System and method for visually representing a supply chain
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A computer-related system for visually representing a supply chain, comprising a supply chain physical window operable to display:
- a plurality of supply chain entities;
at least one connector between two of the supply chain entities, the connector representing product flow between the two supply chain entities; and
at least one supply chain bar adjacent a corresponding supply chain entity and independent of the at least one connector, the supply chain bar providing a non-textual graphical representation, according to the appearance of the supply chain bar, of numerical supply chain data representing one or more measurable values related to the adjacent supply chain entity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer-related system for visually representing a supply chain includes a supply chain physical window (12). The supply chain physical window (12) displays a plurality of supply chain entities (24), at least one supply chain bar (28) adjacent a corresponding supply chain entity (24), and at least one connector (26) between two of the supply chain entities (24). The supply chain bar (28) provides data related to the adjacent supply chain entity(24), and the connector (26) represents product flow between the two supply chain entities (24).
93 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A computer-related system for visually representing a supply chain, comprising a supply chain physical window operable to display:
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a plurality of supply chain entities;
at least one connector between two of the supply chain entities, the connector representing product flow between the two supply chain entities; and
at least one supply chain bar adjacent a corresponding supply chain entity and independent of the at least one connector, the supply chain bar providing a non-textual graphical representation, according to the appearance of the supply chain bar, of numerical supply chain data representing one or more measurable values related to the adjacent supply chain entity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
a supplier;
a factory;
a distribution center; and
a customer.
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3. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply chain physical window is operable to display the supply chain entities in a logical structure according to product flow within the supply chain, positions of the supply chain entities in the logical structure being different than geographic locations of the supply chain entities.
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4. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply chain physical window is operable to display the supply chain entities in a geographical structure according to an input map of a geographic area.
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5. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply chain physical window is further operable to display the supply chain entities in a combined logical and geographical structure according to product flow between a plurality of input maps of a geographic area.
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6. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply chain physical window is further operable to display a three-dimensional rendering of a supply chain entity in response to a user input, the rendering demonstrating an operation of the supply chain entity affecting the supply chain.
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7. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply chain physical window is further operable to display a product'"'"'s movement through the supply chain by highlighting one or more supply chain entities with operations affecting the product.
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8. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply chain physical window is further operable to change a characteristic of the supply chain bar in response to the data exceeding a threshold, the characteristic selected from the group consisting of:
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a color; and
a brightness.
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9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a time line including a plurality of time periods, wherein the supply chain physical window is further operable to display a supply chain bar providing data relating to a corresponding supply chain entity for one of the time periods in response to a user selecting the time period from the time line.
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10. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply chain physical window is further operable to break the supply chain bar into multiple bars and to aggregate multiple bars into the supply chain bar, at least some of the multiple bars providing data relating to inventory problems, capacity problems, and transportation problems associated with the adjacent supply chain entity.
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11. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply chain bar provides data relating to problems associated with the adjacent supply chain entity.
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12. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply chain physical window is further operable to display a supply chain bar adjacent the connector and providing a non-textual graphical representation, according to the appearance of the supply chain bar, of data related to the product flow represented by the connector.
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13. The system of claim 12, wherein the supply chain physical window displays the supply chain bar adjacent the connector using a cylinder having a diameter in accordance with the data related to the product flow.
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14. The system of claim 12, wherein the supply chain bar adjacent the connector provides data relating to transportation resources.
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15. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply chain physical window is further operable to update automatically one or more displays in response to a user rescheduling operations at a supply chain entity.
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16. The system of claim 1, further comprising a supply chain data summary window operable to display one or more charts according to a view selected by a user, the view selected from a group consisting of:
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a problem view;
an operational view; and
a profit view.
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17. The system of claim 16, wherein the supply chain physical window and supply chain data summary window are coordinated so that a command is operable to modify automatically both the supply chain physical window and the supply chain data summary window.
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18. The system of claim 1, further comprising a supply chain data details window operable to display data relating to a supply chain entity selected from the supply chain physical window.
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19. The system of claim 18, wherein the supply chain physical window and supply chain data details window are coordinated so that a command is operable to modify automatically both the supply chain physical window and the supply chain data details window.
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20. The system of claim 1, further comprising a supply chain data details window operable to display data relating to a connector selected from the supply chain physical window.
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21. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply chain bar further provides textual data related to the adjacent supply chain entity.
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22. A computer-related method of visually representing a supply chain, comprising:
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displaying a plurality of supply chain entities in a supply chain physical window;
representing product flow between two of the supply chain entities by displaying at least one connector between the two supply chain entities; and
providing a non-textual graphical representation, according to the appearance of the supply chain bar, of numerical supply chain data representing one or more measurable values related to a supply chain entity by displaying at least one supply chain bar adjacent the supply chain entity and independent of the at least one connector. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
a supplier;
a factory;
a distribution center; and
a customer.
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24. The method of claim 22, further comprising displaying the supply chain entities in a logical structure according to product flow within the supply chain, positions of the supply chain entities in the logical structure being different than geographic locations of the supply chain entities.
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25. The method of claim 22, further comprising displaying the supply chain entities in a geographical structure according to an input map of a geographic area.
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26. The method of claim 22, further comprising displaying the supply chain entities in a combined logical and geographical structure according to product flow between a plurality of input maps of a geographic area.
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27. The method of claim 22, further comprising displaying a three-dimensional rendering of a supply chain entity in response to a user input, the rendering demonstrating an operation of the supply chain entity affecting the supply chain.
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28. The method of claim 22, further comprising highlighting one or more supply chain entities with operations affecting a product to show the product'"'"'s movement through the supply chain.
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29. The method of claim 22, further comprising changing a characteristic of the supply chain bar in response to the data exceeding a threshold, the characteristic selected from the group consisting of:
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a color; and
a brightness.
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30. The method of claim 22, further comprising:
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displaying a time line including a plurality of time periods; and
displaying a supply chain bar providing data relating to a corresponding supply chain entity for one of the time periods in response to a user selecting the time period from the time line.
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31. The method of claim 22, further comprising:
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breaking the supply chain bar into multiple bars, at least some of the multiple bars providing data relating to inventory problems, capacity problems, and transportation problems associated with the adjacent supply chain entity; and
aggregating multiple bars into the supply chain bar.
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32. The method of claim 22, wherein the supply chain bar provides data relating to problems associated with the adjacent supply chain entity.
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33. The method of claim 22, further comprising displaying a supply chain bar adjacent the connector to provide a non-textual graphical representation, according to the appearance of the supply chain bar, of data related to the product flow represented by the connector.
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34. The method of claim 33, further comprising displaying the supply chain bar adjacent the connector using a cylinder having a diameter in accordance with the data related to the product flow.
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35. The method of claim 33, wherein the supply chain bar adjacent the connector provides data relating to transportation resources.
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36. The method of claim 22, further comprising updating automatically one or more displays in response to a user rescheduling operations at a supply chain entity.
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37. The method of claim 22, comprising displaying one or more charts in a supply chain data summary window according to a view selected by a user, the view selected from a group consisting of:
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a problem view;
an operational view; and
a profit view.
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38. The method of claim 37, further comprising coordinating the supply chain physical window and supply chain data summary window so that a command is operable to modify automatically both the supply chain physical window and the supply chain data summary window.
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39. The method of claim 22, further comprising displaying in a supply chain data details window data relating to a supply chain entity selected from the supply chain physical window.
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40. The method of claim 39, further comprising coordinating the supply chain physical window and supply chain data details window so that a command is operable to modify automatically both the supply chain physical window and the supply chain data details window.
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41. The method of claim 22, further comprising displaying in a supply chain data details window data relating to a connector selected from the supply chain physical window.
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42. The method of claim 22, wherein the supply chain bar further provides textual data related to the adjacent supply chain entity.
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43. A computer-related system for visually representing a supply chain, comprising a supply chain physical window operable to display:
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a plurality of supply chain entities;
at least one connector between two of the supply chain entities, the connector representing product flow between the two supply chain entities; and
at least one supply chain bar adjacent a corresponding supply chain entity and independent of the at least one connector, the supply chain bar providing a non-textual graphical representation, according to the appearance of the supply chain bar, of numerical supply chain data representing one or more measurable values related to the adjacent supply chain entity;
the supply chain bar providing data relating to the adjacent supply chain entity for a time period and, after a relatively brief amount of time, automatically providing data relating to the adjacent supply chain entity for a next chronological time period.
