System and process for inter-domain planning analysis and optimization using model agents as partial replicas of remote domains

• US 6,332,130 B1
• Filed: 10/04/1999
• Issued: 12/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: JDA Software Group Incorporated (RedPrairie Holding Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: i2 Technologies US Incorporated (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Notani, Ranjit N., Mayer, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Irshadullah, M.
• Application Number:
  US09/411,069
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7, 705/8, 705/10, 705/28, 703/2, 703/21, 717/1
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data

Abstract

A computer implemented system for inter-domain analysis is disclosed. The system includes a domain engine (234), associated with a first supply chain entity, having a local model representing a supply chain activity of the first supply chain entity. The domain engine (234) operable to generate a model agent (240) that represents a partial replica of the local model. The system also includes another domain engine (236), associated with a second supply chain entity, having a local model representing a supply chain activity of the second supply chain entity. The other domain engine is operable to generate a model agent representing a partial replica of the local model. The domain engines (234 and 236) further operate to expand the respective local models using the remote model agents (240) to accomplish local inter-domain analysis. In one embodiment, the model agents (240) can be data model agents, object model agents and behavior model agents.

Claims

1. A computer implemented system for inter-domain analysis related to a supply chain activity, comprising:

a first domain engine associated with a first supply chain entity;

the first domain engine having a first domain model representing a supply chain activity of the first supply chain entity;

the first domain engine operable to receive a second model agent representing a partial replica of a second domain model, the second domain model representing a supply chain activity of a second supply chain entity; and

the first domain engine operable to expand the first domain model using the second model agent to accomplish inter-domain analysis related to the supply chain activity at the first domain engine.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first domain engine is operable to generate a first model agent that represents a partial replica of the first domain model for use at the second domain engine to accomplish inter-domain analysis related to the supply chain activity at the second domain engine.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first domain engine is further operable to accomplish inter-domain optimization related to the supply chain activity at the first domain engine.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second model agent is pushed to the first domain engine by the second domain engine.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first domain engine pulls the second model agent from the second domain engine.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second model agent comprises a data model agent that can transfer data only.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the second model agent comprises an object model agent that can transfer data and graphs of objects.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second model agent comprises a behavior model agent that can transfer data, graphs of objects, and behavior.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first domain engine is further operable to expand the first domain model using model agents generated at a plurality of other domain engines to accomplish inter-domain supply chain analysis at the first domain engine.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first domain engine is further operable to accomplish inter-domain supply chain optimization.

11. A computer implemented process for inter-domain analysis related to a supply chain activity, comprising:

providing a first domain model representing a supply chain activity of a first supply chain entity;

receiving a second model agent representing a partial replica of a second domain model, the second domain model representing a supply chain activity of a second supply chain entity;

expanding the first domain model using the second model agent; and

performing inter-domain analysis related to the supply chain activity at a first domain engine using the expanded first domain model.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein performing further comprises performing inter-domain optimization related to the supply chain activity at the first domain engine.

13. The process of claim 11, wherein:

expanding is accomplished by the first domain engine; and

the second model agent is pushed to the first domain engine from a second domain engine.

14. The process of claim 11, wherein:

expanding is accomplished by the first domain engine; and

the second model agent is pulled to the first domain engine from a second domain engine.

15. The process of claim 11, wherein the second model agent comprises a data model agent that can transfer data only.

16. The process of claim 11, wherein the second model agent comprises an object model agent that can transfer data and graphs of objects.

17. The process of claim 11, wherein the second model agent comprises a behavior model agent that can transfer data, graphs of objects, and behavior.

18. The process of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving model agents from a plurality of domain engines, the domain engines associated with entities in a supply chain; and

expanding the first domain model using the model agents; and

performing inter-domain supply chain analysis at the first domain engine using the model agents.

19. The process of claim 18, wherein performing further comprises performing inter-domain supply chain optimization at the first domain engine.