Patent ID: 7640180

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for demand planning, comprising: determining, by a server, a demand value representing a demand quantity of an end product to be produced by one or more entities, production of the demand quantity of the end product comprising production of a quantity of an intermediate product using a raw material, the intermediate product to be further processed to produce the end product; determining, by the server, an additional quantity value representing an additional quantity of the intermediate product to be produced by the one or more entities in addition to the quantity of the intermediate product used to produce the end product, at least one of the demand value and the additional quantity value based on an exchange balance associated with at least one of the raw material, the intermediate product, and the end product, wherein the exchange balance identifies a balance representing the status of an exchange contract between the one or more entities; determining, by the server, a reserve value that represents the quantity of the intermediate product used to produce the end product; determining, by the server, a difference between a total quantity of the intermediate product to be produced by the one or more entities and the quantity of the intermediate product represented by the reserve value; updating, by the server, the exchange balance to reflect the difference between the total quantity of the intermediate product to be produced by the one or more entities and the quantity of the intermediate product represented by the reserve value; determining, by the server, a quantity of a by-product to be produced during the production of the end product; determining, by the server, the quantity of the by-product to be produced during the production of at least a portion of the intermediate product; making, by the server, the additional quantity value based on the updated exchange balance for the intermediate product available to generate additional demand for the intermediate product; and making, by the server, the quantity of the by-product available to generate demand for the by-product.