System, method and program recording medium for supply capacity estimation

• US 8,712,823 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2012
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Taguchi, Kentaro, Ogawa, Takahiro, Tsujibe, Akihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): LOFTIS, JOHNNA RONEE
• Application Number:
  US13/568,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20130197972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.11, 705/7.25, 705/7.31
• US Class Current: 705/7.31
• 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 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Technology for realizing reductions in time required for production plan by estimating supply capacities of suppliers is provided. A system has a function of registering and displaying transaction information including delivery requests from a buyer including number of required parts and delivery responses from a supplier including number of suppliable parts, a function of managing the series of transaction information as transaction history information on a DB, and an estimating function of estimating supply capacities of parts of the supplier with respect to the delivery responses in reply to delivery requests. The estimating function performs processes of estimating supply capacities by determining numbers of suppliable parts of past delivery responses with respect to numbers of required parts of past delivery requests by using the delivery request history information, the delivery response history information and the process LT information, and outputting a screen including the estimated result information to users.

Claims

1. A supply capacity estimating system that performs information process for supporting transaction of parts between a buyer and a supplier by using at least one computer using a communication network, the supply capacity estimating system comprising the at least one computer comprising:

a storing portion configured to store and manage transaction information of the parts including information of delivery requests including the number of required parts from the buyer and information of delivery responses including the number of suppliable parts from the supplier on a database (DB) in chronological order as transaction history information; and

a calculating portion configured to perform processes of estimating the parts supply capacity of the supplier with respect to delivery responses of the supplier in reply to delivery requests of the buyer,

the calculating portion configured to perform;

a process of acquiring, from the DB, delivery request history information related to the delivery request of the buyer;

a process of acquiring, from the DB, delivery response history information related to the delivery response of the supplier;

a process of acquiring or inputting process lead time information related to provision of parts from the supplier;

wherein the calculating portion comprises;

a first estimating portion configured to perform processes of estimating the number of suppliable parts of the delivery response with respect to the required number of present or future delivery request as the supply capacity by referring to numbers of suppliable parts of delivery response in reply to required numbers of delivery requests at past time points that have been retroacted by process lead times from a reference delivery date of parts to the buyer for each of the parts by using the delivery request history information, the delivery response history information and the process lead time information, wherein the process lead time information includes a first process lead time for transporting parts from the supplier to the buyer related to inventory in transit on the supplier side, and

wherein the first estimating portion is configured to perform processes of estimating a quantity value based on the inventory in transit on the supplier side as the supply capacity by the referring to the numbers of suppliable parts of delivery response in reply to the required numbers of delivery requests at past time points that have been retroacted by the first process lead times from a reference delivery date of parts to the buyer; and

a process of outputting a screen including the estimated result information to the user.

2. The supply capacity estimating system according to claim 1,

wherein the process lead time information includes a second process lead time for manufacturing parts from raw materials on the supplier side related to in-process inventory on the supplier side, and

wherein the first estimating portion is configured to perform processes of estimating a quantity value based on the inventory in transit and the in-process inventory on the supplier side as the supply capacity by referring to numbers of suppliable parts of delivery responses in reply to required numbers of delivery requests at past time points that have been retroacted by the first process lead times and the second process lead times from a reference delivery date of parts to the buyer.

3. The supply capacity estimating system according to claim 2,

wherein the process lead time information includes a third process lead time for procurement of raw materials from the supplier side related to backlog of orders on the supplier side, and

wherein the first estimating portion is configured to perform processes of estimating a quantity value based on the inventory in transit, the in-process inventory, and the backlog of orders on the supplier side as the supply capacity by referring to numbers of suppliable parts of delivery responses in reply to required numbers of delivery requests at past time points that have been retroacted by the first process lead times, the second process lead times and the third process lead times from a reference delivery date of parts to the buyer.

4. The supply capacity estimating system according to claim 1, wherein the calculating portion comprises

a second estimating portion configured to calculate, by referring to amounts of fluctuation in required numbers among delivery requests of the buyer at time points in the past and to amounts of fluctuation in the numbers of suppliable parts among corresponding delivery responses of the suppliers at time points in the past by respective parts using the delivery request history information, the delivery response history information and the process lead time information, an index value which represents a degree of compliance of the supplier side with respect to such fluctuations, and for performing processes of estimating numbers of suppliable parts of delivery responses with respect to required numbers of present or future delivery requests as the supply capacity on the basis of the index value.

5. The supply capacity estimating system according to claim 4,

wherein the second estimating portion is configured to calculate, by referring to amounts of increase in the required number among delivery requests of the buyer at time points in the past and to number of suppliable parts among corresponding delivery responses of the suppliers at time points in the past, an index value which represents a degree of compliance of the supplier side with respect to such increases on the assumption that treatments are made using reserve amounts of parts inventory and raw material inventory on the supplier side, and performs processes of estimating numbers of suppliable parts of delivery responses with respect to required numbers of present or future delivery requests as the supply capacity on the basis of the index value.

6. The supply capacity estimating system according to claim 1, the calculation portion comprising:

a new delivery request receiving portion configured to receive information of a delivery requests of the parts that has been newly created by a person in charge of the buyer; and

an estimated delivery response displaying portion configured to perform processes of generating a screen including estimated delivery response information including the estimated result information obtained in reply to input of information related to the new delivery request and of displaying the screen to the person in charge of the buyer.

7. The supply capacity estimating system according to claim 1, wherein the first estimating portion is configured to perform:

a process of acquiring quantity values by parts, by time points and by delivery dates from the delivery response history information;

a process of acquiring the numbers of suppliable parts of delivery responses in reply to number of required parts of delivery requests at past time points that have been retroacted by process lead times from reference delivery dates from the process lead time information;

a process of defining the quantity values of processes including the present time point as an estimated supply capacity at the present time point and storing the estimated supply capacity information; and

a process of comparing the estimated supply capacity information and the new delivery request information and storing a quantity value of the smaller one as the estimated delivery response information.

8. The supply capacity estimating system according to claim 4, wherein the second estimating portion is configured to perform:

a process of acquiring quantity values by parts, by time points and by delivery dates from the delivery request history information and the delivery response history information;

a process of classifying the delivery requests and delivery responses of the parts for each process from the process lead time information;

a process of calculating the index value by using the amount of fluctuation among the delivery responses with respect to the amount of fluctuation among the delivery requests for each process; and

a process of estimating a number of suppliable parts of an estimated delivery response as the supply capacity by using the index value and the number of required parts of the new delivery request information.

9. The supply capacity estimating system according to claim 1,

wherein pieces of information regarding parts, supplier, delivery dates and estimated numbers of suppliable parts of the delivery dates are displayed on the screen including the estimated result information.

10. The supply capacity estimating system according to claim 9,

wherein pieces of judgment result information are displayed on the screen including the estimated result information,

wherein the estimating portion is configured to make judgments as the judgment result information in a manner such that an OK judgment is made when it is possible to cover the number of required parts of the delivery request by the number of suppliable parts of the estimated delivery response while an NG judgment is made when supply is impossible, and when an NG judgment is made, information indicating that adjustments are necessary is displayed on the screen and enabling coordination to a screen for adjustment between the buyer and supplier.

11. A supply capacity estimating system that is connected to or incorporated in a parts transaction system that performs information processing for supporting transaction of parts between a buyer and a supplier by using at least one computer using a communication network, the parts transaction system including the at least one computer comprising:

A controlling portion configured to register and display, on a screen, transaction information of the parts including information of delivery requests including the number of required parts from the buyer and information of delivery responses including the number of suppliable parts from the supplier,

A storing portion configured to store and manage transaction information of the parts obtained by the transaction information displaying function on a database (DB) in chronological order as transaction history information, and

the supply capacity estimating system comprising at least one computer comprising;

a calculating portion configured to perform processes of estimating the parts supply capacity of the supplier with respect to a delivery response of the supplier in reply to a delivery request of the buyer, wherein the calculating portion is configured to perform;

a process of acquiring, from the parts transaction system, delivery request history information related to the delivery request of the buyer;

a process of acquiring, from the parts transaction system, delivery response history information related to the delivery response of the supplier;

a process of acquiring or inputting process lead time information related to provision of parts from the supplier;

wherein the calculating portion comprises;

a first estimating portion configured to perform processes of estimating the number of suppliable parts of the delivery response with respect to the required number of present or future delivery request as the supply capacity by referring to numbers of suppliable parts of delivery response in reply to required numbers of delivery requests at past time points that have been retroacted by process lead times from a reference delivery date of parts to the buyer for each of the parts by using the delivery request history information, the delivery response history information and the process lead time information, wherein the process lead time information includes a first process lead time for transporting parts from the supplier to the buyer related to inventory in transit on the supplier side, and

wherein the first estimating portion is configured to perform processes of estimating a quantity value based on the inventory in transit on the supplier side as the supply capacity by the referring to the numbers of suppliable parts of delivery response in reply to the required numbers of delivery requests at past time points that have been retroacted by the first process lead times from a reference delivery date of parts to the buyer; and

a process of outputting a screen including the estimated result information to the user.

