Supply chain architecture

• US 20060064344A1
• Filed: 11/14/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Isuppli Corporation (S&P Global Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Isuppli Corporation (S&P Global Inc.)
• Inventors: Lidow, Derek
• Application Number:
  US11/273,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20060064344A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities

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.

Claims

1. A method for processing customer demands received in a supply chain network, the method comprising:

electronically receiving forecasted demands from a plurality of customers by a supply chain server;

electronically aggregating the forecasted demands into an aggregated forecast; and

sending the aggregated forecast from the supply chain server to at least one supplier.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the aggregated forecast to take into account at least one of a previous shortfall in capacity from at least one supplier and a product return, wherein the step of sending comprises electronically sending the modified aggregated forecast from the supply chain server to at least one supplier.

3. 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.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the ERP system modifies the aggregated forecast to take into account at least one of a previous shortfall in capacity from at least one supplier and a product return, and wherein the messaging system sends the modified aggregated forecast to at least one supplier.