Stock flow management system and method

• US 8,417,591 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Alfandary, Shai, Libfeld, Zahi, Holzman, Ziv, Diga, Michal, Harel, Orit, Hadari, Malkiel
• Primary Examiner(s): AN, IG TAI
• Application Number:
  US11/322,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20070156536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,657 Days
• Field of Search: 705/22, 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

A computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier includes instructions that, when executed, perform operations that modify stock levels of a storage location in a logistic environment system. The operations include receiving information indicating a stock level change at storage location database objects that each represent a storage location for stock in a logistic environment. A storage location database object has associated with it a rule, a stock amount value specifying an amount of stock for the storage location, and a threshold that indicates a stock level to be maintained for the storage location. The operations also include determining, using the rule, if the stock level change would cause the stock amount value to cross the threshold, and if so, generating a request to modify the amount of stock at the storage location so that the stock amount value does not cross the threshold.

Claims

1. A computer program product tangibly embodied in a machine readable storage device, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed, perform operations that manage a removal of stock from a storage location in a logistic environment, the operations comprising:

accessing a data store of a computing device, the data store including a plurality of electronic storage control objects, each electronic storage control object representing one of a plurality of locations that store stock in a logistic environment;

receiving a trigger event at any of the electronic storage control objects that each represent a particular location and is configured to manage stock at that particular location; and

initiating, by the electronic control object that receives the trigger event, a set of actions for managing removal of stock in response to the received trigger event, the actions comprising;

accessing a programmed threshold indicating a threshold for stock stored at the particular location represented by the electronic storage control object that receives the trigger event, wherein the threshold comprises a current system date;

accessing a current attribute value of the stock at the particular location, the current attribute value comprising an expiration date of the stock stored at the particular location represented by the electronic storage control object;

comparing the current attribute value of the stock with the threshold; and

transmitting a request to remove at least a portion of the stock from the particular location represented by the electronic control object when the current system date postdates the expiration date of the stock.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the particular location includes a resource used to manipulate the stock.

3. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the resource is selected from a group consisting of a vehicle for stock transportation, production machinery for stock modification, and packing machinery for stock packaging.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the request controls a flow of stock in a production process that receives, manipulates, or outputs stock.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the request controls a flow of stock between storage locations.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise comparing the current attribute value to a second threshold for an attribute value of the stock at the location.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting the request to remove stock when the current attribute value crosses the second threshold.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the threshold further comprises a quantity of stock and the current attribute value of the stock further comprises a current quantity of stock for the location.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise determining the current quantity of stock using an expected, an instant, an incoming, or an outgoing amount of stock at the location.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise varying the determination of the current quantity of stock based on user input, a date the determination is performed, or a time the determination is performed.

11. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise specifying an amount of stock to remove from the particular location, wherein the amount to remove is based on a value selected from a group consisting of a predefined capacity amount indicating how much the particular location can hold, a predefined optimum amount indicating a preferred amount for the particular location to hold, a user-defined amount, or an amount specified by information included in the triggering event.

12. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise assigning to the request a priority that indicates a status of urgency to complete the request relative to other requests.

13. The computer program of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise combining an additional value not related to the stock with the threshold of the stock when making the comparison with the current stock attribute.

14. The computer program of claim 13, wherein the additional value is the current date.

15. The computer program of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise varying the threshold based on a time or date.

16. The computer program of claim 1, wherein the trigger event includes information selected from a group consisting of a request to place stock at the particular location, a request to retrieve stock stored at the particular location, and an expiration inquiry.

17. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the particular location that stores stock is one of multiple levels of a hierarchy of locations.

18. A logistic environment system for initiating stock removal from a location comprising:

a data store of a computing device, the data store including a plurality of electronic storage control objects, each electronic storage control object representing one of a plurality of locations that store stock in a logistic environment; and

a first electronic storage control object of the plurality of electronic storage control objects that each represent a particular location and is configured to manage stock at that particular location, wherein the electronic storage control object is adapted to receive a trigger event and upon receipt initiate a set of actions for managing removal of stock, the actions comprising;

accessing a programmed threshold indicating a threshold for stock stored at a first location represented by the first electronic storage control object, wherein the threshold comprises a current system date;

accessing a current attribute value of the stock at the particular location, the current attribute value comprising an expiration date of the stock stored at the particular location represented by the electronic storage control object;

comparing the current attribute value of the stock with the threshold; and

transmitting a request to remove at least a portion of the stock from the particular location represented by the electronic control object when the current system date postdates the expiration date of the stock.

19. A method for managing the removal of stock in a logistic environment system, comprising:

accessing a data store of a computing device, the data store including a plurality of electronic storage control objects, each electronic storage control object representing one of a plurality of locations that store stock in a logistic environment;

receiving a trigger event at any of the electronic storage control objects that each represent a particular location and is configured to manage stock at that particular location; and

initiating, by the electronic control object that receives the trigger event, a set of actions for managing removal of stock in response to the received trigger event, the actions comprising;

accessing a programmed threshold indicating a threshold for stock stored at the particular location represented by the electronic storage control object that receives the trigger event, wherein the threshold comprises a current system date;

accessing a current attribute value of the stock at the particular location, the current attribute value comprising an expiration date of the stock stored at the particular location represented by the electronic storage control object;

comparing the current attribute value of the stock with the threshold; and

transmitting a request to remove at least a portion of the stock from the particular location represented by the electronic control object when the current system date postdates the expiration date of the stock.