JP7628527B2 - System and method for generating transport instructions - Patents.com - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to computer technology for generating transport instructions.

One of the management issues troubling many companies in today's industrial world is the proper management of supply chains, which have expanded widely with the advancement of globalization. Against this background, there has been increasing attention in recent years, particularly in the manufacturing industry, to a management method known as supply chain management (SCM), which aims for overall optimization by centrally managing information related to processes such as procurement, production, logistics, and sales.

As part of supply chain management, various technologies have been proposed for efficiently transferring inventory while taking into account available stock throughout the supply chain (for example, Patent Document 1).

Patent Publication No. 2017-191376

The technology described in Patent Document 1 calculates the amount of inventory shortage of an item on a given day and allocates inventory from a company that has inventory available. In other words, with this method, inventory is allocated as soon as the inventory shortage is identified, so it takes the lead time from the company with inventory available to the company with inventory shortage for the inventory to be delivered to the company with inventory shortage. Therefore, if the technology described in Patent Document 1 is used to allocate inventory shortages, there is a risk of opportunity loss in the form of losing customers until the inventory is delivered.

If inventory levels are increased to prevent such opportunity losses, excess inventory may result, which could lead to higher costs associated with inventory allocation.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide technology that can reduce opportunity losses due to lost customers and costs associated with inventory allocation.

The transport instruction generation system according to the present invention is a system that generates transport instructions not only for inventory at each base, but also for items being transported between bases, and is characterized by having a company business execution function having an order backlog calculation unit that calculates order backlogs for which inventory has not been allocated for orders for each item of each company, an available amount calculation unit that calculates the available amount for each item of each company, and a shipping instruction unit that issues shipping instructions by referring to the transport instructions for each company, and a company supervision function having a transport instruction calculation unit that generates transport instructions that correspond at least to the source company, which is the upper base of the destination company in the supply chain, the destination company, the item, the shipping date, and the amount of the transport, based on the order backlog and available amount for each item of each company and the lead time information between the companies.

Other problems and solutions disclosed in this application will be made clear in the detailed description of the invention and the drawings.

The present invention can reduce opportunity losses due to lost customers and costs associated with inventory allocation.

1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an entire system including a transport instruction generation system according to an embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a supply chain according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a company master information table. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an enterprise logic master information table. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a simulation period information table. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an in-transit inventory information table. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a company inventory information table. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a company inventory information table. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a company inventory information table. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a company outbound request amount/outbound information table. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a company order backlog/available amount information table. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a company order backlog/available amount information table. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a company order backlog/available amount information table. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a company order backlog/available amount information table. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a transport instruction information table. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of an overall process flow of a transfer instruction generation process performed in an embodiment. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a backorder calculation process. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of an interchangeable amount calculation process. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a transfer instruction calculation process. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a shipping instruction process.

In the following description, an "interface unit" may refer to one or more interface devices. The one or more interface devices may be at least one of the following:
One or more I/O (Input/Output) interface devices. The I/O (Input/Output) interface devices are interface devices to at least one of the I/O devices and a remote display computer. The I/O interface device to the display computer may be a communications interface device. The at least one I/O device may be a user interface device, e.g., either an input device such as a keyboard and a pointing device, or an output device such as a display device.
One or more communication interface devices. The one or more communication interface devices may be one or more homogeneous communication interface devices (e.g., one or more NICs (Network Interface Cards)) or two or more heterogeneous communication interface devices (e.g., a NIC and an HBA (Host Bus Adapter)).

In the following description, "memory" refers to one or more memory devices, which are an example of one or more storage devices, and may typically be a primary storage device. At least one memory device in the memory may be a volatile memory device or a non-volatile memory device.

In the following description, a "persistent storage device" may be one or more persistent storage devices, which are an example of one or more storage devices. A persistent storage device may typically be a non-volatile storage device (e.g., an auxiliary storage device), and more specifically, may be, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a non-volatile memory express (NVME) drive, or a storage class memory (SCM).

In the following description, "storage device" may refer to at least one memory, including memory and persistent storage device.

In the following description, a "processor" may be one or more processor devices. The at least one processor device may typically be a microprocessor device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), but may also be other types of processor devices such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The at least one processor device may be a single-core or multi-core. The at least one processor device may be a processor core. The at least one processor device may also be a broader processor device such as a circuit that is a collection of gate arrays written in a hardware description language that performs some or all of the processing (e.g., an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), a CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device), or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit)).

In the following description, functions are sometimes described using the expression "yyy unit", but the functions may be realized by one or more computer programs being executed by a processor, or by one or more hardware circuits (e.g., FPGAs or ASICs), or by a combination of these. When a function is realized by a program being executed by a processor, the function may be at least a part of the processor, since the specified processing is performed using a storage device and/or an interface device, etc., as appropriate. Processing described with a function as the subject may be processing performed by a processor or a device having the processor. A program may be installed from a program source. The program source may be, for example, a program distribution computer or a computer-readable recording medium (e.g., a non-transitory recording medium). The description of each function is an example, and multiple functions may be combined into one function, or one function may be divided into multiple functions.

In addition, in the following explanation, the processing may be explained with a "program" as the subject, but the processing explained with a program as the subject may also be processing performed by a processor or a device having that processor. Furthermore, two or more programs may be realized as one program, and one program may be realized as two or more programs.

In the following explanation, information that gives an output for an input may be described using expressions such as "xxx table", but the information may be a table of any structure, or may be a neural network that generates an output for an input, or a learning model such as a genetic algorithm or random forest. Therefore, a "xxx table" can be called "xxx information". In the following explanation, the structure of each table is an example, and one table may be divided into two or more tables, or all or part of two or more tables may be one table.

In the following description, the "transport instruction generation system" may be a system made up of one or more physical computers, or may be a system (e.g., a cloud computing system) implemented on a group of physical computing resources (e.g., a cloud platform). When the transport instruction generation system "displays" the display information, it may mean displaying the display information on a display device possessed by the computer, or the computer may transmit the display information to a display computer (in the latter case, the display information is displayed by the display computer).

This embodiment is described in detail below.

In the following explanation, the same or similar components will be designated by common symbols to avoid repetitive explanations.

In addition, when there are multiple elements with the same or similar functions, the same reference numerals may be used with different subscripts to distinguish between the multiple elements. On the other hand, when there is no need to distinguish between the multiple elements, the subscripts may be omitted.

First, an example of the overall configuration of a system including a transport instruction generation system 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a system including a transport instruction generation system 10.

<Example of overall system configuration>
The transport instruction generation system 10 of this embodiment is a computer system that can simulate in a virtual space the inventory status at each base station of a product in a supply chain and the transportation status between base stations using well-known techniques such as agent simulation, and generate transport instructions for the base inventory and in-transit inventory of the product through the simulation, and is realized by a computer device or server device having the respective configurations described below.

As shown in FIG. 1, this transport instruction generation system 10 is connected to user terminals 11a, 11b, 11c, ... 11n (hereinafter collectively referred to as "user terminals 11" when referring to them collectively or when no particular distinction is made) such as laptop PCs, tablets, smartphones, etc. owned by each user of the transport instruction generation system 10 via an appropriate communication network 12 such as the Internet or a dedicated line, so that data can be communicated between them. The transport instruction generation system 10 and the communication network 12 are connected by wire via well-known communication equipment (not shown), but may be connected wirelessly. The user terminal 11 and the communication network 12 are connected wirelessly, but may be connected by wire. Users of the transport instruction generation system 10 are assigned a unique ID called a user ID in advance.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the transport instruction generation system 10 is described as being connected to the user terminal 11 via the communication network 12. However, for example, the transport instruction generation system may be configured as a system including the user terminal 11. Also, for example, the transport instruction generation system may be configured to include some or all of the functions performed by the user terminal 11.

<Hardware configuration example of transport instruction generation system 10>
Next, an example of the hardware configuration of the transport instruction generation system 10 according to this embodiment will be described.

The transport instruction generation system 10 of this embodiment is realized by a single general-purpose computer device. In the following description, the transport instruction generation system 10 is assumed to be realized by a single general-purpose computer device that includes one or more processors, one or more storage devices, one or more interface devices, and wired or wireless communication lines (none of which are shown) connecting them.

That is, the transport instruction generation system 10 has a storage device consisting of a persistent storage device and memory, an interface device, and a processor connected to them.

The persistent storage device is an auxiliary storage device made of a non-volatile storage element such as a flash memory. Specific examples of persistent storage devices include a solid state drive (SSD) and a hard disk drive (HDD). The persistent storage device stores at least a transport instruction generation program. The transport instruction generation program is a computer program for implementing the functions required for the transport instruction generation system 10, including various processes for generating transport instructions. Functions required for the transport instruction generation system 10 implemented by this transport instruction generation program include an enterprise management function 1000 and an enterprise business execution function 1001.

The company management function 1000 is a function that generates transport instructions from companies with flexible inventory to companies with back orders.

The corporate business execution function 1001 is installed for each company and calculates order backlogs and flexible quantities using the calculation results stored in the calculation result storage unit 1013, and issues instructions for shipment using the transport instructions in the transport instruction storage unit 1015.

In addition, the processor executes the transport instruction generation program, which performs various processes for generating transport instructions (described in detail below).

The transport instruction generation program may be installed from a program source. The program source may be, for example, a program distribution computer or a computer-readable recording medium. The transport instruction generation program may also be composed of a device driver, an operating system, various application programs located at higher layers, and libraries that provide common functions to these programs. Furthermore, two or more programs may be realized as one transport instruction generation program, and one transport instruction generation program may be realized as two or more programs.

The persistent storage device also stores data representing at least company master information indicating the transportation lead time between companies, company logic master information indicating the business logic of each company, simulation period information which is information indicating the period of the simulation, in-transit inventory information which is information regarding inventory in transit, each company inventory information which is information regarding each company's inventory, each company outbound request amount/outbound information which is information regarding each company's outbound request amount/outbound, and each company order backlog/flexible amount information which is information regarding each company's order backlog/flexible amount. Details of these data and the data tables which store each data will be described later.

The memory is a primary storage device that is mainly made up of volatile memory elements such as RAM (Random Access Memory). The memory temporarily stores data representing various information read from a persistent storage device and various data acquired from the user terminal 11.

The processor is a processor device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and various co-processors. This processor loads the transport instruction generation program into memory and executes it, thereby controlling the transport instruction generation system 10 itself and also managing the control unit 100 which performs various processes such as calculation processing and judgment processing.

The interface device includes a communication interface device that connects to the communication network 12 and communicates with the user terminal 11, and an I/O interface device.

<Example of functional blocks of the transport instruction generating system 10>
Next, an example of blocks of various functions included in the transport instruction generation system 10 according to the present embodiment will be described. Note that each block described below does not represent a hardware unit configuration, but represents a functional unit block.

As shown in FIG. 1, the transport instruction generation system 10 is configured with the following functional blocks: a control unit 100, a memory unit 101, a communication unit 102, an input unit 103, and an output unit 104.

The control unit 100 executes various data processing operations based on the programs and data stored in the memory unit 101, the data acquired by the communication unit 102, and the user's operation input detected by the input unit 103. The control unit 100 also functions as an interface between the memory unit 101, the communication unit 102, the input unit 103, and the output unit 104.

The control unit 100 executes a process for generating a transport instruction. This process is referred to as a transport instruction generation process. Details of the transport instruction generation process will be described later with reference to Figures 11A to 11E.