12. A supply capacity estimating method for performing information processing for supporting transaction of parts between a buyer and a supplier by using at least one computer using a communication network, the supply capacity estimating method comprising:

a process step of registering and displaying, using the at least one computer, transaction information of the parts including information of delivery requests including the number of required parts from the buyer and information of delivery responses including the number of suppliable parts from the supplier;

a process step for storing and managing, using the at least one computer, transaction information of the parts on a DB in chronological order as transaction history information; and

an estimating process step for performing, using the at least one computer, processes of estimating the parts supply capacity of the supplier with respect to a delivery response of the supplier in reply to a delivery request of the buyer,

the estimating process step including;

a process step of acquiring, using the at least one computer, from the DB, delivery request history information related to the delivery request of the buyer;

a process step of acquiring, using the at least one computer, from the DB, delivery response history information related to the delivery response of the supplier;

a process step of acquiring or inputting, using the at least one computer, process lead time information related to provision of parts from the supplier;

wherein the calculating portion comprises;

a first estimating portion configured to perform processes of estimating the number of suppliable parts of the delivery response with respect to the required number of present or future delivery request as the supply capacity by referring to numbers of suppliable parts of delivery response in reply to required numbers of delivery requests at past time points that have been retroacted by process lead times from a reference delivery date of parts to the buyer for each of the parts by using the delivery request history information, the delivery response history information and the process lead time information, wherein the process lead time information includes a first process lead time for transporting parts from the supplier to the buyer related to inventory in transit on the supplier side, and

wherein the first estimating portion is configured to perform processes of estimating a quantity value based on the inventory in transit on the supplier side as the supply capacity by the referring to the numbers of suppliable parts of delivery response in reply to the required numbers of delivery requests at past time points that have been retroacted by the first process lead times from a reference delivery date of parts to the buyer; and

a process step of outputting a screen including the estimated result information to the user.

13. A non-transitory computer recording medium recorded therein a supply capacity estimating program for making at least one computer perform information processing for supporting transaction of parts between a buyer and a supplier using a communication network, the information process comprising:

registering and displaying, using the at least one computer, transaction information of the parts including information of delivery requests including the number of required parts from the buyer and information of delivery responses including the number of suppliable parts from the supplier;

storing and managing, using at least one computer, transaction information of the parts on a database (DB) in chronological order as transaction history information; and

performing an estimating process of estimating, using the at least one computer, the parts supply capacity of the supplier with respect to a delivery response of the supplier in reply to a delivery request of the buyer;

the estimating processes including;

a process of acquiring, using the at least one computer, from the DB, delivery request history information related to the delivery request of the buyer;

a process of acquiring, using the at least one computer, from the DB, delivery response history information related to the delivery response of the supplier;

a process of acquiring, using the at least one computer, process lead time information related to provision of parts from the supplier;

wherein the calculating portion comprises;

a first estimating portion configured to perform processes of estimating the number of suppliable parts of the delivery response with respect to the required number of present or future delivery request as the supply capacity by referring to numbers of suppliable parts of delivery response in reply to required numbers of delivery requests at past time points that have been retroacted by process lead times from a reference delivery date of parts to the buyer for each of the parts by using the delivery request history information, the delivery response history information and the process lead time information, wherein the process lead time information includes a first process lead time for transporting parts from the supplier to the buyer related to inventory in transit on the supplier side, and

wherein the first estimating portion is configured to perform processes of estimating a quantity value based on the inventory in transit on the supplier side as the supply capacity by the referring to the numbers of suppliable parts of delivery response in reply to the required numbers of delivery requests at past time points that have been retroacted by the first process lead times from a reference delivery date of parts to the buyer; and

a process of outputting a screen including the estimated result information to the user.