Technology sharing during demand and supply planning in a network-based supply chain environment

• US 7,130,807 B1
• Filed: 11/22/1999
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture LLP (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Mikurak, Michael G.
• Primary Examiner(s): MEINECKE DIAZ, SUSANNA M
• Application Number:
  US09/444,739
• Time in Patent Office: 2,535 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/7, 705/8, 705/10, 705/26, 705/37, 700/106, 702/60, 434/249
• US Class Current: 705/7.25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities

Abstract

The present disclosure provides for supplying collaborative planning by a computerized framework manager. Steps include furnishing network connections and collecting supply and demand information from business entities. Such information is analyzed and used to facilitate planning among the business entites. The network provides data access for multiple data sources and the network is used to store capacity data. The computerized framework manager conducts reverse inventory management of the business entities through the collection of data; analysis of data is then used to predict future demand, and predicted future demand is used to forecast costs to manufacturers, from which suggestions regarding optimization is made.

Claims

1. A method carried out by a computerized framework manager to supply collaborative planning comprising:

(a) furnishing connections to a network for use by a plurality of business entities, wherein the plurality business entities comprise at least one of service providers, vendors, resellers, and manufacturers;

(b) receiving information via the network from a first business entity of the plurality of business entities, including information relating to a demand of the first business entity for offerings;

(c) receiving information via the network from a second business entity of the plurality of business entities, including information relating to a supply of offerings from the second business entity;

(d) analyzing the supply and the demand for the offerings to plan future supply and demand for the offerings;

(e) using the network to facilitate planning between the first business entity and the second business entity;

(f) using the network to provide data access from multiple simultaneous data sources for demand and supply planning;

(g) using the network to store capacity data wherein the step of storing capacity data using the network includes replication and synchronization capabilities; and

(h) using the network to conduct reverse inventory management between the first business entity and the second business entity, comprising;

using a network to collect data relating to usage and events occurring on at least one service provided by at least one service provider;

analyzing the data to determine a status of the service;

using the status of the service to predict future demand by the service provider for equipment offering supplied by a manufacturer;

determining production capacity, inventory, costs and discounts of manufacturer offerings based on the status of the service; and

using the network to suggest changes to the manufacturer offerings inventory of at least one manufacturer based on the status of the service in order to optimize supply and costs of the manufacturer offerings.

2. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium and executable on a computer for a computerized framework manager to supply collaborative planning comprising:

(a) a code segment furnishing connections to a network for use by a plurality of business entities, wherein the plurality business entities comprise at least one of service providers, vendors, resellers, and manufacturers;

(b) a code segment for receiving information via the network from a first business entity for the plurality of business entities, including information relating to a demand of the first business entity for offerings;

(c) a code segment for receiving information via the network from a second business entity of the plurality of business entities, including information relating to a supply of offerings from the second business entity;

(d) a code segment for analyzing the supply and the demand for the offerings to plan future supply and demand for the offerings;

(e) a code segment for using the network to facilitate planning between at least the first business entity and the second business entity;

(f) a code segment for using the network to provide data access from multiple simultaneous data sources for demand and supply planning;

(g) a code segment for using the network to store capacity data wherein the step of storing capacity data using the network includes replication and synchronization capabilities; and

(h) a code segment for using the network to conduct reverse inventory management between the first business entity and the second business entity, comprising;

a code segment for using a network to collect data relating to usage and events occurring on at least one service provided by at least one service provider;

a code segment for analyzing the data to determine a status of the service;

a code segment for using the status of the service to predict future demand by the service provider for equipment offering supplied by a manufacturer;

a code segment for determining production capacity, inventory, costs and discounts of manufacturer offerings based on the status of the service; and

a code segment for using the network to suggest changes to the manufacturer offerings inventory of at least one manufacturer based on the status of the service in order to optimize supply and costs of the manufacturer offerings.

3. A system for a computerized framework manager to supply collaborative planning comprising:

(a) a module for providing connections to a network for use by a plurality of business entities, wherein the first and second business entities comprise at least one of service providers, vendors, resellers, and manufacturers;

(b) a module for receiving information via the network from a first business entity of the plurality of business entities, including information relating to a demand of the first independent business entity for offerings;

(c) a module for receiving information via the network from a second business entity of the plurality of business entities, including information relating to a supply of offerings from the second business entity;

(d) a module for analyzing the supply and the demand for the offerings to plan future supply and demand for the offerings;

(e) a module for using the network to facilitate planning between at least the first business entity and the second business entity;

(f) a module for using the network to provide data access from multiple simultaneous data sources for demand and supply planning;

(g) a module for using the network to store capacity data wherein the step of storing capacity data using the network includes replication and synchronization capabilities; and

(h) a module for using the network to conduct reverse inventory management between the first business entity and the second business entity, comprising;

a module for using a network to collect data relating to usage and events occurring on at least one service provided by at least one service provider;

a module for analyzing the data to determine a status of the service;

a module for using the status of the service to predict future demand by the service provider for equipment offering supplied by a manufacturer;

a module for determining production capacity, inventory, costs and discounts of manufacturer offerings based on the status of the service; and

a module for using the network to suggest changes to the manufacturer offerings inventory of at least one manufacturer based on the status of the service in order to optimize supply and costs of the manufacturer offerings.