Patent ID: 7752245
Filing Date: 2010-07-06
Classification: G06F,G06Q,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A system providing inventory requirements data, relative to on-hand inventory having a constant build-ahead time, comprising: a computer-readable memory storing a balanced binary tree representing inventory requirements in terms of a time varying function that is a set of time value and function value pairs, the balanced binary tree comprising a plurality of nodes, at least one of the nodes associated with a time span defined by a position of the node in the balanced binary tree, each function value representing an inventory quantity at a paired time value; wherein each node of the tree has an associated time value and delta value representing a change in inventory quantity, and wherein each node stores a producer delta or a consumer delta, each producer delta having a positive value and each consumer delta having a negative value, and wherein the time values of consumer deltas are shifted in accordance with the build-ahead time; and an engine for accessing the binary tree, the engine using delta values to determine at least one inventory requirements function value.