Patent ID: 7886960

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for redistributing a plurality of parts, comprising: defining, by a server, a plurality of locations including at least one dummy location; establishing, by the server, an actual inventory of a plurality of parts among the plurality of locations; establishing, by the server, a desired allocation of the plurality of parts among the plurality of locations; determining, by the server, a demand for the plurality of parts at each of the plurality of locations using the actual inventory and the desired allocation; determining, by the server, a plurality of paths, each path operable to transfer at least one of the plurality of parts from one of the plurality of locations location to another one of the plurality of locations; generating, by the server, a transfer function describing a cost of transferring a plurality of excess parts along the plurality of paths; and optimizing, by the server, the transfer function to achieve the desired allocation of the plurality of excess parts at a minimum cost.