Systems and methods for supply chain event visualization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10089595-B2
Application number	US-201514856013-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2015
Priority date	Dec 15, 2008
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

According to some embodiments, an event query to an item supply chain event database is processed such that a trace extraction algorithm will be executed to determine extracted trace data. A plurality of location nodes may then be graphically represented on an interactive user display based on the extracted trace data. Similarly, a plurality of item flow edges connecting location nodes may be graphically represented on the interactive user display based on the extracted trace data. According to some embodiments, a selection from a user is received via the interactive user display, the selection being associated with at least some of the graphically represented information. Responsive to the received selection, the graphical representation may be adjusted in accordance with the extracted trace data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method associated with an item supply chain, comprising:
processing an event query to an item supply chain event database such that a trace extraction algorithm will be executed to determine extracted trace data, the trace data being a time-ordered list of events related to an item of the supply chain, the item passing through a plurality of supply chain location nodes;
the trace extraction algorithm:
determining one or more stakeholder identifiers related to a respective event in the first time-ordered list;
appending the respective event to a respective second time-ordered list of events associated with each of the one or more stakeholder identifier related to the respective event;
for an add action type event, adding to the respective event second time-ordered list a time ordered-list of a child event of the respective event;
for a delete action type event, deleting the respective event second time-ordered list from a time-ordered list of a parent event of the respective event;

graphically representing the plurality of supply chain location nodes on an interactive user display based on the extracted trace data;
graphically representing a plurality of item flow edges connecting the plurality of supply chain location nodes on the interactive user display based on the extracted trace data;
displaying in proximity to at least one of the plurality of item flow edges a numerical value that indicates the number of items spatially moving between the plurality of supply chain location nodes connected by the at least one item flow edge;
receiving a first selection from a user via the interactive user display, the first selection being associated with one of the graphically represented plurality of supply chain location nodes;
responsive to the received first selection, automatically expanding the associated graphically represented supply chain location node to display a plurality of sub-location supply chain nodes in accordance with the extracted trace data;
receiving a second selection from the user via the interactive user display, the second selection being associated with one of the graphically represented item flow edges; and
responsive to the received second selection, automatically expanding the selected graphically represented item flow edge to display a plurality of item flow sub-edges.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein an item is associated with at least one of: (i) a product, (ii) a product identifier, (iii) a radio frequency identifier, (iv) a product code, (v) a consumer good, (vi) a financial product, (vii) digital information, (viii) a set of times, (ix) a pharmaceutical item, (x) a service, (xi) a barcode, or (xii) a serial number.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a location is associated with at least one of: (i) a geographic location, (ii) a business, (iii) a country, or (iv) a party to a transaction associated with an item.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said automatic adjusting further comprises:
graphically displaying item flow edges between the sub-location nodes.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one graphically represented item flow sub-edge is associated with at least one of: (i) an item type, (ii) a flow type, or (iii) a particular item.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
dynamically adjusting a time window associated with the graphically represented supply chain location nodes and item flow edges, wherein a third selection received from the user is associated with a graphical time slider control.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the graphically represented supply chain location nodes or item flow edges provide information based on at least one of: (i) a size, (ii) a width, (iii) a length, (iv) a simulated third dimension, (v) a color, or (vi) an animated feature.

8. A method associated with an item supply chain, comprising:
a processor executing executable instructions that cause the processor to implement a trace extraction engine associated with a backend electronic product code information service, the trace extraction engine configured to process an event query to an item supply chain event database such that a trace extraction algorithm will be executed to determine extracted trace data, the trace data being a time-ordered list of events related to an item of the supply chain, the item passing through a plurality of supply chain location nodes;
the trace extraction algorithm:
determining one or more stakeholder identifiers related to a respective event in the first time-ordered list;
appending the respective event to a respective second time-ordered list of events associated with each of the one or more stakeholder identifier related to the respective event;
for an add action type event, adding to the respective event second time-ordered list a time ordered-list of a child event of the respective event;
for a delete action type event, deleting the respective event second time-ordered list from a time-ordered list of a parent event of the respective event;

the processor executing executable instructions that cause the processor to implement a visualization engine coupled to the trace extraction engine, the visualization engine configured to graphically represent a plurality of location timelines on a user display based on the extracted trace data, the plurality of location timelines depicting when the item passed through the plurality of supply chain location nodes;
the visualization engine configured to graphically represent a plurality of item flow connections between location timelines on the user display based on the extracted trace data and times associated with the item flow connections; and
displaying in proximity to at least one of the plurality of item flow connections a numerical value that indicates the number of items associated with the location timeline nodes connected by the at least one item flow connections.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the times associated with each item flow connection are normalized before the item flow connection is graphically represented between location timelines.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving a selection from a user via the user display, the selection being associated with a particular location timeline; and
responsive to the received selection, the visualization engine configured to automatically expand the selected location timeline into a plurality of sub-location timelines.

11. A method associated with an item supply chain, comprising:
processing an event query to an item supply chain event database such that a trace extraction algorithm will be executed to determine extracted trace data, the trace data being a time-ordered list of events related to an item of the supply chain, the item passing through a plurality of supply chain location nodes;
the trace extraction algorithm:
determining one or more stakeholder identifiers related to a respective event in the first time-ordered list;
appending the respective event to a respective second time-ordered list of events associated with each of the one or more stakeholder identifier related to the respective event;
for an add action type event, adding to the respective event second time-ordered list a time ordered-list of a child event of the respective event;
for a delete action type event, deleting the respective event second time-ordered list from a time-ordered list of a parent event of the respective event;

graphically representing a plurality of item state nodes on a user display based on the extracted trace data, the plurality of item state nodes depicting a characteristic of the item when the item passed through the plurality of suppl

Assignees

• Sap Se

Inventors

• Hoffmann Florian

Classifications

• G06Q50/22

  Social work or social welfare, e.g. community support activities or counselling services · CPC title

• G06Q10/08

  Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06Q10/0833 Primary

  Tracking · CPC title

• G06F3/04847

  Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials · CPC title