System and method for displaying logistics information associated with a supply chain

• US 6,486,899 B1
• Filed: 09/17/1999
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: JDA Software Group Incorporated (RedPrairie Holding Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: i2 Technologies US Incorporated (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Bush, John Robbins Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu D.
• Application Number:
  US09/397,473
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 345/764, 345/835, 345/839, 345/853, 345/965, 345/855, 345/440, 345/440.2, 705/7, 705/8, 705/22, 705/28, 705/29
• US Class Current: 715/855
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

A system for displaying logistics information using one or more computers includes a presentation interface. The presentation interface generates a first panel displaying a plurality of icons and a plurality of links. The icons represent entities in a supply chain. Each link couples two of the icons and represents one or more distribution resources for moving one or more items between entities represented by the two icons. Each link indicates a distribution time associated with moving the items between the entities represented by the two icons. Each link may have a length proportional to the distribution time associated with moving the items between the entities represented by the two icons, or may include a time icon indicating the distribution time associated with moving the items between the entities represented by the two icons.

Claims

1. A system operating on one or more computers for displaying supply chain logistics information, the system comprising a presentation interface operable to generate a first panel displaying:

a plurality of icons each representing a supply chain entity;

a plurality of links each coupling two of the icons and representing one or more distribution resources for moving one or more items between the supply chain entities represented by the two icons, each link indicating a distribution time associated with moving the items between the supply chain entities represented by the two icons, the distribution time associated with moving the items between the supply chain entities represented by the two icons being dependent, at least in part, on information other than a distance between the supply chain entities; and

each link having a length proportional to the distribution time associated with moving the items between the supply chain entities represented by the two icons.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each link includes a time icon indicating the distribution time associated with moving the items between the supply chain entities represented by the two icons.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the presentation interface is further operable to display the icons on an input map according to the geographic positions of the supply chain entities, the presentation interface being operable in response to user input to selectively display the icons either according to the distribution times associated with moving the items between the corresponding supply chain entities or according to the geographic positions of the corresponding supply chain entities.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the presentation interface is further operable to display the icons according to a logical flow of items among the supply chain entities, the presentation interface being operable in response to user input to selectively display the icons either according to the distribution times associated with moving the items between the corresponding supply chain entities or according to the logical flow of items among the corresponding supply chain entities.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first panel displays a notification flag having a display characteristic that communicates supply chain logistics information corresponding to an adjacent element in the supply chain, the element being one of:

an icon; and

a link.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first panel displays a bar having a display characteristic that communicates supply chain logistics information corresponding to an adjacent element in the supply chain, the element being one of:

an icon; and

a link.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first panel displays a graph including supply chain logistics information corresponding to an adjacent element in the supply chain, the element being one of:

an icon; and

a link.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first panel displays a time icon indicating a processing time associated with a supply chain entity represented by an adjacent icon.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein an icon in the first panel represents a sub-chain in the supply chain and, in response to a user selecting the icon, the first panel displays two or more icons to represent the sub-chain.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the presentation interface is further operable to generate a second panel displaying one or more graphs, each graph illustrating a selected performance parameter over time according to supply chain logistics information associated with a corresponding element in the supply chain, the element being one of;

an icon; and

a link.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second panel displays a graph illustrating supply chain logistics information associated with:

a supply chain entity in response to a user selecting a corresponding icon in the first panel; and

a distribution resource in response to a user selecting a corresponding link in the first panel.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the presentation interface is further operable to generate a second panel displaying one or more sets of bar graphs, each set associated with a supply chain entity and including one or more bars each illustrating a specified performance parameter according to supply chain logistics information for the supply chain entity.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the second panel displays each set of bar graphs along an axis according to a relative position of a corresponding icon in the first panel.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply chain logistics information is monitored substantially continuously, when generated the first panel displaying a substantially real-time view of the distribution times associated with moving the items between the supply chain entities to facilitate logistics planning and execution.

15. A method operating on one or more computers for displaying supply chain logistics information, the method comprising:

displaying, in a first panel, a plurality of icons each representing a supply chain entity;

displaying, in the first panel, a plurality of links each coupling two of the icons and representing one or more distribution resources for moving one or more items between the supply chain entities represented by the two icons, each link indicating a distribution time associated with moving the items between the supply chain entities represented by the two icons, the distribution time associated with moving the items between the supply chain entities represented by the two icons being dependent, at least in part, on information other than a distance between the supply chain entities; and

each link having a length proportional to the distribution time associated with moving the items between the supply chain entities represented by the two icons.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each link includes a time icon indicating the distribution time associated with moving the items between the supply chain entities represented by the two icons.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying the icons on an input map according to the geographic positions of the supply chain entities; and

in response to user input, selectively displaying the icons either according to the distribution times associated with moving the items between the corresponding supply chain entities or according to the geographic positions of the corresponding supply chain entities.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying the icons according to a logical flow of items among the supply chain entities; and

