Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for performing product availability check

• US 20060036516A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Glebe, Thorsten
• Granted Patent: US 7,840,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of performing a product availability check comprises the step of receiving information on a plurality of first electronic data sets, each of which includes a first key and 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 representative of product-related conditions each. The method further comprises the step of deriving, based on the information on the first data sets, information on one or more second electronic data sets, each of which includes a second key and 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. Based on the information on the one or more second data sets, result information on the availability of one or more products in dependence of time and the primary and secondary key elements is then derived. According to the invention, the information on the one or more second data sets is generated to further include in each second data set one or more auxiliary data structures, each auxiliary data structure including one or more auxiliary data elements, each auxiliary data element including the primary key element, product quantity and point of time or time period as included in a respective first data set that contributes to the time-dependent product quantities in the corresponding second data set.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of performing a product availability check, 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

deriving, based on said information on said one or more second data sets, result information on the availability of one or more products in dependence of time and said primary and secondary key elements,

wherein said information on said one or more second data sets is generated to further include in each second data set one or more auxiliary data structures, each auxiliary data structure including one or more auxiliary data elements, each auxiliary data element including said primary key element, product quantity and point of time or time period as included in a respective contributing first data set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said auxiliary data structures are established separately for stock-related first data sets, receipt-related first data sets and issue-related first data sets.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said auxiliary data structures are established as tree-like data structures with time and said primary key element as branching criteria.

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 or sublocation.

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 or a combination of product characteristics.

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

deriving, based on said information on said one or more second data sets, result information on the availability of one or more products in dependence of time and said primary and secondary key elements,

wherein said information on said one or more second data sets is generated to further include in each second data set one or more auxiliary data structures, each auxiliary data structure including one or more auxiliary data elements, each auxiliary data element including said primary key element, product quantity and point of time or time period as included in a respective contributing first data set.

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

10. A computer system for performing a product availability check, 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

derive, based on said information on said one or more second data sets, result information on the availability of one or more products in dependence of time and said primary and secondary key elements,

wherein said processing means are configured to generate said information on said one or more second data sets to further include in each second data set one or more auxiliary data structures, each auxiliary data structure including one or more auxiliary data elements, each auxiliary data element including said primary key element, product quantity and point of time or time period as included in a respective contributing first data set.