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44. A computer-related system for visually representing a supply chain, comprising a supply chain physical window operable to display:
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a plurality of supply chain entities;
at least one connector between two of the supply chain entities, the connector representing product flow between the two supply chain entities; and
at least one supply chain bar adjacent a corresponding supply chain entity and independent of the at least one connector, the supply chain bar providing a non-textual graphical representation, according to the appearance of the supply chain bar, of data related to the adjacent supply chain entity;
a supply chain bar adjacent the connector and providing a non-textual graphical representation, according to the appearance of the supply chain bar, of data related to the product flow represented by the connector, the supply chain bar adjacent the connector being displayed using a raised line having a height in accordance with the data related to the product flow.
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45. A computer-related method of visually representing a supply chain, comprising:
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displaying a plurality of supply chain entities in a supply chain physical window;
representing product flow between two of the supply chain entities by displaying at least one connector between the two supply chain entities; and
providing a non-textual graphical representation, according to the appearance of the supply chain bar, of data relating to a supply chain entity for a time period by displaying a supply chain bar adjacent the supply chain entity and independent of the at least one connector; and
providing a non-textual graphical representation of the data relating to the supply chain entity for a next chronological time period by automatically modifying the supply chain bar after a relatively brief amount of time.
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46. A computer-related method of visually representing a supply chain, comprising:
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displaying a plurality of supply chain entities in a supply chain physical window;
representing product flow between two of the supply chain entities by displaying at least one connector between the two supply chain entities;
providing a non-textual graphical representation, according to the appearance of the supply chain bar, of data related to a supply chain entity by displaying at least one supply chain bar adjacent the supply chain entity and independent of the at least one connector; and
providing a supply chain bar adjacent the connector and providing a non-textual graphical representation, according to the appearance of the supply chain bar, of data related to the product flow represented by the connector, displaying the supply chain bar adjacent the connector using a raised line having a height in accordance with the data related to the product flow.
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47. A computer-related system for visually representing a supply chain, comprising a supply chain physical window operable to display:
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a plurality of supply chain entities;
at least one connector between two of the supply chain entities, the connector representing product flow between the two supply chain entities, the supply chain physical window comprising a plane comprising the at least one connector; and
at least one supply chain bar adjacent a corresponding supply chain entity and independent of the at least one connector, the supply chain bar providing a non-textual graphical representation, according to the appearance of the supply chain bar, of data related to the adjacent supply chain entity, the supply chain bar extending out of the plane comprising the at least one connector within the supply chain physical window.
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48. A computer-related method of visually representing a supply chain, comprising:
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displaying a plurality of supply chain entities in a supply chain physical window;
representing product flow between two of the supply chain entities by displaying at least one connector between the two supply chain entities, the supply chain physical window comprising a plane comprising the at least one connector; and
providing a non-textual graphical representation, according to the appearance of the supply chain bar, of data related to a supply chain entity by displaying at least one supply chain bar adjacent the supply chain entity and independent of the at least one connector, the supply chain bar extending out of the plane comprising the at least one connector within the supply chain physical window.
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49. Software for visually representing a supply chain, the software being embodied in computer-readable media and when executed operable to generate a display of a supply chain physical window comprising:
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a plurality of supply chain entities;
at least one connector between two of the supply chain entities, the connector representing product flow between the two supply chain entities; and
at least one supply chain bar adjacent a corresponding supply chain entity and independent of the at least one connector, the supply chain bar providing a non-textual graphical representation, according to the appearance of the supply chain bar, of numerical supply chain data representing one or more measurable values related to the adjacent supply chain entity.
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50. Software for visually representing a supply chain, the software being embodied in computer-readable media and when executed operable to generate a display of a supply chain physical window comprising:
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a plurality of supply chain entities;
at least one connector between two of the supply chain entities, the connector representing product flow between the two supply chain entities, the supply chain physical window comprising a plane comprising the at least one connector; and
at least one supply chain bar adjacent a corresponding supply chain entity and independent of the at least one connector, the supply chain bar providing a non-textual graphical representation, according to the appearance of the supply chain bar, of data related to the adjacent supply chain entity, the supply chain bar extending out of the plane comprising the at least one connector within the supply chain physical window.
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Specification