Incorporating a repair vendor into repair planning for a supply chain

• US 8,249,952 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2004
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Blue Yonder Group, Inc. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: JDA Software Group Incorporated (RedPrairie Holding Incorporated)
• Inventors: Narayanan, Vasudevan, Mohan, Mohit, Jain, Nikhil T., Adgaonkar, Amol B.
• Primary Examiner(s): AN, IG TAI
• Application Number:
  US10/845,985
• Publication Number:
  US 20050222921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,021 Days
• Field of Search: 705/22, 705/26, 705/28
• 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 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

One embodiment includes a computer-implemented system for incorporating a repair vendor into repair planning for a supply chain. The system accesses a logical representation of the supply chain and identify one or more controlling locations and one or more staging locations in the supply chain. The system accesses information indicating a replenishment requirement at a particular identified controlling location resulting from safety stock at the particular identified controlling location dropping below a predetermined threshold. In response to the information indicating the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location, the system identifies every primary network in the supply chain connecting the particular identified controlling location to one or more identified staging locations. The system selects one or more of the particular identified controlling location and one or more identified staging locations each connected to the particular identified controlling location by a primary network and generates one or more repair orders.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system of repair planning in a supply chain, comprising:

a computer system coupled with one or more databases, the computer system configured to;

identify one or more controlling locations in the supply chain;

identify a repair vendor outside the supply chain and independent of control from the supply chain;

identify one or more staging locations in the supply chain to move unserviceable parts to the repair vendor, such that a serviceable part must traverse more than one forward bill of distribution (BOD) to travel from the repair vendor to the one or more staging locations;

access information indicating a replenishment requirement at a particular identified controlling location, the replenishment requirement indicating that safety stock at the particular identified controlling location dropped below a predetermined threshold;

identify one or more primary networks in the supply chain connecting the particular identified controlling location with one or more identified staging locations;

select one or more of;

the particular identified controlling location; and

one or more identified staging locations each connected with the particular identified controlling location by a primary network, the combination of the controlling location and each of the one or more staging locations assigned a lane priority; and

generate one or more repair orders according to the lane priority and which one or more unserviceable parts are moved from the selected locations to the repair vendor, repaired at the repair vendor, and moved from the repair vendor to the particular identified controlling location to meet the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is further configured to:

access information indicating a demand requirement at the particular identified controlling location in the supply chain;

without identifying any primary networks in the supply chain connecting the particular identified controlling location with one or more identified staging locations, select one or more of;

the particular identified controlling location;

one or more other identified controlling locations; and

one or more identified staging locations; and

generate one or more repair orders according to which one or more unserviceable parts are to be moved from the selected locations to the repair vendor, repaired at the repair vendor, and moved from the repair vendor to the particular identified controlling location to meet the demand requirement at the particular identified controlling location.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more primary networks in the supply chain comprises:

a series of one or more forward bills of distribution (BODs) that have been designated primary forward BODs according to one or more of;

whether the forward BOD is an only forward BOD between two locations in the supply chain; and

one or more costs associated with moving parts according to the forward BOD.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is further configured, when an aggregate quantity of unserviceable parts at the particular identified controlling location and the one or more identified staging locations each connected with the particular identified controlling location by a primary network available to meet the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location is insufficient to fully satisfy the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location, to procure one or more serviceable parts from a repair vendor outside the supply chain to meet the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the computer system is further configured to procure serviceable parts from only one repair vendor, even when a quantity of serviceable parts at the one repair vendor available to meet the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location is insufficient to fully satisfy the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is further configured to select one or more of the identified staging locations each connected with the particular identified controlling location by a primary network only when a quantity of unserviceable parts at the particular identified controlling location available to meet the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location is insufficient to fully satisfy the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is further configured to select one or more identified staging locations each connected with the particular identified controlling location by a primary network according to lane prioritization among one or more reverse bills of distribution BODs connecting the repair vendor with the identified staging locations each connected with the particular identified controlling location by a primary network.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a service parts planning system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is further configured to access data to identify one or more controlling locations and one or more staging locations in the supply chain.

10. A computer-implemented system of repair planning in a supply chain, comprising:

a computer system coupled with one or more databases, the computer system configured to;

identify one or more controlling locations in the supply chain;

identify a repair vendor outside the supply chain and independent of control from the supply chain;

identify one or more staging locations in the chain to move unserviceable parts to the repair vendor, such that a serviceable part must traverse more than one forward bill of distribution (BOD) to travel from the repair vendor to the one or more staging locations;

access information indicating a replenishment requirement at a first identified staging location in the supply chain, the replenishment requirement indicating that safety stock at the first identified staging location dropped below a predetermined threshold;

identify one or more primary networks in the supply chain connecting the first identified staging location with an identified controlling location or one or more second identified staging locations;

select one or more of;

the first identified staging location;

the identified controlling location connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network; and

one or more second identified staging locations, the combination of the controlling location and each of the one or more second identified staging locations assigned a lane priority; and

generate one or more repair orders according to the lane priority and which one or more unserviceable parts are moved from the selected locations to the repair vendor, repaired at the repair vendor, and moved from the repair vendor to the first identified staging location to meet the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer system is further configured to:

access information indicating a demand requirement at the first identified staging location in the supply chain;

without identifying any primary networks in the supply chain connecting the first identified staging location with an identified controlling location or one or more second identified staging locations, select one or more of;

the first identified staging location;

the identified controlling locations; and

the identified staging locations; and

generate one or more repair orders according to which one or more unserviceable parts are to be moved from the selected locations to the repair vendor, repaired at the repair vendor, and moved from the repair vendor to the first identified staging location to meet the demand requirement at the first identified staging location.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more primary networks in the supply chain comprises:

a series of one or more forward bills of distribution (BODs) that have been designated primary forward BODs according to one or more of;

whether the forward BOD is an only forward BOD between two locations in the supply chain; and

one or more costs associated with moving parts according to the forward BOD.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer system is further configured, when an aggregate quantity of unserviceable parts at the first identified staging location, the identified controlling location connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network, and the one or more second identified staging locations each connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network available to meet the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location is insufficient to fully satisfy the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location, to procure one or more serviceable parts from a repair vendor outside the supply chain to meet the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the computer system is further configured to procure serviceable parts from only one repair vendor, even when a quantity of serviceable parts at the one repair vendor available to meet the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location is insufficient to fully satisfy the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer system is further configured to select one or more of the identified controlling locations connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network and the one or more second identified staging locations each connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network only when a quantity of unserviceable parts at the first identified staging location available to meet the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location is insufficient to fully satisfy the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer system is further configured to select one or more of the identified controlling locations connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network and the one or more identified second staging locations each connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network according to lane prioritization among one or more reverse bills of distribution BODs connecting the repair vendor with the identified controlling location connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network and the identified second staging locations each connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising a service parts planning system.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer system is further configured to access data to identify one or more controlling locations and one or more staging locations in the supply chain.

19. A computer-implemented method of repair planning in a supply chain, the method comprising:

identifying, by the computer, one or more controlling locations in the supply chain;

identifying, by the computer, a repair vendor outside the supply chain and independent of control from the supply chain;

identifying, by the computer, one or more staging locations in the supply chain to move unserviceable parts to the repair vendor, such that a serviceable part must traverse more than one forward bill of distribution (BOD) to travel from the repair vendor to the one or more staging locations;

accessing, by the computer, information indicating a replenishment requirement at a particular identified controlling location, the replenishment requirement indicating that safety stock at the particular identified controlling location dropped below a predetermined threshold;

identifying, by the computer, one or more primary networks in the supply chain connecting the particular identified controlling location with one or more identified staging locations;

selecting, by the computer, one or more of;

the particular identified controlling location; and

one or more identified staging locations each connected with the particular identified controlling location by a primary network, the combination of the controlling location and each of the one or more staging locations assigned a lane priority; and

generating, by the computer, one or more repair orders according to the lane priority and which one or more unserviceable parts are moved from the selected locations to the repair vendor, repaired at the repair vendor, and moved from the repair vendor to the particular identified controlling location to meet the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

accessing information indicating a demand requirement at the particular identified controlling location in the supply chain;

without identifying any primary networks in the supply chain connecting the particular identified controlling location with one or more identified staging locations, selecting one or more of;

the particular identified controlling location;

one or more other identified controlling locations; and

one or more identified staging locations; and

generating one or more repair orders according to which one or more unserviceable parts are to be moved from the selected locations to the repair vendor, repaired at the repair vendor, and moved from the repair vendor to the particular identified controlling location to meet the demand requirement at the particular identified controlling location.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the one or more primary networks in the supply chain comprises:

a series of one or more forward bills of distribution (BODs) that have been designated primary forward BODs according to one or more of;

whether the forward BOD is an only forward BOD between two locations in the supply chain; and

one or more costs associated with moving parts according to the forward BOD.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising, when an aggregate quantity of unserviceable parts at the particular identified controlling location and the one or more identified staging locations each connected with the particular identified controlling location by a primary network available to meet the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location is insufficient to fully satisfy the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location, procuring one or more serviceable parts from a repair vendor outside the supply chain to meet the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising procuring serviceable parts from only one repair vendor, even when a quantity of serviceable parts at the one repair vendor available to meet the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location is insufficient to fully satisfy the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising selecting one or more of the identified staging locations each connected with the particular identified controlling location by a primary network only when a quantity of unserviceable parts at the particular identified controlling location available to meet the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location is insufficient to fully satisfy the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location.

25. The method of claim 19, further selecting one or more identified staging locations each connected with the particular identified controlling location by a primary network according to lane prioritization among one or more reverse bills of distribution BODs connecting the repair vendor with the identified staging locations each connected with the particular identified controlling location by a primary network.

26. The method of claim 19, executed by a service parts planning system.

27. The method of claim 19, comprising accessing data to identify one or more controlling locations and one or more staging locations in the supply chain.

28. A computer-implemented method of repair planning in a supply chain, the method comprising:

identifying, by a computer, one or more controlling locations in the supply chain;

identifying, by the computer, to move unserviceable parts to a repair vendor outside the supply chain and independent of control from the supply chain;

identifying, by the computer, one or more staging locations in the supply chain to move unserviceable parts to the repair vendor, such that a serviceable part must traverse more than one forward bill of distribution (BOD) to travel from the repair vendor to the one or more staging locations;

accessing, by the computer, information indicating a replenishment requirement at a first identified staging location in the supply chain, the replenishment requirement indicating that safety stock at the first identified staging location dropped below a predetermined threshold;

identifying, by the computer, one or more primary networks in the supply chain connecting the first identified staging location with an identified controlling location or one or more second identified staging locations;

selecting, by the computer, one or more of;

the first identified staging location;

the identified controlling location connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network; and

one or more second identified staging locations, the combination of the controlling location and each of the one or more second identified staging locations assigned a lane priority; and

generating, by the computer, one or more repair orders according to the lane priority and which one or more unserviceable parts are moved from the selected locations to the repair vendor, repaired at the repair vendor, and moved from the repair vendor to the first identified staging location to meet the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

accessing information indicating a demand requirement at the first identified staging location in the supply chain;

without identifying any primary networks in the supply chain connecting the first identified staging location with an identified controlling location or one or more second identified staging locations, selecting one or more of;

the first identified staging location;

the identified controlling locations; and

the identified staging locations; and

generating one or more repair orders according to which one or more unserviceable parts are to be moved from the selected locations to the repair vendor, repaired at the repair vendor, and moved from the repair vendor to the first identified staging location to meet the demand requirement at the first identified staging location.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the one or more primary networks in the supply chain comprises:

a series of one or more forward bills of distribution (BODs) that have been designated primary forward BODs according to one or more of;

whether the forward BOD is an only forward BOD between two locations in the supply chain; and

one or more costs associated with moving parts according to the forward BOD.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising, when an aggregate quantity of unserviceable parts at the first identified staging location, the identified controlling location connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network, and the one or more second identified staging locations each connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network available to meet the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location is insufficient to fully satisfy the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location, procuring one or more serviceable parts from a repair vendor outside the supply chain to meet the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising procuring serviceable parts from only one repair vendor, even when a quantity of serviceable parts at the one repair vendor available to meet the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location is insufficient to fully satisfy the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location.

33. The method of claim 28, further comprising selecting one or more of the identified controlling locations connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network and the one or more second identified staging locations each connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network only when a quantity of unserviceable parts at the first identified staging location available to meet the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location is insufficient to fully satisfy the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location.

34. The method of claim 28, further comprising selecting one or more of the identified controlling locations connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network and the one or more identified second staging locations each connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network according to lane prioritization among one or more reverse bills of distribution BODs connecting the repair vendor to the identified controlling location connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network and the identified second staging locations each connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network.

35. The method of claim 28, executed by a service parts planning system.

36. The method of claim 28, comprising accessing data to identify one or more controlling locations and one or more staging locations in the supply chain.

37. A computer-readable storage medium embodied with software for repair planning in a supply chain, the software when executed using one or more computers is configured to:

identify one or more controlling locations in the supply chain;

identify a repair vendor outside the supply chain and independent of control from the supply chain;

identify one or more staging locations in the supply chain to move unserviceable parts to the repair vendor, such that a serviceable part must traverse more than one forward bill of distribution (BOD) to travel from the repair vendor to the one or more staging locations;

access information indicating a replenishment requirement at a particular identified controlling location, the replenishment requirement indicating that safety stock at the particular identified controlling location dropped below a predetermined threshold;

identify one or more primary networks in the supply chain connecting the particular identified controlling location with one or more identified staging locations;

select one or more of;

the particular identified controlling location; and

one or more identified staging locations each connected with the particular identified controlling location by a primary network, wherein the combination of the controlling location and each of the one or more staging locations is assigned a lane priority; and

generate one or more repair orders according to the lane priority and which one or more unserviceable parts are moved from the selected locations to the repair vendor, repaired at the repair vendor, and moved from the repair vendor to the particular identified controlling location to meet the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location.

38. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein the software is further configured to:

access information indicating a demand requirement at the particular identified controlling location in the supply chain;

without identifying any primary networks in the supply chain connecting the particular identified controlling location with one or more identified staging locations, select one or more of;

the particular identified controlling location;

one or more other identified controlling locations; and

one or more identified staging locations; and

generate one or more repair orders according to which one or more unserviceable parts are to be moved from the selected locations to the repair vendor, repaired at the repair vendor, and moved from the repair vendor to the particular identified controlling location to meet the demand requirement at the particular identified controlling location.

39. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein the one or more primary networks in the supply chain comprises:

a series of one or more forward bills of distribution (BODs) that have been designated primary forward BODs according to one or more of;

whether the forward BOD is an only forward BOD between two locations in the supply chain; and

one or more costs associated with moving parts according to the forward BOD.

40. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein the software is further configured, when an aggregate quantity of unserviceable parts at the particular identified controlling location and the one or more identified staging locations each connected with the particular identified controlling location by a primary network available to meet the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location is insufficient to fully satisfy the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location, to procure one or more serviceable parts from a repair vendor outside the supply chain to meet the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location.

41. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, wherein the software is further configured to procure serviceable parts from only one repair vendor, even when a quantity of serviceable parts at the one repair vendor available to meet the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location is insufficient to fully satisfy the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location.

42. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein the software is further configured to select one or more of the identified staging locations each connected with the particular identified controlling location by a primary network only when a quantity of unserviceable parts at the particular identified controlling location available to meet the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location is insufficient to fully satisfy the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location.

43. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein the software is further configured to select one or more identified staging locations each connected with the particular identified controlling location by a primary network according to lane prioritization among one or more reverse bills of distribution BODs connecting the repair vendor with the identified staging locations each connected with the particular identified controlling location by a primary network.

44. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 37, executed by a service parts planning system.

45. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein the software is further configured to access data to identify one or more controlling locations and one or more staging locations in the supply chain.

46. A computer-readable storage medium embodied with software for repair planning in a supply chain, the software when executed using one or more computers is configured to:

identify one or more controlling locations in the supply chain;

identify a repair vendor outside the supply chain and independent of control from the supply chain;

identify one or more staging locations in the supply chain to move unserviceable parts to the repair vendor, such that a serviceable part must traverse more than one forward bill of distribution (BOD) to travel from the repair vendor to the one or more staging locations;

access information indicating a replenishment requirement at a first identified staging location in the supply chain, the replenishment requirement indicating that safety stock at the first identified staging location dropped below a predetermined threshold;

identify one or more primary networks in the supply chain connecting the first identified staging location with an identified controlling location or one or more second identified staging locations;

select one or more of;

the first identified staging location;

the identified controlling location connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network; and

one or more second identified staging locations, wherein the combination of the controlling location and each of the one or more staging locations is assigned a lane priority; and

generate one or more repair orders according to the lane priority and which one or more unserviceable parts are moved from the selected locations to the repair vendor, repaired at the repair vendor, and moved from the repair vendor to the first identified staging location to meet the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location.

47. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 46, wherein the software is further configured to:

access information indicating a demand requirement at the first identified staging location in the supply chain;

without identifying any primary networks in the supply chain connecting the first identified staging location with an identified controlling location or one or more second identified staging locations, select one or more of;

the first identified staging location;

the identified controlling locations; and

the identified staging locations; and

generate one or more repair orders according to which one or more unserviceable parts are to be moved from the selected locations to the repair vendor, repaired at the repair vendor, and moved from the repair vendor to the first identified staging location to meet the demand requirement at the first identified staging location.

48. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 46, wherein the one or more primary networks in the supply chain comprises:

a series of one or more forward bills of distribution (BODs) that have been designated primary forward BODs according to one or more of;

whether the forward BOD is an only forward BOD between two locations in the supply chain; and

one or more costs associated with moving parts according to the forward BOD.

49. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 46, wherein the software is further configured, when an aggregate quantity of unserviceable parts at the first identified staging location, the identified controlling location connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network, and the one or more second identified staging locations each connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network available to meet the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location is insufficient to fully satisfy the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location, to procure one or more serviceable parts from a repair vendor outside the supply chain to meet the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location.

50. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 49, wherein the software is further configured to procure serviceable parts from only one repair vendor, even when a quantity of serviceable parts at the one repair vendor available to meet the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location is insufficient to fully satisfy the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location.

51. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 46, wherein the software is further configured to select one or more of the identified controlling locations connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network and the one or more second identified staging locations each connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network only when a quantity of unserviceable parts at the first identified staging location available to meet the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location is insufficient to fully satisfy the replenishment requirement at the first identified staging location.

52. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 46, wherein the software is further configured to select one or more of the identified controlling locations connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network and the one or more identified second staging locations each connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network according to lane prioritization among one or more reverse bills of distribution BODs connecting the repair vendor to the identified controlling location connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network and the identified second staging locations each connected with the first identified staging location by a primary network.

53. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 46, comprising a service parts planning system.

54. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 46, wherein the software is further configured to access data to identify one or more controlling locations and one or more staging locations in the supply chain.