Binary trees for detecting inventory problems in an enterprise model

• US 7,752,244 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2007
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: JDA Software Group Incorporated (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: i2 Technologies US Incorporated (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Cline, Kevin A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, F. Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa
• Application Number:
  US11/875,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20080052204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 707100-101, 705/28
• US Class Current: 707/736
• 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 build-ahead time, comprising:

storing by a computer, a balanced binary tree representing inventory values in terms of a time varying function that is a series of time value and function value pairs, the balanced binary tree comprising a plurality of nodes, at least one of the nodes associated with a time span defined by a position of the node in the balanced binary tree;

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

accessing the binary tree by the computer using delta values to determine at least one function value that represents inventory quantity at a certain time.

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 time values of consumer deltas are shifted in accordance with the build-ahead time.

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

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the build-ahead time is a maximum build-ahead time, and the computer determines when the function value is positive.

6. 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.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the function is a step function.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each node stores a constant delta value.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing the binary tree by the computer by searching the tree to locate a time value when the function value changes to a negative value.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing the binary tree by the computer by searching the tree to locate a time value when the function value drops below a specified minimum on-hand value.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing the binary tree by the computer by searching the tree to locate a time value when the function value changes to a specified maximum on-hand value.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting by the computer, data representing the function value.