The control unit 100 has the functional blocks of a transport instruction calculation unit 10001, an order backlog calculation unit 10011, an available amount calculation unit 10012, and a shipping instruction unit 10013. The transport instruction calculation unit 10001 is responsible for the aforementioned corporate supervision function 1000. The order backlog calculation unit 10011, the available amount calculation unit 10012, and the shipping instruction unit 10013 are responsible for the aforementioned corporate business execution function 1001.

The transport instruction calculation unit 10001 executes a process for calculating a transport instruction. This process executed by the transport instruction calculation unit 10001 is referred to as a transport instruction calculation process. Details of the transport instruction calculation process will be described later in relation to FIG. 11D.

The order backlog calculation unit 10011 executes a process to calculate the order backlog. This process executed by the order backlog calculation unit 10011 is referred to as the order backlog calculation process. Details of the order backlog calculation process will be described later in relation to FIG. 11B.

The available transfer amount calculation unit 10012 executes a process to calculate the available transfer amount. This process executed by the available transfer amount calculation unit 10012 is referred to as the available transfer amount calculation process. Details of the available transfer amount calculation process will be described later in relation to FIG. 11C.

The shipping instruction unit 10013 executes a process to instruct shipping. This process executed by the shipping instruction unit 10013 is referred to as the shipping instruction process. Details of the shipping instruction process will be described later in relation to FIG. 11E.

The control unit 100 is configured using a processor, and can realize these functional blocks by executing a predetermined program. Note that instead of a processor, the control unit 100 may be configured using a logic circuit, such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The control unit 100 may also be configured by combining a processor and a logic circuit.

The storage unit 101 is configured using a storage device consisting of, for example, a persistent storage device and a memory, and stores a program that supplies various processing commands to the control unit 100, and data representing various information used in the processing executed by the control unit 100. For example, data representing the company master information recorded in the company master information table 10100 illustrated in FIG. 3 (hereinafter also referred to as "company master information data"), data representing the company logic master information recorded in the company logic master information table illustrated in FIG. 4 (hereinafter also referred to as "company logic master information data"), data representing the simulation period information recorded in the simulation period information table 10120 illustrated in FIG. 5 (hereinafter also referred to as "simulation period information data"), etc. are stored in the storage unit 101. The control unit 100 can execute the above-mentioned transfer instruction generation processing by reading and writing this information in the storage unit 101.

The memory unit 101 has the following functional blocks: a company master information memory unit 1010, a company logic master information memory unit 1011, a simulation period information memory unit 1012, a calculation result memory unit 1013, an order backlog/available amount memory unit 1014, a transport instruction memory unit 1015, and a shipping instruction memory unit 1016.

The company master information storage unit 1010 mainly stores company master information data represented by a company master information table 10100 illustrated in FIG. 3. The company master information table 10100 is a table for managing the company master information data. Details of the company master information data and the company master information table 10100 will be described later in relation to FIG. 3.

The enterprise logic master information storage unit 1011 mainly stores enterprise logic master information data represented by an enterprise logic master information table 10110 illustrated in FIG. 4. The enterprise logic master information table 10110 is a table for managing enterprise logic master information data. Details of the enterprise logic master information data and the enterprise logic master information table 10110 will be described later in relation to FIG. 4.

The simulation period information storage unit 1012 mainly stores simulation period information data represented by a simulation period information table 10120 illustrated in FIG. 5. The simulation period information table 10120 is a table for managing the simulation period information data. Details of the simulation period information data and the simulation period information table 10120 will be described later in relation to FIG. 5.

The calculation result storage unit 1013 mainly stores the in-transit inventory information data represented by the in-transit inventory information table 10130 illustrated in FIG. 6, the individual company inventory information data represented by the individual company inventory information tables 10131-10133 illustrated in FIG. 7A-FIG. 7C, and the individual company outgoing request amount/outgoing information data represented by the individual company outgoing request amount/outgoing information table 10134 illustrated in FIG. 8. The in-transit inventory information table 10130 is a table for managing the in-transit inventory information data. Details of the in-transit inventory information data and the in-transit inventory information table 10130 will be described later in relation to FIG. 6. The individual company inventory information tables 10131-10133 are tables for managing the individual company inventory information data. Details of the individual company inventory information data and the individual company inventory information tables 10131-10133 will be described later in relation to FIG. 7A-FIG. 7C. The company outgoing request amount/outgoing information table 10134 is a table for managing the company outgoing request amount/outgoing information data. Details of the company outgoing request amount/outgoing information data and the company outgoing request amount/outgoing information table 10134 will be described later in relation to FIG. 8.

The order backlog/flexible amount storage unit 1014 mainly stores each company's order backlog/flexible amount information data represented by each company's order backlog/flexible amount information tables 10140-10143 illustrated in Figures 9A-9D. Each company's order backlog/flexible amount information tables 10140-10143 are tables for managing each company's order backlog/flexible amount information data. Details of each company's order backlog/flexible amount information data and each company's order backlog/flexible amount information tables 10140-10143 will be described later in relation to Figures 9A-9D.

The transport instruction storage unit 1015 mainly stores transport instruction information data represented by a transport instruction information table 10150 illustrated in FIG. 10. The transport instruction information table 10150 is a table for managing the transport instruction information data. Details of the transport instruction information data and the transport instruction information table 10150 will be described later in relation to FIG. 10.

The shipping instruction storage unit 1016 mainly stores shipping instruction information data represented by the shipping instruction information table. The shipping instruction information table is a table for managing the shipping instruction information data.

The communication unit 102 is responsible for communication processing with other devices, such as the user terminal 11, via the Internet (an example of the communication network 12). The communication unit 102 is configured using, for example, a NIC (Network Interface Card) or an HBA (Host Bus Adapter).

The input unit 103 is responsible for input-related processing, such as accepting input operations from the user, among other processes related to the user interface. The input unit 103 is configured using, for example, a keyboard, a pointing device, a touch panel, etc., and detects various operations from the user.

