US5914878A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Raw materials ordering system
Assignee: Kracie Home Products Ltd
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Filing: 1997-07-22
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Granted: 1999-06-22
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Expires: 2017-07-22
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to a production system for retail goods which is intended for timely collection of accurate sales information from retail outlets and flexible production of goods in accordance with the same information, and comprises a retail sales information collecting means, a production quantity setting means for determining a production quantity according to the information so collected, a directing means for directing the preparation and production of raw materials according to the determined production quantity, and a production means for producing the determined production quantity according to a direction to produce. Also provided is a raw materials ordering system, which determines production quantities of raw materials in accordance with production plans for ensuring flexible production of the products without the disadvantage of carrying excessive inventories and for economical and efficient control and supply of raw materials. As such, the system comprises an order quantity determining means for setting or modifying daily required quantities of raw materials in response to setting or modification of daily production plans and determining order quantities according to raw material attributes, inventories, order backlogs, in-process order quantities and the required quantities of raw materials and a data input processing means for modifying the raw material inventory quantities upon receipt of raw material acceptance information. Furthermore, another type of the raw material ordering system disclosed in this application can be employed for those raw materials that require processing after placement of an order.
Inventors
- 👤 Tsukasa Yamamoto
- 👤 Masaya Ogawa
- 👤 Eichi Yoshida
- 👤 Masataka Hotta
- 👤 Toru Morita
- 👤 Akiko Omori
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 15:47
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/06; G06Q10/063; G06Q10/0631; G06Q10/06315; G06Q10/08; G06Q10/087; G06Q10/0872; G06Q10/08726; G06Q10/0875; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/08; G06Q20/20; G06Q20/201; G06Q10/0874; G06Q10/08744
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
A raw materials ordering system comprising: a production quantity determining unit for determining a production quantity of goods to be manufactured; an order quantity determining unit operatively connected to the production quantity determining unit and receiving the production quantity from the production quantity determining unit, the order quantity determining unit determining, based on the production quantity of goods, required quantities of raw materials required for manufacturing the production quantity of goods and determining raw materials order quantities based on both (a) order backlog raw materials quantities comprising quantities of raw materials for which an order has been sent to a raw materials supplier and the raw materials supplier has acknowledged receipt of the order; and (b) in-process raw materials quantities comprising quantities of raw materials for which an order has been sent to a raw materials supplier and the raw materials supplier has not acknowledged receipt of the order or has not confirmed ability to send the raw materials requested.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
160 words
A raw materials ordering system comprising: a production quantity determining unit for determining a production quantity of goods to be manufactured; an order quantity determining unit operatively connected to the production quantity determining unit and receiving the production quantity from the production quantity determining unit, the order quantity determining unit determining, based on the production quantity of goods, required quantities of raw materials required for manufacturing the production quantity of goods and determining raw materials order quantities based on both (a) order backlog raw materials quantities comprising quantities of raw materials for which an order has been sent to a raw materials supplier and the raw materials supplier has acknowledged receipt of the order; and (b) in-process raw materials quantities comprising quantities of raw materials for which an order has been sent to a raw materials supplier and the raw materials supplier has not acknowledged receipt of the order or has not confirmed ability to send the raw materials requested.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A raw materials ordering system according to claim 1, wherein the order quantity determining unit determines raw materials order quantities based on raw materials attribute information, current raw materials inventory quantities and the required quantities of raw materials.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
A raw materials ordering system according to claim 1, further comprising a data input processing unit operatively connected to the order quantity determining unit for modifying the required quantities of raw materials based on acceptance information confirming receipt of ordered quantities of raw materials received from a raw materials supplier and modifying said production quantity based on information concerning quantities of finished goods.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
A raw materials ordering system according to claim 3, wherein the data input processing unit is adapted to modify order backlog raw materials quantities based on the acceptance information and order acknowledgment information received from raw materials suppliers indicating an acknowledgment by a raw materials supplier of an order for raw materials.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
A raw materials ordering system according to claim 1, wherein the order quantity determining unit is adapted to modify the in-process raw materials quantities based on order acknowledgment information received from raw materials suppliers indicating an acknowledgment by a raw materials supplier of an order for raw materials.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
A raw materials ordering system according to claim 1, further comprising a product-classified raw material constitution data table including information concerning quantities of raw materials required for each unit of each of the goods to be manufactured.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A raw materials ordering system according to claim 1, further comprising a raw materials required quantity data table including information concerning an amount of each of the raw materials to be used each day.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A raw materials ordering system according to claim 1, further comprising a raw materials inventory data table including information concerning inventory amounts for each of the raw materials.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
A raw materials ordering system according to claim 1, further comprising a raw materials order acceptance schedule quantity data table including information concerning confirming receipt of ordered quantities of raw materials from a raw materials supplier.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
70 words
A raw materials ordering system according to claim 1, wherein the order quantity determining unit comprises a software program executed on a computer and includes an initial setting routine, a production plan setting routine, a required quantity setting routine, a production plan modifying routine a required quantity modifying routine and an order size determining routine for flexibly storing changes in flow of raw materials in the raw materials ordering system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
125 words
A raw materials ordering system comprising: a production quantity determining unit for determining a production quantity of goods to be manufactured; and an order quantity determining unit operatively connected to the production quantity determining unit and receiving the production quantity from the production quantity determining unit, the order quantity determining unit determining, based on the production quantity of goods, required quantities of raw materials required for manufacturing the production quantity of goods and determining raw materials order quantities based on at least in-process order quantities comprising quantities of raw materials for which an order has been sent to a raw materials supplier and the raw materials supplier has not acknowledged receipt of the order or has not confirmed ability to send the raw materials requested.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
125 words