in response to user input, selectively displaying the icons either according to the distribution times associated with moving the items between the corresponding supply chain entities or according to the logical flow of items among the corresponding supply chain entities.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising displaying a notification flag having a display characteristic that communicates supply chain logistics information corresponding to an adjacent element in the supply chain, the element being one of:

an icon; and

a link.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising displaying a bar having a display characteristic that communicates supply chain logistics information corresponding to an adjacent element in the supply chain, the element being one of:

an icon; and

a link.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising displaying a graph including supply chain logistics information corresponding to an adjacent element in the supply chain, the element being one of:

an icon; and

a link.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising displaying a time icon indicating a processing time associated with a supply chain entity represented by an adjacent icon.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying one icon to represent a sub-chain in the supply chain; and

displaying two or more icons to represent the sub-chain in response to a user selecting the one icon.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising displaying one or more graphs in a second panel, each graph illustrating a selected performance parameter over time according to supply chain logistics information associated with a corresponding element in the supply chain, the element being one of:

an icon; and

a link.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising displaying a graph in the second panel illustrating supply chain logistics information associated with:

a supply chain entity in response to a user selecting a corresponding icon in the first panel;

a distribution resource in response to a user selecting a corresponding link in the first panel.

26. The method of claim 15, further comprising displaying one or more sets of bar graphs in a second panel, each set associated with a supply chain entity and including one or more bars each illustrating a specified performance parameter according to supply chain logistics information for the supply chain entity.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising displaying each set of bar graphs along an axis according to a relative position of a corresponding icon in the first panel.

28. The method of claim 15, further comprising monitoring the supply chain information substantially continuously, when generated the first panel displaying a substantially real-time view of the distribution times associated with moving the items between the supply chain entities to facilitate logistics planning and execution.

29. Software for displaying supply chain logistics information, the software being embodied in computer-readable media and when executed operable to:

display, in a first panel, a plurality of icons each representing a supply chain entity;

display, in the first panel, a plurality of links each coupling two of the icons and representing one or more distribution resources for moving one or more items between the supply chain entities represented by the two icons, each link indicating a distribution time associated with moving the items between the supply chain entities represented by the two icons, the distribution time associated with moving the items between the supply chain entities represented by the two icons being dependent, at least in part, on information other than a distance between the supply chain entities; and

each link having a length proportional to the distribution time associated with moving the items between the supply chain entities represented by the two icons.

30. The software of claim 29, wherein each link includes a time icon indicating the distribution time associated with moving the items between the supply chain entities represented by the two icons.

31. The software of claim 29, further operable to:

display the icons on an input map according to the geographic positions of the supply chain entities; and

in response to user input, selectively display the icons either according to the distribution times associated with moving the items between the corresponding supply chain entities or according to the geographic positions of the corresponding supply chain entities.

32. The software of claim 29, further operable to:

display the icons according to a logical flow of items among the supply chain entities; and

in response to user input, selectively display the icons either according to the distribution times associated with moving the items between the corresponding supply chain entities or according to the logical flow of items among the corresponding supply chain entities.

33. The software of claim 29, further operable to display a notification flag having a display characteristic that communicates supply chain logistics information corresponding to an adjacent element in the supply chain, the element being one of:

an icon; and

a link.

34. The software of claim 29, further operable display a bar having a display characteristic that communicates supply chain logistics information corresponding to an adjacent element in the supply chain, the element being one of:

an icon; and

a link.

35. The software of claim 29, further operable to display a graph including supply chain logistics information corresponding to an adjacent element in the supply chain, the element being one of:

an icon; and

a link.

36. The software of claim 29, further operable to display a time icon indicating a processing time associated with a supply chain entity represented by an adjacent icon.

37. The software of claim 29, further operable to:

display one icon to represent a sub-chain in the supply chain; and

display two or more icons to represent the sub-chain in response to a user selecting the one icon.

38. The software of claim 29, further operable to display one or more graphs in a second panel, each graph illustrating a selected performance parameter over time according to supply chain logistics information associated with a corresponding element in the supply chain, the element being one of:

an icon; and

a link.

39. The software of claim 38, further operable to display a graph in the second panel illustrating supply chain logistics information associated with:

a supply chain entity in response to a user selecting a corresponding icon in the first panel;

a distribution resource in response to a user selecting a corresponding link in the first panel.

40. The software of claim 29, further operable to display one or more sets of bar graphs in a second panel, each set associated with a supply chain entity and including one or more bars each illustrating a specified performance parameter according to supply chain logistics information for the supply chain entity.

41. The software of claim 40, further operable to display each set of bar graphs along an axis according to a relative position of a corresponding icon in the first panel.

42. The software of claim 29, further operable to monitor the supply chain information substantially continuously, when generated the first panel displaying a substantially real-time view of the distribution times associated with moving the items between the supply chain entities to facilitate logistics planning and execution.