The output unit 104 is responsible for output processing, such as displaying various screens on a display device and outputting audio, among other processing related to the user interface. The output unit 104 is configured using, for example, a liquid crystal display, a touch screen, etc.

In other words, each component of the transport instruction generation system 10 is realized by hardware including a processor, storage devices such as memory and persistent storage devices, wired or wireless communication lines and interface devices that connect them, and software that is stored in the storage devices and supplies processing instructions to the computing unit.

In this embodiment, the functions of the transport instruction generation system 10 have been described as being realized integrally by a single computer device. However, these functions may also be realized by multiple computer devices or server devices connected to each other. In addition, the transport instruction generation system 10 may be configured to include a general-purpose computer device such as a laptop PC and a web browser installed thereon, or may be configured to include a web server and various portable devices.

<Example of functional blocks of user terminal 11>
Next, an example of blocks of various functions included in the user terminal 11 according to the present embodiment will be described. Note that each block described below does not represent a hardware configuration, but represents a functional block.

As shown in FIG. 1, the user terminal 11 is configured with the following functional blocks: a control unit 110, a memory unit 111, a communication unit 112, an input unit 113, and an output unit 114.

The control unit 110 executes various data processing operations based on the programs and data stored in the memory unit 111, the data acquired by the communication unit 112, and the user's operation input detected by the input unit 113. The control unit 110 also functions as an interface between the memory unit 111, the communication unit 112, the input unit 113, and the output unit 114.

The control unit 110 is configured using a processor, and can realize these functional blocks by executing a specific program. Note that instead of a processor, the control unit 110 may be configured using a logic circuit, such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The control unit 110 may also be configured by combining a processor and a logic circuit.

The storage unit 111 is configured using a storage device consisting of, for example, a persistent storage device and a memory, and stores programs that supply various processing commands to the control unit 110, and data representing various information used in the processing executed by the control unit 110. The control unit 110 can execute various processing by reading and writing this information in the storage unit 111.

The communication unit 112 is responsible for communication processing with other devices, such as the transport instruction generation system 10, via the Internet. The communication unit 112 is configured using, for example, a NIC (Network Interface Card) or an HBA (Host Bus Adapter).

The input unit 113 is responsible for input-related processing, such as accepting input operations from the user, among other processes related to the user interface. The input unit 113 is configured using, for example, a touch panel, a keyboard, a pointing device, etc., and detects various operations from the user.

The output unit 114 is responsible for output processing, such as displaying various screens on a display device and outputting audio, among other processing related to the user interface. The output unit 114 is configured using, for example, a touch screen or a liquid crystal display.

Note that the above descriptions of each function are merely examples, and multiple functions may be combined into one function, or one function may be divided into multiple functions.

<An example of a supply chain according to this embodiment>
Next, an example of a supply chain according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a diagram that illustrates a schematic diagram of an example of a supply chain according to the present embodiment.

The transport instruction generation system 10 according to this embodiment uses known techniques such as agent simulation to simulate in a virtual space the inventory status at each base of a product in the supply chain illustrated in FIG. 2 and the transportation status between bases, and uses this simulation to generate transport instructions for the base inventory and in-transit inventory of the product.

As shown in FIG. 2, the supply chain in this embodiment has the following companies: "Headquarters", "Overseas Factory 1", "Domestic Factory 1", "Domestic Factory 2", "Local Warehouse 1", "Local Warehouse 2", "Market 1", and "Market 2". Note that the arrows in the figure indicate transportation. In other words, "Overseas Factory 1" ships products to "Local Warehouse 1", "Local Warehouse 2", "Domestic Factory 1", and "Domestic Factory 2".

In this embodiment, and in the supply chain illustrated in FIG. 2, the "companies" represent different bases for transporting products in the supply chain. In other words, two or more "companies" with different names do not necessarily represent separate corporations in the real world. As an example, the "overseas factory 1" and the "domestic factory 1" illustrated in FIG. 2 may each be separate corporations in the real world, or may belong to the same corporation.

<Data structure example>
Next, various types of information used by the transport instruction generation system 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

As described above, the transport instruction generation system 10 generates transport instructions using the company master information data represented by the company master information table 10100 illustrated in FIG. 3, the company logic master information data represented by the company logic master information table 10110 illustrated in FIG. 4, the simulation period information data represented by the simulation period information table 10120 illustrated in FIG. 5, the in-transit inventory information data represented by the in-transit inventory information table 10130 illustrated in FIG. 6, each company inventory information data represented by each company inventory information table 10131-10133 illustrated in FIG. 7A-FIG. 7C, each company outgoing request amount/outgoing information data represented by each company outgoing request amount/outgoing information table 10134 illustrated in FIG. 8, and each company order backlog/flexible amount information data represented by each company order backlog/flexible amount information table 10140-10143 illustrated in FIG. 9A-FIG. 9D.

Figure 3 shows an example of the configuration of a company master information table 10100 that stores company master information data. The company master information table 10100 is a table for managing company master information, i.e., transportation lead time information from a source company to a destination company. The transportation lead time information is information that represents the time required for transportation from a source company to a destination company. The company master information table 10100 has a record for each combination of a source company and a destination company. The record represents a source company 1010a, a destination company 1010b, and a transportation lead time 1010c. In other words, the company master information table 10100 represents the transportation lead time 1010c for each combination of a source company 1010a and a destination company 1010b by linking and recording the combination of the source company 1010a and the destination company 1010b with the transportation lead time 1010c for each record. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the company master information table 10100 records that the transportation lead time 1010c from the source company 1010a, "Overseas Factory 1," to the destination company 1010b, "Local Warehouse 1," is "15 days."

Figure 4 shows an example of the configuration of the enterprise logic master information table 10110 that stores enterprise logic master information data. The enterprise logic master information table 10110 is a table for managing enterprise logic master information, which is business logic information used by an enterprise. Business logic sets execution details, such as what logic is used for calculations when executing a simulation. The enterprise logic master information table 10110 has a record for each enterprise. The record represents the enterprise name 1011a, the business logic name 1011b used by the enterprise, and the business logic 1011c represented by the business logic name 1011b. In other words, the enterprise logic master information table 10110 represents the business logic name 1011b and business logic 1011c used by each enterprise represented by the enterprise name 1011a by linking and recording the enterprise name 1011a, the business logic name 1011b, and the business logic 1011c used by the enterprise for each record. According to the example shown in FIG. 4, the company logic master information table 10110 records that the company represented by the company name 1011a "Regional Warehouse 1" uses business logic 1011c with the business logic name 1011b "resource surplus/shortage calculation" that "calculates order backlogs and flexible amounts for each item at the base in chronological order."

Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a simulation period information table 10120 that stores simulation period information data. The transport instruction generation system 10 according to this embodiment uses a known method such as agent simulation to simulate the transportation of items in the supply chain illustrated in Figure 2 in a virtual space. The simulation period information table 10120 is a table for managing simulation period information, which is information representing the period of the simulation performed by the transport instruction generation system 10. The simulation period information table 10120 has one or more records stored for each simulation period. The record represents a simulation start date 1012a representing the start date of the simulation, and a simulation end date 1012b representing the end date of the simulation. In other words, the simulation period information table 10120 represents the simulation period for each simulation performed by the transport instruction generation system 10 by linking and recording the simulation start date 1012a and the simulation end date 1012b for each record. According to the example shown in FIG. 5, the simulation period information table 10120 records that a simulation in which the simulation start date 1012a is "March 1, 2022" and the simulation end date 1012b is "May 31, 2022," i.e., a simulation with a simulation period of three months, was executed by the transport instruction generation system 10.

Figure 6 shows an example of the configuration of an in-transit inventory information table 10130 that stores in-transit inventory information data. The in-transit inventory information table 10130 is a table for managing in-transit inventory information, which is information that lists in-transit inventory for each item from a source company to a destination company in chronological order by simulated arrival date. The in-transit inventory information table 10130 has a record for each combination of a source company and a destination company. The record represents a source company 1013a, a destination company 1013b, an item 1013c to be transported, a planning date 1013d, an arrival date 1013e of the item 1013c, an arrival time 1013f of the item 1013c, and an inventory amount 1013g of the item 1013c. In other words, the in-transit inventory information table 10130 records, for each record, a combination of a source company 1013a and a destination company 1013b in association with the item 1013c to be transported, the planning date 1013d, the arrival date 1013e, arrival time 1013f, and inventory amount 1013g of the item 1013c, thereby representing the item 1013c to be transported, the arrival date 1013e, arrival time 1013f, and inventory amount 1013g of the item 1013c, and the planning date 1013d for the combination of a source company 1013a and a destination company 1013b. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the in-transit inventory information table 10130 records that for item 1013c, "item A," being transported from "overseas factory 1," which is the source company 1013a, to "regional warehouse 1," which is the destination company 1013b, the arrival date 1013e at "regional warehouse 1" is "March 1, 2022," the arrival time 1013f on that day is "8:00 a.m.", the inventory amount 1013g arriving at "regional warehouse 1" is "30 units," and the planning date 1013d of this transportation plan is "March 1, 2022."

Figures 7A to 7C show example configurations of company inventory information tables 10131 to 10133 which store inventory information data for each company. Figure 7A shows company inventory information table 10131 relating to "Local Warehouse 1", Figure 7B shows company inventory information table 10132 relating to "Domestic Factory 1", and Figure 7C shows company inventory information table 10133 relating to "Domestic Factory 2". Company inventory information tables 10131 to 10133 are tables for managing company inventory information, which is information that lists the company's inventory amounts for each item in chronological order as of the simulation calculation date. Company inventory information tables 10131 to 10133 have records for each company. The records indicate the name of the company (1013h, 1013n, 1013t), the item in stock (1013i, 1013o, 1013u), the planning date (1013j, 1013p, 1013v), the date (1013k, 1013q, 1013w), the time (1013l, 1013r, 1013x), and the amount in stock (1013m, 1013s, 1013y). That is, each of the company inventory information tables 10131 to 10133 stores, for each record, the name of the company (1013h, 1013n, 1013t), the inventory item (1013i, 1013o, 1013u), the planning date (1013j, 1013p, 1013v), the date (1013k, 1013q, 1013w), the time (1013l, 1013r, 1013x), and the inventory amount (1013m, 1013r, 1013x). By linking and recording the inventory items (1013i, 1013o, 1013u), planning dates (1013j, 1013p, 1013v), dates (1013k, 1013q, 1013w), times (1013l, 1013r, 1013x), and inventory amounts (1013m, 1013s, 1013y) for each company (1013h, 1013n, 1013t) are represented. According to the example shown in FIG. 7A, the company inventory information table 10131 for company 1013h, "Regional Warehouse 1," records that there are "40 units" of "item A" in stock at "9:00 a.m." on "March 1, 2022," and that the planning date 1013j of this inventory plan is "March 1, 2022."

Figure 8 shows an example of the configuration of each company's outbound request quantity/outbound information table 10134, which stores each company's outbound request quantity/outbound information data. Each company's outbound request quantity/outbound information table 10134 is a table for managing each company's outbound request quantity/outbound information, which is information that lists the outbound request quantity and outbound quantity for each item from the outbound request source company to the outbound request destination company in chronological order as of the calculation date of the simulation. Each company's outbound request quantity/outbound information table 10134 has a record for each combination of a request source company and a request destination company. The record represents the request source company 1013z, the request destination company 1013aa, the item 1013ab, the date 1013ac, the outbound request quantity 1013ad, and the outbound quantity 1013ae. In other words, the each company outbound request quantity/outbound information table 10134 represents the target item 1013ab, date 1013ac, outbound request quantity 1013ad, and outbound quantity 1013ae for the combination of the requesting company 1013z and the requested company 1013aa by linking and recording the combination with the target item 1013ab, date 1013ac, outbound request quantity 1013ad, and outbound quantity 1013ae for each record. In addition, when subtracting the outgoing request amount 1013ae from the inventory amount of the same company, the same item, the same calculation date, and the calculation time 9:00 in each company inventory information shown in Figures 7A to 7C, if the calculation result is 0 or more, the outgoing request amount 1013ad is set as the outgoing amount 1013ae, and if the calculation result is less than 0, the inventory amount is set as the outgoing amount 1013ae. According to the example shown in Figure 8, the each company outgoing request amount/outgoing information table 10134 records that for item 1013ab called "item A" that was requested to be shipped from "Market 1" which is the request source company 1013z to "Regional Warehouse 1" which is the request destination company 1013aa, the outgoing amount 1013ae was set to "30 pieces" on "March 1, 2022" in response to the outgoing request amount 1013ad of "30 pieces".

Figures 9A to 9D are diagrams showing examples of the configuration of each company's order backlog/flexible amount information tables 10140 to 10143, which store order backlog/flexible amount information data for each company. Figure 9A shows each company's order backlog/flexible amount information table 10140 for "Regional Warehouse 1", Figure 9B shows each company's order backlog/flexible amount information table 10141 for "Overseas Factory 1", Figure 9C shows each company's order backlog/flexible amount information table 10142 for "Domestic Factory 1", and Figure 9D shows each company's order backlog/flexible amount information table 10143 for "Domestic Factory 2". Each company's order backlog/flexible amount information table 10140 to 10143 is a table for managing each company's order backlog/flexible amount information, which is information that lists the order backlog and flexible amount for each item of the company in chronological order as of the calculation date of the simulation. Each company's order backlog and flexible volume information tables 10140 to 10143 has a record for each company. The record includes the name of the company (1014a, 1014h, 1014o, 1014v), the name of the business logic of the company (1014b, 1014i, 1014p, 1014w), the target item (1014c, 1014j, 1014q, 1014x), the planning date (1014d, 1014k, 1014r, 1014y), and the order backlog and flexible volume related information. The order backlog (1014f, 1014m, 1014t, 1014aa) of the item (1014c, 1014j, 1014q, 1014x) and the available quantity (1014g, 1014n, 1014u, 1014ab) of the item (1014c, 1014j, 1014q, 1014x) are shown. That is, in each record of each company order backlog/available amount information table 10140 to 10143, the name of the company (1014a, 1014h, 1014o, 1014v), the name of the business logic of the company (1014b, 1014i, 1014p, 1014w), the target item (1014c, 1014j, 1014q, 1014x), the target item (1014c, 1014j, 1014q), , 1014x), the amount of backorders (1014f, 1014m, 1014t, 1014aa) of the items (1014c, 1014j, 1014q, 1014x), the flexible amounts (1014g, 1014n, 1014u, 1014ab) of the items (1014c, 1014j, 1014q, 1014x), the dates (1014e, 1014l, 1014s, 1014z) related to the backorders and flexible amounts, and the planning dates (1014d, 1014k, 1014r, 1014y) ), the business logic (1014b, 1014i, 1014p, 1014w) used by each company (1014a, 1014h, 1014o, 1014v), the target items (1014c, 1014j, 1014q, 1014x) in the companies (1014a, 1014h, 1014o, 1014v), It shows the amount of backorder (1014f, 1014m, 1014t, 1014aa), the flexible amount (1014g, 1014n, 1014u, 1014ab) of the item (1014c, 1014j, 1014q, 1014x), the date (1014e, 1014l, 1014s, 1014z) and the plan creation date (1014d, 1014k, 1014r, 1014y) related to the backorder/flexible amount. Note that the amount of backorder (1014f, 1014m, 1014t, 1014aa) is the amount obtained by subtracting the shipping amount from the shipping request amount of each company in FIG. 8. In addition, the flexible amounts (1014g, 1014n, 1014u, 1014ab) are the inventory amounts at 22:00, the calculation time of the inventory information of each company in FIG. 7. According to the example shown in FIG. 9A, in the each company order backlog/flexible amount information table 10140 for the company 1014a called "Regional Warehouse 1" that uses the business logic 1014b called "resource surplus/shortage calculation", it is recorded that the order backlog 1014f of "item A" on "March 1, 2022" is "0 units", the flexible amount 1014g of "item A" is "10 units", and the planning date 1014d of the plan is "March 1, 2022".

Figure 10 shows an example of the configuration of a transfer instruction information table 10150 that stores transfer instruction information data. The transfer instruction information table 10150 is a table for managing transfer instruction information, which is instruction information for transferring inventory from a company with a flexible amount to a company with backlogged orders. The transfer instruction information table 10150 has a record for each combination of a source company and a destination company. The record represents a source company 1015a, a destination company 1015b, an item 1015c that is the subject of the transfer instruction, a transfer date 1015d, and a transfer instruction amount 1015e. That is, the in-transit inventory information table 10130 records, for each record, a combination of a source company 1015a and a destination company 1015b, an item 1015c for which a transfer instruction is issued, a transfer instruction amount 1015e for the item 1015c, and a transfer date 1015d, and represents the item 1015c for which a transfer instruction is issued, the transfer instruction amount 1015e for the item 1015c, and the transfer date 1015d for the item 1015c for the combination of a source company 1015a and a destination company 1015b. Note that the source company 1015a that provides in-transit inventory refers to a company that can resolve the order backlog in the shortest time for a company that has an order backlog in the company order backlog/flexible amount information in Figures 9A to 9D. In addition, when the transfer instruction amount 1015e is calculated by subtracting the order backlog from the flexible amount of the transport source company 1015a, if the calculation result is 0 or more, the order backlog is set as the transfer instruction amount 1015e, and if the calculation result is less than 0, the flexible amount is set as the transfer instruction amount 1015e. According to the example shown in FIG. 10, the transfer instruction information table 10150 records that a transfer instruction was generated for the item 1015c called "item A" being transported from the "domestic factory 1" which is the transport source company 1015a to the "regional warehouse 1" which is the transport destination company 1015b, with the transfer date 1015d set to "March 3, 2022" and the transfer instruction amount 1015e set to "20 pieces."

<Example of a process flow for transport instruction generation process>
Next, the transport instruction generation process executed by the transport instruction generation system 10 according to this embodiment and each step in the transport instruction generation process will be described with reference to FIGS. 11A to 11E.

As described above, each step in the transport instruction generation process described below is realized by a program that the transport instruction generation system 10 reads into a memory or the like and executes. The program is composed of code for realizing the processing executed in each of the following steps.

(Overall flow of the transport instruction generation process)
FIG. 11A is a flowchart showing an example of the overall processing flow of the transfer instruction generation processing performed in this embodiment.

In step S11, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 reads the company master information. This reads the source company, destination company, and transport lead time information, which are the company master stored in the company master information storage unit 1010. When the control unit 100 completes the processing in step S11, it proceeds to step S12.

In step S12, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 executes an order backlog calculation process using the order backlog calculation unit 10011. This order backlog calculation process generally involves reading each company's outgoing request amount and outgoing information stored in the calculation result storage unit 1013, calculating the order backlog, and storing the order backlog in the order backlog/flexible amount storage unit 1014. This calculates the order backlog. Details of the order backlog calculation process will be described later in relation to FIG. 11B. When the order backlog calculation process is completed, the control unit 100 proceeds to step S13.

In step S13, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 executes an available amount calculation process using the available amount calculation unit 10012. This available amount calculation process generally involves reading each company's inventory information stored in the calculation result storage unit 1013, calculating the available amount, and storing the amount in the order backlog and available amount storage unit 1014. This calculates the available amount. Details of the available amount calculation process will be described later in relation to FIG. 11C. When the available amount calculation process is completed, the control unit 100 proceeds to step S14.

In step S14, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 executes a transport instruction calculation process using the transport instruction calculation unit 10001. This transport instruction calculation process generally involves reading the backorder/flexible amount information stored in the backorder/flexible amount storage unit 1014, allocating inventory from a higher-level base to the base with the backorder, and storing the allocated information as transport instruction information in the transport instruction storage unit 1015. This causes a transport instruction to be calculated. Details of the transport instruction calculation process will be described later in relation to FIG. 11D. When the transport instruction calculation process is completed, the control unit 100 proceeds to step S15.

In step S15, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 executes an outgoing instruction process using the outgoing instruction unit 10013. This outgoing instruction process generally involves reading the transport instruction information stored in the transport instruction storage unit 1015, calculating an outgoing instruction, and storing the instruction in the outgoing instruction storage unit 1016. This results in an instruction to leave the warehouse. Details of the outgoing instruction process will be described later in relation to FIG. 11E. When the outgoing instruction process is completed, the control unit 100 ends the transport instruction generation process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 11A.

(Order backlog calculation process)
FIG. 11B is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a backorder calculation process.

In step S21, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 executes a process in which the order backlog calculation unit 10011 reads each company's outgoing request quantity and outgoing information stored in the calculation result storage unit 1013. When the control unit 100 completes the process in step S21, it proceeds to step S22.

In step S22, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10, through the order backlog calculation unit 10011, sets the simulation start date as the start condition for the repeated processing up to step S25, and repeats the processing for each date t.

In step S23, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 executes a process to determine whether the outgoing request amount on date t is greater than the outgoing amount by the order backlog calculation unit 10011. If it is determined that the outgoing request amount on date t is greater than the outgoing amount (step S23: Y), the process proceeds to step S24 to calculate the order backlog on date t, and if it is determined that the outgoing request amount on date t is equal to or less than the outgoing amount (step S23: N), the process proceeds directly to step S25.

In step S24, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 executes a process in which the order backlog calculation unit 10011 subtracts the outgoing quantity on date t from the outgoing request quantity on date t to calculate the order backlog on date t. When the control unit 100 completes the process in step S24, it proceeds to step S25.

Step S25 is the end condition for the repeated processing that started from step S22, and is the simulation end date. That is, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 repeatedly executes the processing of steps S22 to S25 by the order backlog calculation unit 10011 until the simulation end date.

In step S26, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 stores the order backlog for date t calculated in step S24 in the order backlog/flexible amount storage unit 1014 by the order backlog calculation unit 10011. When the process in step S21 is completed, the control unit 100 ends the order backlog calculation process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 11B.

(Calculation of available amount)
FIG. 11C is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the interchangeable amount calculation process.

In step S31, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 executes a process in which the flexible amount calculation unit 10012 reads the inventory information of each company stored in the calculation result storage unit 1013. When the process in step S31 is completed, the control unit 100 proceeds to step S32.

In step S32, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 stores the inventory amount of each company at 22:00 on each date as the available amount in the order backlog/available amount storage unit 1014 by the available amount calculation unit 10012. When the process in step S32 is completed, the control unit 100 ends the available amount calculation process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 11C.

(Transportation instruction calculation process)
FIG. 11D is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a transfer instruction calculation process.

In step S401, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 executes a process in which the transport instruction calculation unit 10001 reads the order backlog/available amount information stored in the order backlog/available amount storage unit 1014. When the process in step S401 is completed, the control unit 100 proceeds to step S402.

In step S402, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10, through the transport instruction calculation unit 10001, sets the simulation start date as the start condition for the repeated processing up to step S409, and repeats the processing for each date t.

