisson approximation

We consider the approximation of a convolution of possibly different probability measures by (compound) Poisson distributions and also by related signed measures of higher order. We present new total variation bounds having a better structure than those from the literature. A numerical example illustrates the usefulness of the bounds, and an application in the Poisson process approximation is given. The proofs use arguments from Kerstan (Z. Wahrscheinlichkeitstheorie und Verw. Gebiete 2 (1964) 173-179) and Roos (J. Multivariate Anal. 69 (1999) 120-134) in combination with new smoothness inequalities, which could be of independent interest.