A raw materials ordering system comprising: a production quantity determining unit for determining a production quantity of goods to be manufactured; and an order quantity determining unit operatively connected to the production quantity determining unit and receiving the production quantity from the production quantity determining unit, the order quantity determining unit determining, based on the production quantity of goods, required quantities of raw materials required for manufacturing the production quantity of goods and determining raw materials order quantities based on at least in-process order quantities comprising quantities of raw materials for which an order has been sent to a raw materials supplier and the raw materials supplier has not acknowledged receipt of the order or has not confirmed ability to send the raw materials requested.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
A raw materials ordering system according to claim 11, wherein the order quantity determining unit determines raw materials order quantities based on raw materials attribute information, current raw materials inventory quantities and the required quantities of raw materials.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
63 words
A raw materials ordering system according to claim 11, further comprising a data input processing unit operatively connected to the order quantity determining unit for modifying the required quantities of raw materials based on acceptance information confirming receipt of ordered quantities of raw materials received from a raw materials supplier and modifying said production quantity based on information concerning quantities of finished goods.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
57 words
A raw materials ordering system according to claim 13, wherein the data input processing unit is adapted to modify order backlog raw materials quantities based on the acceptance information and order acknowledgment information received from a raw materials supplier indicating an acknowledgment by the raw materials supplier of an order for raw materials and the acceptance information.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
A raw materials ordering system according to claim 11, wherein the order quantity determining unit is adapted to modify the in-process raw materials quantities based on order acknowledgment information received from a raw materials supplier indicating an acceptance by the raw materials supplier of an order for raw materials.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
A raw materials ordering system according to claim 11, further comprising a product-classified raw material constitution data table including information concerning quantities of raw materials required for each unit of each of the goods to be manufactured.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
A raw materials ordering system according to claim 11, further comprising a raw materials required quantity data table including information concerning an amount of each of the raw materials to be used each day.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
A raw materials ordering system according to claim 11, further comprising a raw materials inventory data table including information concerning inventory amounts for each of the raw materials.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
A raw materials ordering system according to claim 11, further comprising a raw materials order acceptance schedule quantity data table including information concerning confirming receipt of ordered quantities of raw materials from a raw materials supplier.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
70 words
A raw materials ordering system according to claim 11, wherein the order quantity determining unit comprises a software program executed on a computer and includes an initial setting routine, a production plan setting routine, a required quantity setting routine, a production plan modifying routine a required quantity modifying routine and an order size determining routine for flexibly storing changes in flow of raw materials in the raw materials ordering system.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
133 words
A method of ordering raw materials comprising the steps of: determining a production quantity of goods to be manufactured; determining required quantities of raw materials required for manufacturing the production quantity of goods determined in the step of determining the production quantity of goods; and determining raw materials order quantities based on both (a) order backlog raw materials quantities comprising quantities of raw materials for which an order has been sent to a raw materials supplier and the raw materials supplier has acknowledged receipt of the order; and (b) in-process raw materials quantities comprising quantities of raw materials for which an order has been sent to a raw materials supplier and the raw materials supplier has not acknowledged receipt of the order or has not confirmed ability to send the raw materials requested.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
133 words
A method of ordering raw materials comprising the steps of: determining a production quantity of goods to be manufactured; determining required quantities of raw materials required for manufacturing the production quantity of goods determined in the step of determining the production quantity of goods; and determining raw materials order quantities based on both (a) order backlog raw materials quantities comprising quantities of raw materials for which an order has been sent to a raw materials supplier and the raw materials supplier has acknowledged receipt of the order; and (b) in-process raw materials quantities comprising quantities of raw materials for which an order has been sent to a raw materials supplier and the raw materials supplier has not acknowledged receipt of the order or has not confirmed ability to send the raw materials requested.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 21, further comprising modifying order backlog raw materials quantities based on order acknowledgment information received from a raw materials supplier confirming receipt of ordered quantities of raw materials.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 21, further comprising modifying the required quantities of raw materials based on acceptance information confirming receipt of ordered quantities of raw materials from a raw materials supplier and modifying said production quantity based on quantities of finished goods.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
97 words
A method of ordering raw materials comprising the steps of: determining a production quantity of goods to be manufactured; determining required quantities of raw materials required for manufacturing the production quantity of goods determined in the step of determining the production quantity of goods; and determining raw materials order quantities based on at least in-process order quantities comprising quantities of raw materials for which an order has been sent to a raw materials supplier and the raw materials supplier has not acknowledged receipt of the order or has not confirmed ability to send the raw materials requested.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
97 words
A method of ordering raw materials comprising the steps of: determining a production quantity of goods to be manufactured; determining required quantities of raw materials required for manufacturing the production quantity of goods determined in the step of determining the production quantity of goods; and determining raw materials order quantities based on at least in-process order quantities comprising quantities of raw materials for which an order has been sent to a raw materials supplier and the raw materials supplier has not acknowledged receipt of the order or has not confirmed ability to send the raw materials requested.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method according to claim 24, further comprising modifying the required quantities of raw materials based on acceptance information confirming receipt of ordered quantities of raw materials received from a raw materials supplier and modifying said production quantity based on information concerning quantities of finished goods.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 24, further comprising modifying the in-process raw materials quantities based on order acknowledgment information received from a raw materials supplier indicating an acceptance by the raw materials supplier of an order for raw materials.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-06-21 | 2002-12-21 | 2003-06-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-06-21 | 2006-12-21 | 2007-06-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-06-21 | 2010-12-21 | 2011-06-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |