Generating an Optimized Supplier Allocation Plan
First Claim
1. A method for generating an optimized supplier allocation plan, comprising:
- identifying a plurality of parts associated with an allocation problem, the allocation problem having a demand requirement associated with the plurality of parts;
identifying a plurality of suppliers, each supplier operable to supply at least one part associated with the allocation problem;
selecting one or more objective functions, each objective function having a plurality of part variables, each part variable representing a quantity of a part to be procured from a supplier;
receiving at least one constraint constraining at least one part variable;
optimizing the one or more objective functions with respect to the at least one constraint to yield a value for each part variable by;
optimizing a first objective function to determine a first normalization factor;
optimizing a second objective function to determine a second normalization factor;
generating a combined objective function using the first objective function normalized by the first normalization factor and weighted by a first weighting factor and using the second objective function normalized by the second normalization factor and weighted by a second weighting factor; and
determining if the combined objective function can be optimized for all constraints;
responsive to a determination that the combined objective function cannot be optimized for all constraints, optimizing the combined objective function for a portion of the constraints;
responsive to a determination that the combined objective function can be optimized for all constraints, optimizing the combined objective function; and
determining a quantity of each part to be procured from at least one supplier according to the values to generate the optimized supplier allocation plan.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Generating an optimized supplier allocation plan includes identifying parts and suppliers associated with an allocation problem, where each supplier can supply at least one part. One or more objective functions are selected. Each objective function has part variables, and each part variable represents a quantity of a part to be procured from a supplier. At least one constraint constraining at least one part variable is received. The one or more objective functions are optimized with respect to the at least one constraint to yield a value for each part variable. A quantity of each part to be procured from at least one supplier is determined according to the values to generate the optimized supplier allocation plan.
15 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for generating an optimized supplier allocation plan, comprising:
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identifying a plurality of parts associated with an allocation problem, the allocation problem having a demand requirement associated with the plurality of parts;
identifying a plurality of suppliers, each supplier operable to supply at least one part associated with the allocation problem;
selecting one or more objective functions, each objective function having a plurality of part variables, each part variable representing a quantity of a part to be procured from a supplier;
receiving at least one constraint constraining at least one part variable;
optimizing the one or more objective functions with respect to the at least one constraint to yield a value for each part variable by;
optimizing a first objective function to determine a first normalization factor;
optimizing a second objective function to determine a second normalization factor;
generating a combined objective function using the first objective function normalized by the first normalization factor and weighted by a first weighting factor and using the second objective function normalized by the second normalization factor and weighted by a second weighting factor; and
determining if the combined objective function can be optimized for all constraints;
responsive to a determination that the combined objective function cannot be optimized for all constraints, optimizing the combined objective function for a portion of the constraints;
responsive to a determination that the combined objective function can be optimized for all constraints, optimizing the combined objective function; and
determining a quantity of each part to be procured from at least one supplier according to the values to generate the optimized supplier allocation plan. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A system for generating an optimized supplier allocation plan, comprising:
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a database operable to store;
a list of a plurality of parts associated with an allocation problem, the allocation problem having a demand requirement associated with the plurality of parts; and
a list of a plurality of suppliers, each supplier operable to supply at least one part associated with the allocation problem; and
a server system coupled to the database and operable to;
select one or more objective functions, each objective function having a plurality of part variables, each part variable representing a quantity of a part to be procured from a supplier;
receive at least one constraint constraining at least one part variable;
optimize the one or more objective functions with respect to the at least one constraint to yield a value for each part variable by;
optimizing a first objective function to determine a first normalization factor;
optimizing a second objective function to determine a second normalization factor;
generating a combined objective function using the first objective function normalized by the first normalization factor and weighted by a first weighting factor and using the second objective function normalized by the second normalization factor and weighted by a second weighting factor; and
determine if the combined objective function can be optimized for all constraints;
responsive to a determination that the combined objective function cannot be optimized for all constraints, optimize the combined objective function for a portion of the constraints;
responsive to a determination that the combined objective function can be optimized for all constraints, optimize the combined objective function; and
determine a quantity of each part to be procured from at least one supplier according to the values to generate the optimized supplier allocation plan. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Software for generating an optimized supplier allocation plan, the software embodied in computer-readable media and when executed operable to:
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identify a plurality of parts associated with an allocation problem, the allocation problem having a demand requirement associated with the plurality of parts;
identify a plurality of suppliers, each supplier operable to supply at least one part associated with the allocation problem;
select one or more objective functions, each objective function having a plurality of part variables, each part variable representing a quantity of a part to be procured from a supplier;
receive at least one constraint constraining at least one part variable;
optimize the one or more objective functions with respect to the at least one constraint to yield a value for each part variable by;
optimizing a first objective function to determine a first normalization factor;
optimizing a second objective function to determine a second normalization factor;
generating a combined objective function using the first objective function normalized by the first normalization factor and weighted by a first weighting factor and using the second objective function normalized by the second normalization factor and weighted by a second weighting factor; and
determining if the combined objective function can be optimized for all constraints;
responsive to a determination that the combined objective function cannot be optimized for all constraints, optimizing the combined objective function for a portion of the constraints;
responsive to a determination that the combined objective function can be optimized for all constraints, optimizing the combined objective function; and
determine a quantity of each part to be procured from at least one supplier according to the values to generate the optimized supplier allocation plan. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification