Binary Trees for Detecting Inventory Problems in an Enterprise Model

• US 20100082460A1
• Filed: 12/05/2009
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JDA Software Group Incorporated (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: JDA Technologies US, Inc. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Cline, Kevin A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,752,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9024 Graphs; Linked lists G06F16/9027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/067 Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

A binary tree structure for detecting inventory problems. A first embodiment detects on-hand inventory problems. A second embodiment detects inventory requirements problems. Both embodiments use a binary tree whose nodes store time values and delta values. The delta values represent inventory consumers or producers. The time values of trees used for inventory requirements problems are shifted in accordance with build-ahead times.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of providing inventory requirements data, relative to on-hand inventory having a constant build-ahead time, comprising:

storing, by a computer, a balanced binary tree representing the inventory requirements in terms of a function that is a set of time value and function value pairs, each function value representing an inventory quantity at a paired time value;

wherein each node of the tree has an associated time value and delta value representing a change in inventory quantity, and wherein each node stores a producer delta or a consumer delta, each producer delta having a positive value and each consumer delta having a negative value, and wherein the time values of consumer deltas are shifted in accordance with the build-ahead time; and

accessing the binary tree, by the computer, using delta values to determine at least one inventory requirements function value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering query data to the computer using a user interface and providing data output derived from the function value, in response to the query.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the build-ahead time is a minimum build-ahead time and the computer determines when the function value is negative.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the build-ahead time is a maximum build-ahead time, and the computer determines when the function value is positive.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each node further stores a net subtree value representing the sum of deltas in a net subtree associated with the node.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the inventory requirements function is a step function.

7. A computer-implemented method of providing inventory requirements data, relative to on-hand inventory having varying build-ahead times, comprising:

storing, by a computer, a balanced binary tree representing inventory requirements in terms of a function that is a set of time value and function value pairs, each function value representing an inventory quantity at a paired time value;

wherein each node of the tree has an associated time value and delta value representing a change inventory quantity, and each node stores a producer delta or a consumer delta, with each producer delta having a positive value and each consumer delta having a positive value or a negative value;

wherein the consumer deltas have negative or positive values as determined by the relative values of the build-ahead times, and wherein the time values of the consumer deltas nodes are shifted in accordance with the build-ahead times, the tree thereby representing an inventory requirements function; and

accessing the binary tree, by the computer, using delta values to determine at least one inventory requirements function value.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising delivering query data to the computer using a user interface and providing data output derived from the function value, in response to the query.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the build-ahead time is a minimum build-ahead time and the computer determines when the function value is negative.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the build-ahead time is a maximum build-ahead time, and the computer determines when the function value is positive.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein each node further stores a net subtree value representing the sum of deltas in a net subtree associated with the node.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the inventory requirements function is a step function.