Rounding to transportation quantities

• US 20060074728A1
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Schmitz, Hans, Schweitzer, Michael, Huber, Edward W., McDonald, Marlon S., Monson, Michael J., Eich, Eric P., Newbanks, Larry M., Czach, Michael J., Baermann, Guenther J., Fishwick, Mark, Taylor, Brian R., Matthews, Ryan G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,438,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method and apparatus to efficiently round requested quantities to efficient transportation quantities in the supply chain. Target locations are organized in a sequence. A tolerance interval around the requested quantity is calculated for each target location. The requested value is then rounded to an efficient transportation quantity for each target location in its sequential order.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a database;

a tolerance interval generator to calculate a tolerance interval for each target location and to store the tolerance interval in the data structure; and

a rounder to serially round quantities requested by the target locations each to a shipping quantity having efficient transportation characteristics.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a sequencer to establish a sequence for a plurality of target locations.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rounder defines rounded quantities in a single pass over the target locations.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tolerance interval generator calculates a widest interval based on both allowed percentage rounding and allowed absolute rounding.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the database is to retain a tolerance interval definition and a record of pack stages available.

6. A method comprising:

defining a tolerance interval for a target location; and

rounding a requested quantity to a shipping quantity within the tolerance interval of the target location, the shipping quantity having efficient transportation characteristics.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

arranging a plurality of target locations in a sequence; and

wherein a tolerance interval is defined for each target location and the rounding is performed sequentially.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein arranging comprises:

analyzing a plurality of criteria to establish a priority of target locations.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the criteria comprises at least one of:

lead time to delivery, forecast demand at target, planned safety stock at target and order type.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein defining a tolerance interval comprises:

finding an upper bound for distribution to each target location; and

finding a lower bound for distribution to each target location.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein finding the lower bound comprises:

selecting the higher of i) a mandatory requirement for a target location or ii) a lowest of an allowed percentage reduction from a requested quantity and an allowed absolute reduction from the requested quantity.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein finding the upper bound comprises:

selecting the lower of i) a maximum available quantity or ii) a higher of an allowed percentage increase in a requested quantity and an allowed absolute increase from the requested quantity.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein rounding comprises:

choosing a minimal set of pack stages having a maximum number of higher quantity pack stages to fall within the tolerance interval of each target location in sequence.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein rounding sequentially comprises:

finding a set of pack stages having a quantity that falls within the tolerance interval for a current target location, the set having a minimum number of higher value pack stages;

subtracting the quantity from a then available quantity; and

repeating the finding and subtracting for a next target location until a quantity for each target location is found.

15. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

subtracting a sum of mandatory requirements for the target locations from a maximum available quantity to obtain an available rounding quantity.

16. A computer readable storage media containing executable instructions which when executed cause a digital processing system to perform operations comprising:

defining a tolerance interval for a target location; and

rounding a requested quantity to a shipping quantity within the tolerance interval of the target location, the shipping quantity having efficient transportation characteristics.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

arranging a plurality of target locations in a sequence; and

wherein a tolerance interval is defined for each target location and the rounding is performed sequentially.

18. The computer readable storage media of claim 17 having executable instructions which when executed cause a digital processing system to perform operations further comprising:

finding an upper bound for distribution to each target location; and

finding a lower bound for distribution to each target location.

19. The computer readable storage media of claim 18 having executable instructions which when executed cause a digital processing system to perform operations further comprising:

selecting the higher of i) a mandatory requirement for a target location or ii) a lowest of an allowed percentage reduction from a requested quantity and an allowed absolute reduction from the requested quantity.

20. The computer readable storage media of claim 18 having executable instructions which when executed cause a digital processing system to perform operations further comprising:

selecting the lower of i) a maximum available quantity or ii) a higher of an allowed percentage increase in a requested quantity and an allowed absolute increase from the requested quantity.

21. The computer readable storage media of claim 16 having executable instructions which when executed cause a digital processing system to perform operations further comprising:

finding a set of pack stages having a quantity that falls within the tolerance interval for a current target location, the set having a minimum number of higher value pack stages;

subtracting the quantity from a then available quantity; and

repeating the finding and subtracting for a next target location until a quantity for each target location is found.

22. The computer readable storage media of claim 17 which when executed cause a digital processing system to perform a method further comprising:

subtracting a sum of mandatory requirements for the target locations from a maximum available quantity to obtain an available rounding quantity.

23. An apparatus comprising:

means for arranging target locations in a sequence;

means for defining a tolerance interval for a target location; and

means for rounding a requested quantity to a shipping quantity within the tolerance interval of the target location having efficient transportation characteristics.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising:

means for retaining the tolerance interval requested quantity and shipping quantity for the target location.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the means for rounding comprises:

a software module having no optimization loops.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein tolerance intervals are defined independently for each target location.