Supply chain architecture
First Claim
1. A method for processing customer demands for products in a supply chain network, the method comprising:
- receiving forecasted demands from a plurality of customers;
accumulating the forecasted demands thereby producing an accumulated forecast;
sending the accumulated forecast to at least one supplier;
sending products corresponding to the accumulated forecast from the at least one supplier to a cross-dock point;
assembling the products at the cross-dock point based upon particular customers who produced the forecasted demands; and
sending corresponding products to the particular customers who produced the forecasted demands.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A supply chain network where customers, suppliers, logistics providers, carriers, and financial institutions are all connected to a centralized supply chain server. The server receives forecasts from the customers detailing the orders that the customers desire. These forecasts are analyzed by the supply chain server to ensure that they conform to contractual agreements and do not contain errors. The forecasts are also used to warn the suppliers of future demands so that the suppliers can anticipate demands and plan inventory accordingly. The supply chain server checks with the suppliers to determine whether the forecasts can fulfilled by the suppliers. If the forecasts cannot be fulfilled by the suppliers, the supply chain server contacts customers and suppliers and attempts to either redistribute the customers'"'"' demands to different suppliers or request that customers alter their demands. Once supplier demand issues are resolved, the forecasts are sent to the suppliers in groups so that the suppliers need to prepare a smaller number of large orders. The supply chain server also controls the processes involved in distributing the product from the suppliers to the customers including the generation and payment of invoices. A form of financing the customers'"'"' purchases, made possible by the novel supply chain architecture, is also disclosed.
65 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for processing customer demands for products in a supply chain network, the method comprising:
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receiving forecasted demands from a plurality of customers;
accumulating the forecasted demands thereby producing an accumulated forecast;
sending the accumulated forecast to at least one supplier;
sending products corresponding to the accumulated forecast from the at least one supplier to a cross-dock point;
assembling the products at the cross-dock point based upon particular customers who produced the forecasted demands; and
sending corresponding products to the particular customers who produced the forecasted demands. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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16. A method for processing customer demands received in a supply chain network, the method comprising:
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receiving forecasted demands from a plurality of customers by a supply chain server;
aggregating the forecasted demands into an aggregated forecast; and
sending the aggregated forecast from the supply chain server to at least one supplier.
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17. A method for processing customer demands for products in a supply chain network, the method comprising:
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receiving the customer demands;
aggregating the customer demands to produce an aggregated demand;
sending the aggregated demand to at least one supplier;
sending products corresponding to the aggregated demand from the at least one supplier to a cross-dock point;
assembling the products at the cross-dock point based upon particular customers who produced the customer demands; and
sending corresponding products to the particular customers who produced the customer demands.
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18. A system for processing customer demands for products, the system comprising:
a supply chain server coupled to at least one customer, at least one supplier, and a logistics provider, the supply chain server including a messaging services system and an ERP system;
whereinthe messaging services system receives forecasted demands from a plurality of customers;
the ERP system accumulates the forecasted demands thereby producing an accumulated forecast;
the messaging services system sends the accumulated forecast to at least one supplier;
the ERP system controls the logistics provider to transfer products corresponding to the accumulated forecast from the at least one assemble supplier to a cross-dock point;
the ERP system further controls the logistics provider to assemble the products at the cross-dock point based upon particular customers who produced the forecasted demands; and
the ERP system controls the logistics provider to send corresponding products to the particular customers who produced the forecasted demands.
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33. A system for processing customer demands received in a supply chain network, the supply chain network including a supply chain server coupled to at least one customer and at least one supplier, the supply chain server including a messaging services system and an ERP system;
- wherein;
the messaging system receives forecasted demands from a plurality of the customers;
the ERP system aggregates the forecasted demands into an aggregated forecast; and
the messaging system sends the aggregated forecast to at least one supplier.
- wherein;
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34. A system for processing customer demands for at least one product, the system comprising:
a supply chain server coupled to at least one customer, at least one supplier, and a logistics provider, the supply chain server including a messaging services system and an ERP system;
whereinthe messaging services system receives the customer demands;
the ERP system aggregates the customer demands thereby producing an aggregated demand;
the messaging services system sends the aggregated demand to at least one supplier;
the ERP system controls the logistics provider to transfer products corresponding to the aggregated demand from the at least one supplier to a cross-dock point;
the ERP system further controls the logistics provider to assemble the products at the cross-dock point based upon particular customers who produced the customer demands; and
the ERP system controls the logistics provider to send corresponding products to the particular customers who produced the customer demands.
Specification