Method for modeling continuous accumulations of quantities over time

• US 20070021950A1
• Filed: 07/01/2005
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Weber, Stephan, Glebe, Thorsten, Mantel, Rolf
• Application Number:
  US11/174,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20070021950A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A method for modeling a plurality of quantities continuously accumulating over time by performing for each quantity of the plurality of quantities the following steps: determining separate time intervals and further determining the quantity accumulated in each time interval, and representing the separate time intervals and the quantity accumulated in each time interval in a table comprising a plurality of related data elements corresponding to the separate time intervals, each data element comprising a point in time in predetermined relation to the time interval and the quantity accumulated in the time interval.

Claims

1. A method for modeling a plurality of quantities continuously accumulating over time by performing for each quantity of the plurality of quantities the following:

determining separate time intervals and further determining the quantity accumulated in each time interval; and

representing the separate time intervals and the quantity accumulated in each time interval in a table comprising a plurality of related data elements corresponding to the separate time intervals, each data element comprising a point in time in predetermined relation to the time interval and the quantity accumulated in the time interval.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one of a starting point, a midpoint, and an endpoint of a time interval forms the point in time in predetermined relation to the time interval.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

converting the representation of at least one quantity of the plurality of quantities continuously accumulating over time to a discrete representation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the related data elements are sequentially related.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the method for supply chain management.

6. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a storage unit coupled to the processor, the storage unit retaining a structure for modeling a quantity continuously accumulating over time, representing separate time intervals and the quantity accumulated in each time interval in a table comprising a plurality of related data elements corresponding to the separate time intervals, each data element comprising a point in time in predetermined relation to the time interval and the quantity accumulated in the time interval.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein one of a starting point, a midpoint, and an endpoint of a time interval forms the point in time in predetermined relation to the time interval.

8. The structure of claim 6 wherein the related data elements are sequentially related.

9. The system of claim 9 wherein the storage unit comprises a database.

10. A machine-accessible medium containing instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to:

determine separate time intervals and further determine the quantity accumulated in each time interval; and

represent the separate time intervals and the quantity accumulated in each time interval in a table comprising a plurality of related data elements corresponding to the separate time intervals, each data element comprising a point in time in predetermined relation to the time interval and the quantity accumulated in the time interval.

11. The machine accessible median of claim 10 wherein one of a starting point, a midpoint, and an endpoint of a time interval forms the point in time in predetermined relation to the time interval.

12. The machine accessible median of claim 10 wherein instructions further cause the machine to:

convert the representation of at least one quantity of the plurality of quantities continuously accumulating over time to a discrete representation.

13. The machine accessible median of claim 10 wherein the data elements are sequentially related.