Patent Publication Number: US-2003229530-A1

Title: Methods for production forecasting and ordering

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to methods for production forecasting and ordering by way of data interchange, and particularly to methods which automatically transform different data formats and integrate data sent from multiple data sources.  
       [0003] 2. Description of Related Art  
       [0004] Within the computer, consumer electronic products communication industry (the so-called “3C” industry), the process whereby a product progresses from production to sale can be viewed as a product supply chain. The major role players in such chain include the brand owner, component supplier, manufacturer, carrier, and retailer. These players are respectively responsible for product ordering, component supply, product manufacturing, component and product transportation, and product sales. This supply chain flows from product ordering through product sale, and the swiftness and smoothness of the flow benefits every player along the way. Product ordering by the brand owner is the driving force of the supply chain, therefore a speedy and smooth ordering procedure is vital. Direct role players at this end of the supply chain include the brand owner, component supplier, manufacturer, and carrier. How to coordinate these roles for the purpose of achieving a fast and smooth ordering procedure has always been an important concern in the 3C industry.  
       [0005] One way to address the above problem is to divide the ordering procedure into a forecast ordering procedure and a production ordering procedure. Forecast ordering procedure can enable the brand owner to make a forecast order, assess the component supplier&#39;s and manufacturer&#39;s capabilities to fulfill the forecast order, and use the forecast order as a springboard for the production ordering procedure. This way, over-production and under-production can be avoided.  
       [0006] The forecast ordering and production ordering procedures can be performed by way of Electronic Document Interchange (EDI) through a network that links the brand owner&#39;s computer system, the component supplier&#39;s computer system and manufacturer&#39;s computer system. However, each of these systems may use different electronic data formats. A system and method that can speedily integrate different electronic data formats is needed in order to increase the efficiency of ordering procedures.  
       [0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,991,732 illustrates a method that maintains the smoothness of the supply chain by the use of a computer system that assists the role players involved in the supply chain. The method uses customer demand to derive a sales forecast, and uses the sales forecast as the basis for forecast ordering. The method essentially uses sales information as the foundation for forecast ordering. However, the method does not address production ordering.  
       [0008] Accordingly, what is needed is a method which can overcome the abovementioned problems and satisfy the abovementioned need.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009] One objective of the present invention is to provide a method for implementing production forecasting which automatically transforms different data formats that are used by different enterprises and integrates data from different data sources.  
       [0010] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a method for implementing ordering procedures by automatically transforming different data formats that are used by different enterprises and integrating data from different data sources.  
       [0011] To achieve the first above-mentioned object, a method of the present invention for production forecasting and ordering comprises the following steps: receiving a forecast purchase order via a network; transforming a data format of the forecast purchase order, and sending the transformed forecast purchase order to a management information system; receiving a forecast purchase order response from the management information system; transforming a data format of the forecast purchase order response, and sending the transformed forecast purchase order response to a customer system; receiving component requirement and supplier information from the management information system; generating component planning sheets based on the component requirement and supplier information, and sending the component planning sheets to relevant supplier systems; receiving component planning sheet responses from the supplier systems; transforming at least one data format of the component planning sheet responses; integrating component data that are retrieved from the transformed component planning sheet responses and from a database; and sending the integrated component data to the management information system.  
       [0012] To achieve the second above-mentioned object, a further method of the present invention for production forecasting and ordering comprises the following steps: receiving a purchase order via a network; transforming a data format of the purchase order, and sending the transformed purchase order to a management information system; receiving a sales order from the management information system; transforming a data format of the sales order, and sending the transformed sales order to a customer system; receiving a component purchase order from the management information system; transforming a data format of the component purchase order, and sending corresponding transformed component purchase orders to relevant supplier systems; receiving component sales orders from the supplier systems; transforming at least one data format of the component sales orders, and sending a corresponding transformed component sales order to the management information system; receiving a shipping advice from the management information system; transforming a data format of the shipping advice, and sending corresponding transformed shipping advices to relevant carrier systems; receiving shipping advice confirmations from the carrier systems; and transforming at least one data format of the shipping advice confirmations, and sending a corresponding transformed shipping advice confirmation to the management information system. 
     
    
    
     [0013] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with attached drawings, in which:  
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0014]FIG. 1 is a view of hardware infrastructure for implementing a method for production forecasting and ordering in accordance with the present invention;  
     [0015]FIG. 2 is a detailed illustration of function modules of a database server of the hardware infrastructure of FIG. 1;  
     [0016]FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of data interchange related to production forecasting in accordance with the present invention;  
     [0017]FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of data interchange related to ordering procedures in accordance with the present invention;  
     [0018]FIG. 5 is a flowchart for implementing production forecasting in accordance with the present invention; and  
     [0019]FIG. 6 is a flowchart for implementing ordering procedures in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0020] Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail.  
     [0021]FIG. 1 is a view of hardware infrastructure for implementing a method for production forecasting and ordering in accordance with the present invention. The hardware infrastructure includes a production forecast and ordering system  10 . The production forecast and ordering system  10  comprises a database server  101  and a database  102 . The production forecast and ordering system  10  is connected to a customer system  12 , multiple supplier systems  13  and multiple carrier systems  14  by an external network  11  that can be the Internet or an extranet. An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system  16  is connected to the production forecast and ordering system  10  via an intranet  15  that can be a local area network (LAN). The ERP system  16  is an internal management information system (MIS) of an enterprise that uses the production forecast and ordering system  10 . The database server  101  receives and processes data from the customer system  12 , the supplier systems  13 , the carrier systems  14  and the ERP system  16 . The processed data are stored in the database  102 . A user of the customer system  12  can be an employee of a customer&#39;s enterprise. A user of the supplier system  14  can be an employee of a supplier&#39;s enterprise. A user of the carrier system  13  can be an employee of a carrier&#39;s enterprise. A plurality of computer terminals  103  is connected to the database server  101 , for users to search for data stored in the database  102 .  
     [0022]FIG. 2 is a detailed illustration of function modules of the database server  101  of the production forecast and ordering system  10 . The database server  101  includes: a data receiving module  201  for receiving data from the customer system  12 , the supplier systems  14 , the carrier systems  13  and the ERP system  16 ; a data sending module  202  for sending data to the customer system  12 , the supplier systems  13 , the carrier systems  14  and the ERP system  16 ; a data transformation module  203  for transforming a format of data; a data integration module  204  for integrating data from a same data source; and a data saving module  205  for saving processed data. The data formats that can be transformed include Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) format, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) format, E-mail format, and Extensible Markup Language (XML) format. The data integrating module  204  integrates received data with data stored in the database  102 . For example, when the database server  101  receives data from a supplier “X” on confirmation of shipment of 1,000 pieces of cargo “A”, the data integration module  204  automatically identifies supplier “X” data in the database  102  and integrates the received data with the supplier “X” data in the database  102 . The 1,000 pieces of cargo “A” is added in the quantity of cargo “A” of the supplier “X” in the database  102 .  
     [0023]FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing data interchange related to production forecasting using the production forecast and ordering system  10 . Firstly, the customer system  12  sends a forecast purchase order  301  to the production forecast and ordering system  10 , which transforms a data format of the forecast purchase order  301  into a format that the ERP system  16  uses. The transformed forecast purchase order  303  is sent to the ERP system  16 , which then sends a forecast purchase order response  304  back to the production forecast and ordering system  10  to confirm acceptance of the forecast purchase order  301 . The forecast purchase order response  304  is transformed in the production forecast and ordering system  10  into a transformed forecast purchase order response  302 , which is then sent to the customer system  12 . Thereafter, the ERP system  16  sends component requirement and relevant supplier information  307  to the production forecast and ordering system  10 , based on the forecast purchase order  301 . The production forecast and ordering system  10  receives and processes the component requirement and supplier information  307 , generates component planning sheets  305 , and sends the component planning sheets  305  to relevant supplier systems  13 . The supplier systems  13  send component planning sheet responses  306  back to the production forecast and ordering system  10 . The production forecast and ordering system  10  transforms data formats of the component planning sheet responses  306 , integrates data retrieved from the transformed component planning sheet responses  306  and from the database  102 , generates integrated component information  308 , and sends the integrated component information  308  to the ERP system  16 .  
     [0024]FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of data interchange related to ordering procedures using the production forecast and ordering system  10 . Firstly, the customer system  12  sends a purchase order  401  to the production forecast and ordering system  10 , which transforms a data format of the purchase order  401  into a format that the ERP system  16  uses. The transformed purchase order  403  is sent to the ERP system  16 , which then sends a sales order  404  back to the production forecast and ordering system  10  to confirm acceptance of the purchase order  401 . The sales order  404  is transformed in the production forecast and ordering system  10  into a transformed sales order  402 , which is then sent to the customer system  12 . Thereafter, the ERP system  16  sends a component purchase order  407  to the production forecast and ordering system  10 , based on the purchase order  401 . The production forecast and ordering system  10  transforms a data format of the component purchase order  407 , identifies relevant suppliers, generates corresponding component purchase orders  405 , and sends the component purchase orders  405  to relevant supplier systems  13 . The supplier systems  13  send back component sales orders  406  to the production forecast and ordering system  10 . The production forecast and ordering system  10  transforms the component sales orders  406  into a corresponding component sales order  408 , which is then sent to the ERP system  16 . After that, the ERP system  16  sends a shipping advice  409  to the production forecast and ordering system  10  according to the received purchase order  401 . The production forecast and ordering system  10  transforms a data format of the shipping advice  409 , and sends the transformed shipping advice  411  to the carrier system  14 . The carrier system  14  sends a shipping advice confirmation  412  back to the production forecast and ordering system  10 . The production forecast and ordering system  10  transforms the shipping advice confirmation  412  into a transformed shipping advice confirmation  410 , which is then sent to the ERP system  16 .  
     [0025]FIG. 5 is a flowchart for implementing production forecasting using the production forecast and ordering system  10 . The process of production forecasting comprises the following steps:  
     [0026] (a) receiving a forecast purchase order  301  from the customer system  12  through the external network  11 . (Step  501 )  
     [0027] (b) transforming a data format of the forecast purchase order  301 , and sending the transformed forecast purchase order  303  to the ERP system  16 , the transformed forecast purchase order  303  being stored in the database  102 . (Step  502 )  
     [0028] (c) receiving a forecast purchase order response  304  from the ERP system  16 , the forecast purchase order response being stored in the database  102 . (Step  503 )  
     [0029] (d) transforming a data format of the forecast purchase order response  303 , and sending the transformed forecast purchase order response  302  to the customer system  12 . (Step  504 )  
     [0030] (e) receiving component requirement and supplier information  307  from the ERP system  16  (Step  505 ). Component requirements are calculated according to the received forecast purchase order  303  and available component inventory. The supplier information includes names of suppliers from whom the required components are purchased.  
     [0031] (f) generating component planning sheets  305 , and sending the component planning sheets  305  to relevant supplier systems  14  according to the component requirement and supplier information  307  (Step  506 ). A data format of the component planning sheets  305  is a format that the designated supplier systems  14  use.  
     [0032] (g) receiving component planning sheet responses  306  from the supplier systems  14 . (Step  507 )  
     [0033] (h) transforming data formats of the component planning sheet responses  306 , and integrating component data that are retrieved from the component planning sheet responses  306  and from the database  102  (Step  508 ). The integrated component data show quantities of all available components that include components available from inventory and components available from suppliers. The integrated component data are stored in the database  102 .  
     [0034] (i) sending the integrated component data to the ERP system  16  through the intranet  15 . (Step  509 )  
     [0035]FIG. 6 is a flowchart for implementing ordering procedures using the production forecast and ordering system  10 . The ordering procedures comprise the following steps:  
     [0036] (a) receiving a purchase order  401  from the customer system  12  through the external network  11 . (Step  601 )  
     [0037] (b) transforming a data format of the purchase order  401 , and sending the transformed purchase order  403  to the ERP system  16 , the transformed forecast purchase order  403  being stored in the database  102 . (Step  602 )  
     [0038] (c) receiving a sales order  404  from the ERP system  16 , the sales order  404  being stored in the database  102 . (Step  603 )  
     [0039] (d) transforming a data format of the sales order  404 , and sending the transformed sales order  404  to the customer system  12 . (Step  604 )  
     [0040] (e) receiving a component purchase order  407  from the ERP system  16 . (Step  605 ).  
     [0041] (f) transforming a data format of the component purchase order  407 , and sending corresponding transformed component purchase orders  405  to relevant supplier systems  14 . (Step  606 )  
     [0042] (g) receiving component sales orders  406  from the supplier systems  14 . (Step  607 ).  
     [0043] (h) transforming data formats of the component sales orders  406 , and sending a corresponding transformed component sales order  408  to the ERP system  16 , the transformed component sales order  408  being stored in the database  102 . (Step  608 )  
     [0044] (i) receiving a shipping advice  409  from the ERP system  16  via the intranet  15 . (Step  609 )  
     [0045] (j) transforming a data format of the shipping advice  409 , and sending corresponding transformed shipping advices  411  to relevant carrier systems  13  via the external network  11 . (Step  610 )  
     [0046] (k) receiving shipping advice confirmations  412  from the carrier systems  16 . (Step  611 )  
     [0047] (l) transforming data formats of the shipping advice confirmations  412 , and sending a corresponding transformed shipping advice confirmation  410  to the ERP system  16  via the intranet  15 . (Step  612 ).  
     [0048] The preferred embodiment described herein is merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention. Other arrangements and advantages may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention should be deemed not to be limited to the above detailed description, but rather by the spirit and scope of the claims which follow and their equivalents.