PRIMARY PRODUCTS PRODUCTION SYSTEM AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a network operable to provide information for production at a processing site of a primary product ordered by a customer;
a computer interoperably coupled to the network and operable to;
receive an order comprising a plurality of requirements for the primary product and a customer delivery date;
determine a plurality of raw materials needed to produce the primary product in accordance with the plurality of requirements and the customer delivery date, the plurality of raw materials not being present at the processing site; and
determine, via a network-accessible tag associated with each of a plurality of assets from which the plurality of raw materials may be obtained, information regarding the plurality of assets;
wherein the information comprises;
raw-material transport times to the processing site;
information regarding at least one of a physical property and a functional capability of each of the plurality of assets;
coordinate, based on the information regarding the plurality of assets, sourcing of the plurality of raw materials from at least one of the plurality of assets so that the customer delivery date is met with minimal underutilization of the plurality of raw materials; and
repeat the coordination of sourcing responsive to changes in the information regarding the plurality of assets.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A primary product production system and a method of supplying raw material for the production. The raw material is provided in a manner, inter-alia, that is an improvement in the delivery and/or selection of supplied materials used. In a particular form, the product results from metal making and/or the coal industry. In a generic overall description, a customer specifies a processed product as set out in an order which typically includes quality and quantity of processed product such as pig iron or other product, and places it. Changes may also be made. This information is input to a database/computer which then determines from the order which sources of raw materials to the foundry or refinery to produce a primary product which fulfils customer orders and/or changes. The raw material(s) may be supplied from any asset.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a network operable to provide information for production at a processing site of a primary product ordered by a customer; a computer interoperably coupled to the network and operable to; receive an order comprising a plurality of requirements for the primary product and a customer delivery date; determine a plurality of raw materials needed to produce the primary product in accordance with the plurality of requirements and the customer delivery date, the plurality of raw materials not being present at the processing site; and determine, via a network-accessible tag associated with each of a plurality of assets from which the plurality of raw materials may be obtained, information regarding the plurality of assets; wherein the information comprises; raw-material transport times to the processing site; information regarding at least one of a physical property and a functional capability of each of the plurality of assets; coordinate, based on the information regarding the plurality of assets, sourcing of the plurality of raw materials from at least one of the plurality of assets so that the customer delivery date is met with minimal underutilization of the plurality of raw materials; and repeat the coordination of sourcing responsive to changes in the information regarding the plurality of assets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method comprising:
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receiving, via a network, an order comprising a plurality of requirements for a primary product and a customer delivery date; determining, by a computer interoperably coupled to the network, a plurality of raw materials needed to produce the primary product in accordance with the plurality of requirements and the customer delivery date, the plurality of raw materials not being present at the processing site; determining, by the computer via a network-accessible tag associated with each of a plurality of assets from which the plurality of raw materials may be obtained, information regarding the plurality of assets; wherein the information comprises; raw-material transport times to the processing site; information regarding at least one of a physical property and a functional capability of each of the plurality of assets; coordinating, by the computer based on the information regarding the plurality of assets, sourcing of the plurality of raw materials from at least one of the plurality of assets so that the customer delivery date is met with minimal underutilization of the plurality of raw materials; and repeating by the computer of the coordinating step responsive to changes in the information regarding the plurality of assets. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method comprising:
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creating, via a computer interoperably coupled to a network, a supply chain of a plurality of raw materials not present at a processing site, the supply chain applicable to a customer order for a primary product to be produced at the processing site; wherein the supply chain comprises a plurality of assets from which the plurality of raw materials are to be sourced; tracking, by the computer via the network, each of the plurality of assets via a network-accessible tag associated with each of the plurality of assets; wherein the tracking step comprises the computer receiving information via the network from the network-accessible tag, the information comprising raw-material transport times to the processing site and information regarding a physical property and a functional capability of each of the plurality of assets; responsive to the tracking step, modifying the supply chain via the computer and the network; wherein the modifying step comprises replacing at least one of the plurality of assets with a different asset of the plurality of assets. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification