Method and system for integrating a restriction object with a material object

• US 8,155,772 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2008
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Kienzle, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Application Number:
  US12/212,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20090198364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 700/107
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32111 PPS production planning system
• 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

Abstract

A method and system for integrating a restriction object with a material object is provided. A reference is generated between a material object and a restriction object. A restriction note is received from a supplier having a material restriction for a material in the material object. A material position is searched in the material object using a material number of the material. A selection condition is determined based on which the material is chosen from the material position. A restriction condition is generated in the restriction object based on the material restriction and the selection condition.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method executing on a microprocessor, comprising:

generating, using the microprocessor, a reference between a restriction name attribute in a material object and a restriction key in a restriction object, and between a first selection condition attribute in the material object and a second selection condition attribute in the restriction object, the material object and the restriction object residing in computer memory;

receiving a restriction note through a graphical user interface (GUI) from a supplier having a material restriction for a material in the material object;

searching, the microprocessor, a material position in the material object within the computer memory using a material identifier of the material;

determining, using the microprocessor, a selection condition based on which the material is chosen from the material position, wherein the material from the material position is selected for a production of a product when the selection condition for the material position is true; and

generating, using the microprocessor, a restriction condition in the restriction object within the computer memory based on the material restriction and the selection condition.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the restriction condition comprises generating an association between the material restriction and the selection condition.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising converting a shipment quantity of a product to a maximum shipment quantity of the product based on the restriction condition.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein converting the shipment quantity to a maximum shipment quantity comprises:

reading a number of pieces of the material used in the product; and

calculating the maximum shipment quantity of the product based on the number of pieces of the material.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the material restriction comprises a maximum quantity of the material to be supplied in a time period.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the time period is selected from a group comprising a day, a week, a month and a year.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the material object has the material arranged in a hierarchy of material positions.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the selection condition is a boolean expression.

9. A computer system including at least one processor and memory storing program code, the code comprising:

a material object for storing a material within the memory;

a restriction object for storing a restriction condition for the material within the memory;

an integrator within the memory for generating a reference between a restriction name attribute in the material object and a restriction key in the restriction object, and between a first selection condition attribute in the material object and a second selection condition attribute in the restriction object;

a note receiver within the memory for receiving a restriction note from a supplier having a material restriction for a material in the material object;

a material object controller within the memory coupled to the integrator, the note receiver and the material object for searching a material position in the material object using a material identifier of the material, the material object controller determining a selection condition based on which the material is chosen from the material position, wherein the material from the material position is selected for a production of a product when the selection condition for the material position is true; and

a restriction object controller within the memory coupled to the integrator, the material object controller and the restriction object for generating a restriction condition in the restriction object based on the material restriction and the selection condition.

10. A non-transitory machine-accessible medium that provides instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

generating a reference between a restriction name attribute in a material object and a restriction key in a restriction object, and between a first selection condition attribute in the material object and a second selection condition attribute in the restriction object;

receiving a restriction note from a supplier having a material restriction for a material in the material object;

searching a material position in the material object using a material identifier of the material;

determining a selection condition based on which the material is chosen from the material position, wherein the material from the material position is selected for a production of a product when the selection condition for the material position is true; and

generating a restriction condition in the restriction object based on the material restriction and the selection condition.

11. The machine-accessible medium of claim 10 wherein generating the restriction condition comprises generating an association between the material restriction and the selection condition.

12. The machine-accessible medium of claim 10 further providing instructions which when executed by the machine cause the machine to perform further operations comprising converting a shipment quantity of a product to a maximum shipment quantity of the product based on the restriction condition.

13. The machine-accessible medium of claim 12 wherein converting the shipment quantity to a maximum shipment quantity comprises:

reading a number of pieces of the material used in the product; and

calculating the maximum shipment quantity of the product based on the number of pieces of the material.

14. The machine-accessible medium of claim 10 wherein the material restriction comprises a maximum quantity of the material to be supplied in a time period.

15. The machine-accessible medium of claim 10 wherein the material object has the material arranged in a hierarchy of material positions.

16. The machine-accessible medium of claim 10 wherein the selection condition is a boolean expression.