Patent Document ID: 7584113
Application ID: 10707973
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A computer-implemented method for determining a supply chain plan comprising: receiving, by a computer, an original demand record for a demand for a product having an original part number, said original demand record having multiple different demand dates for shipping said product, said different demand dates comprising a first demand date and a second demand date later than said first demand date; creating, by said computer, from said original demand record, a plurality of distinct demand records for said demand, wherein each of said distinct demand records has only one of said different demand dates, said creating of said plurality of distinct demand records comprising: creating a first artificial part number for satisfying said first demand date and a second artificial part number for satisfying said second demand date; assigning said demand for said product to said first artificial part number and to said second artificial part number; associating different priorities with said first artificial part number and said second artificial part number, said different priorities comprising a first priority for said first artificial part number and a second priority for said second artificial part number, said second priority being relatively higher than said first priority; associating different penalties with said first artificial part number and said second artificial part number; creating distinct binning records for said first artificial part number and said second artificial part number so that said original part number references both said first artificial part number and said second artificial part number; performing, by said computer, core processing that considers each one of said distinct demand records having only one of said different demand dates, including considering said first artificial part number, said second artificial part number, said different priorities, and said different penalties; selecting, by said computer, one of said distinct demand records for supplying said demand based on said core processing and re-instituting, by said computer, said original part number to replace said first artificial part number and said second artificial part number; and outputting, by said computer, a supply chain plan based on results of said core processing, said supply chain plan indicating which of said distinct demand records were selected.