Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for checking availability of products

• US 20050289007A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Glebe, Thorsten
• Granted Patent: US 8,639,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of checking the availability of products comprises the steps of receiving information on a plurality of first electronic data sets and deriving, based on the information on the first data sets, information on one or more second electronic data sets. Each first data set includes a first key and further includes a product quantity in relation to a single point of time or time period. The first key includes a primary key element and a plurality of secondary key elements, with the primary and secondary key elements representative of product-related conditions. Further, each second data set includes a second key and further includes product quantities in relation to a series of points of time or time periods. The second key is formed exclusively of the secondary key elements. The method further comprises checking the information on the one or more second electronic data sets against one or more product-related checking requirements to derive result information on the availability of one or more products. The method further comprises the step of generating the information on the one or more second data sets directly (i.e., with no intermediary linear array for storing exploded input information) based on the information on the first data sets.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of checking the availability of products, the method comprising:

receiving information on a plurality of first electronic data sets, each first data set including a first key and further including a product quantity in relation to a single point of time or time period, said first key including a primary key element and a plurality of secondary key elements, said primary and secondary key elements representative of product-related conditions;

deriving, based on said information on said first data sets, information on one or more second electronic data sets, each second data set including a second key and further including product quantities in relation to a series of points of time or time periods, said second key exclusively formed of said secondary key elements; and

checking said information on said one or more second electronic data sets against one or more product-related checking requirements to derive result information on the availability of one or more products,

wherein said information on said one or more second data sets is generated directly based on said information on said first data sets.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said information on said one or more second data sets is established so as to be free of linear array indices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of checking requirements are received, information on one or more relevant second data sets is added to each checking requirement, and only relevant second electronic data sets are checked against each checking requirement.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said primary key element specifies a category.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of said secondary key elements is representative of a product location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one of said secondary key elements is representative of a product version.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said secondary key elements is representative of a product characteristic.

8. A computer program product for causing a computer to perform a method of checking the availability of products, the method comprising:

receiving information on a plurality of first electronic data sets, each first data set including a first key and further including a product quantity in relation to a single point of time or time period, said first key including a primary key element and a plurality of secondary key elements, said primary and secondary key elements representative of product-related conditions;

deriving, based on said information on said first data sets, information on one or more second electronic data sets, each second data set including a second key and further including product quantities in relation to a series of points of time or time periods, said second key exclusively formed of said secondary key elements; and

checking said information on said one or more second electronic data sets against one or more product-related checking requirements to derive result information on the availability of one or more products,

wherein said information on said one or more second data sets is generated directly based on said information on said first data sets.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 in the form of a computer-readable information carrier medium.

10. A computer system for checking the availability of products, the system comprising processing means configured to:

receive information on a plurality of first electronic data sets, each first data set including a first key and further including a product quantity in relation to a single point of time or time period, said first key including a primary key element and a plurality of secondary key elements, said primary and secondary key elements representative of product-related conditions;

derive, based on said information on said first data sets, information on one or more second electronic data sets, each second data set including a second key and further including product quantities in relation to a series of points of time or time periods, said second key exclusively formed of said secondary key elements; and

check said information on said one or more second electronic data sets against one or more product-related checking requirements to derive result information on the availability of one or more products,

wherein said processing means are configured to generate said information on said one or more second data sets directly based on said information on said first data sets.