US5548518A — Allocation method for generating a production sch…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 226 words

An allocation method for utilization within a computer for generating a feasible production schedule in response to a specified requirement q, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of: (1) determining what quantity (r) of a product can be produced with a specified quantity of supply components; (2) allocating a required quantity of supply components for filling a thus defined partial order; and (3) filling a remainder of the requirement (q-r) at some later time; wherein the steps (1) and (2) and (3) are quantitatively determined by simultaneously solving within the computer a material balance constraint (MBC) inequality and a capacity availability constraint (CAC) inequality, wherein (i) the MBC comprises a step of comparing a) a quantity of product for external requirement (over an arbitrary time period) plus a total usage of parts in a production of other parts (over the same arbitrary time period), with b) a total external availability of parts (over the arbitrary period) plus a total production of parts lover the arbitrary period); and (ii) the CAC comprises a step of comparing a) a total quantity of resource (used in the arbitrary time period) with b) an availability of resource (in the arbitrary time period); so that if there is not sufficient capacity or material available to meet every requirement, the solution allocates available resources in favor of requirements with high priority.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 226 words

An allocation method for utilization within a computer for generating a feasible production schedule in response to a specified requirement q, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of: (1) determining what quantity (r) of a product can be produced with a specified quantity of supply components; (2) allocating a required quantity of supply components for filling a thus defined partial order; and (3) filling a remainder of the requirement (q-r) at some later time; wherein the steps (1) and (2) and (3) are quantitatively determined by simultaneously solving within the computer a material balance constraint (MBC) inequality and a capacity availability constraint (CAC) inequality, wherein (i) the MBC comprises a step of comparing a) a quantity of product for external requirement (over an arbitrary time period) plus a total usage of parts in a production of other parts (over the same arbitrary time period), with b) a total external availability of parts (over the arbitrary period) plus a total production of parts lover the arbitrary period); and (ii) the CAC comprises a step of comparing a) a total quantity of resource (used in the arbitrary time period) with b) an availability of resource (in the arbitrary time period); so that if there is not sufficient capacity or material available to meet every requirement, the solution allocates available resources in favor of requirements with high priority.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 184 words

A method according to claim 1, comprising the step of quantitatively defining the MBC inequality and the CAC inequality so that the following inequalities obtain: ##EQU11## where, w i ,t is a decision variable denoting the total quantity of part number P/N i made available to meet requirement in period t; a i ,j,t,τ is a data element denoting a quantity of P/N i required in a period t to produce one unit of P/N j in period τ; x j ,τ is a decision variable denoting quantity of P/N j produced in period t ε {1,2, . . . T}; e i ,t is a data element denoting an external supply of j in period t; x i ,t is a decision variable denoting a quantity of P/N j produced in period t ε {1,2, . . . T}; g r ,j,t,τ is a data element denoting the quantity of resource r required in period t to produce one unit of P/N j in period τ; c r ,t is a data element denoting the quantity of resource r available in period t.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 226 words

A method according to claim 2, comprising a step of simultaneously solving the MBC and CAC inequalities by: (1) setting w j ,t =0 and x j ,t =0 for all j ε J and t ε {1,2, . . . , T}; JT={(j ε J, t ε {1,2, . . . , T})|v j ,t >0}; and doing while JT≠.0.; (2) selecting a pair (j, t) ε JT having a highest priority and setting v=v j ,t ; (3) determining v * as a minimum of: a requirement quantity v, and a maximum quantity of P/N j that can be made available for external requirements in period t subject to the availability of material and capacity; (4) determining a production schedule y j ,t for all j ε J and t ε {1,2, . . . , T} necessary to support the external availability of v * units of P/N j in period t; (5) updating a solution w j ,t ←w j ,t +v * , x j ,t ←x j ,t +y j ,t all j ε J and t ε {1,2, . . . , T}; (6) updating material availability e j ,t according to standard materials requirement planning netting logic; and capacity availability c r ,t according to standard capacity requirements planning logic; and (7) updating a set JT: JT←JT-(j, t).

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 21 words

A method according to claim 3, wherein step (3) comprises determining a maximum amount of product by solving a linear program.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 21 words

A method according to claim 3, wherein step (3) comprises determining a maximum amount of product by computing a ratio test.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

A method according to claim 3, comprising determining a maximum of product by implementing step (3) as a line search.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 149 words

A method according to claim 1, comprising the step of quantitatively determining the recited limitations by simultaneously solving a material balance constraint (MBC) inequality and a capacity availability constraint (CAC) inequality, wherein (i) the MBC comprises a step of comparing a) a total part shipment (over an arbitrary time period) plus a total usage of parts in a production of other parts (over the same arbitrary time period), and (b) a total external availability of parts (over the arbitrary period) plus a total production of parts (over the arbitrary period); and (ii) the CAC comprises a step of comparing a) a total quantity of resource (used in the arbitrary time period) with b) an availability of resource (in the arbitrary time period); so that if there is not sufficient capacity of material available to meet every demand, the solution allocates available resources in favor of demands with high priority.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 171 words

A method according to claim 7, comprising the step of quantitatively defining the MBC inequality and the CAC inequality so that the following inequalities obtain: ##EQU12## where, s d ,t is a decision variable denoting a shipment for demand d ε D in period t ε {1,2, . . . T}; a i ,j,t,τ is a quantity of part number P/N i required in a period t to produce one unit of P/N j in period τ; x j ,τ is a decision variable denoting a quantity of P/N j produced in period τ ε {1,2, . . . T}; e i ,t is an external supply of j in period t; x i ,t is a decision variable denoting a quantity of P/N i produced in period t ε {1,2, . . . T}; g r ,j,t,τ is a quantity of resource r required in period t to produce one unit of P/N j in period τ; c r ,t is a quantity of resource r available in period t.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 195 words

A method according to claim 8, comprising the steps of simultaneously solving the MBC and CAC inequalities by the steps of: (1) setting S d ,t for all d ε D and t ε {1,2, . . . T} and setting x j ,t =0 for all j ε J and t ε {1,2, . . . T}; (2) selecting a demand d ε D having a highest priority; (3) determining v * as a minimum of: the demand quantity v, and the maximum quantity of P/N p that can be completed in period t subject to the availability of material and capacity; (4) determining a production schedule y j ,t for all j ε J and t ε {1,2, . . . T} necessary to support the shipment of v units of P/N p in period t; (5) updating a solution S.sub.d,t ←S.sub.d,t +v.sup.* X.sub.j,t ←X.sub.j,t +y.sub.j,t all j ε J and t ε {1,2, . . . T}; (6) updating material availability e j ,t according to standard materials requirement planning netting logic; updating capacity availability c r ,t according to standard capacity requirements planning logic; and (7) updating a demand set D←D-d.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 42 words

A method according to claim 1, comprising modifying and revising demand specification set D for addressing backlogging and comprising the steps of: (1) determining the remaining demand quantity through use of a backlogging function; and (2) updating the priority of the demand.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 23 words

A method according to claim 1, comprising a step of performing a more equitable allocation by dividing initial demands and adjusting relative priorities.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method according to claim 11, comprising a step of defining a split demand set for obtaining an algorithm that both allocates equitably and backlogs demand.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1999-08-20	2000-02-19	2000-08-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2003-08-20	2004-02-19	2004-08-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2007-08-20	2008-02-19	2008-08-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Allocation method for generating a production schedule

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