Patent ID: 7313534
Filing Date: 2007-12-25
Classification: G06Q,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A system for positioning items within a supply chain network having a plurality of geographic locations, comprising: a customer maintenance system into which a work order is entered including information that identifies a piece of equipment to be repaired and at least one item expected to be used during a repair procedure; a customer agent system in communication with the customer maintenance system which extracts from the work order entered into the customer maintenance system the information that identifies the at least one item expected to be used during the repair procedure and which uses the information extracted from the work order entered into the customer maintenance system to create an advance demand notice order for the at least one item; and a distributor system in communication with the customer agent server which responds to a receipt of the advance demand notice order that was created using the information extracted from the work order to: a supplier system that cooperates with the distributor system by initiating a replenishment of the at least one item at the one of the plurality of geographic locations within the supply chain from which the at least one item is to be sourced in accordance with the selected fulfillment plan; and a transportation agent system in communication with the distributor system that coordinates with the distributor system to assist in moving the at least one item between the one of the plurality of geographic locations within the supply chain from which the at least one item is to be sourced and the one of the plurality of geographic locations within the supply chain at which the at least one item is to be positioned in accordance with the selected fulfillment plan.