In step S403, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10, by the transport instruction calculation unit 10001, sets the start condition for the repeated processing up to step S406 to i, which is the upstream base of the base with the backlog on date t, and references the flexible amounts at the time of date t - lead time in order of the longest lead time from the upstream base i to the base with the backlog on date t. By referencing the flexible amounts in order of the longest lead time and allocating inventory from the base with the longest lead time, inventory at bases with shortest lead times can be held as safety stock in the event of demand fluctuations, thereby reducing opportunity loss. Note that in this embodiment, the flexible amounts are referenced in order of the longest lead time in the processing of step S403, but the transport instruction calculation unit 10001 can also reference the flexible amounts in order of the shortest lead time.

In step S404, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 executes a process in which the transport instruction calculation unit 10001 determines whether (1) the order backlog on date t is greater than 0 and (2) the flexible amount of date t minus lead time at the upper base i is greater than 0. If both the above criteria (1) and (2) are met (step S404: Y), the process proceeds to step S405 to update the transport instruction information, order backlog information, and flexible amount information; if at least one of the above criteria (1) and (2) is not met (step S404: N), the process proceeds directly to step S406.

In step S405, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 uses the transport instruction calculation unit 10001 to allocate inventory from the higher-level base i, and updates the transport instruction information stored in the transport instruction storage unit 1015 and the order backlog/flexible amount information stored in the order backlog/flexible amount storage unit 1014. The process in step S405 updates the transport date in the transport instruction information to date t-lead time, and updates the transport instruction amount in the transport instruction information to the minimum value of the order backlog on date t and the flexible amount at the higher-level base i at date t-lead time. In addition, the process in step S405 updates the order backlog information to a value obtained by subtracting the transport instruction amount from the order backlog on date t. In addition, the process in step S405 updates the flexible amount information to a value obtained by subtracting the transport instruction amount from the flexible amount at the higher-level base i at date t-lead time. When the process in step S405 is completed, the control unit 100 proceeds to step S406.

Step S406 is the end condition for the repeated process that began in step S403, and refers to the flexible amount at date t - lead time of the upstream base i of the base with backorders on date t, in order of the longest lead time from the upstream base i to the base with backorders on date t.

In step S407, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 executes a process by the transport instruction calculation unit 10001 to determine whether there is a higher-level base i for which (1) the order backlog on date t is greater than 0 and (2) the flexible amount is greater than 0 even if the delivery deadline is not met for the order backlog on date t. In the process executed in steps S407 and S408, allocation from the base that can allocate the shortest amount is taken into consideration even if the delivery deadline is not met for the order backlog on date t, thereby taking into consideration reducing opportunity loss. If both the above criteria (1) and (2) are met (step S407: Y), proceed to step S408 to update the transport instruction information, order backlog information, and flexible amount information. If at least one of the above criteria (1) and (2) is not met (step S407: N), proceed directly to step S409.

In step S408, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10, by the transport instruction calculation unit 10001, allocates inventory from a higher-level base i that cannot meet the delivery date of the base with the backlog on date t but can be allocated in the shortest time, and updates the transport instruction information stored in the transport instruction storage unit 1015 and the backlog information and the flexible amount information stored in the backlog/flexible amount storage unit 1014. By the processing in step S408, the transport date in the transport instruction information is updated to the day when the shortest transport is possible from the higher-level base i, and the transport instruction amount in the transport instruction information is updated to the minimum value of the backlog on date t and the flexible amount on the day when the shortest transport is possible at the higher-level base i. In addition, by the processing in step S408, the backlog information is updated to a value obtained by subtracting the transport instruction amount from the backlog on date t. Furthermore, by the processing in step S408, the flexible amount information is updated to a value obtained by subtracting the transport instruction amount from the flexible amount on the day when the shortest transport is possible from the higher-level base i. When the process in step S408 is completed, the control unit 100 proceeds to step S409.

Step S409 is the end condition for the repeated processing that started from step S402, and is the simulation end date. That is, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 repeatedly executes the processing of steps S402 to S409 by the transport instruction calculation unit 10001 until the simulation end date.

In step S410, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 stores the order backlog information and flexible amount information updated in step S405 or step S408 in the order backlog/flexible amount storage unit 1014 by the transport instruction calculation unit 10001. When the processing in step S410 is completed, the control unit 100 proceeds to step S411.

In step S411, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 stores the transport instruction information calculated in step S405 or step S408 in the transport instruction storage unit 1015 by the transport instruction calculation unit 10001. When the process in step S411 is completed, the control unit 100 ends the transport instruction calculation process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 11D.

(Shipping instruction processing)
FIG. 11E is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a shipping instruction process.

In step S51, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 executes a process of reading the transport instruction information stored in the transport instruction storage unit 1015 by the outbound instruction unit 10013. When the process in step S51 is completed, the control unit 100 proceeds to step S52.

In step S52, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 calculates an outgoing instruction based on the transport instruction information read in step S51 using the outgoing instruction unit 10013. When the control unit 100 completes the processing in step S52, it proceeds to step S53.

In step S53, the control unit 100 of the transport instruction generation system 10 stores the outgoing instruction calculated in step S52 in the outgoing instruction storage unit 1016 by the outgoing instruction unit 10013. When the processing in step S53 is completed, the control unit 100 ends the outgoing instruction processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 11E.

The above-described embodiment of the present invention can be summarized as follows:

(1) The transport instruction generation system 10 is a system that generates transport instructions not only for inventory at each base but also for items being transported between bases, and is characterized by having a company business execution function 1001 having an order backlog calculation unit 10011 that calculates order backlogs for which inventory has not been allocated for orders for each item of each company, an available amount calculation unit 10012 that calculates the amount of flexible availability for each item of each company, and a shipping instruction unit 10013 that refers to the transport instruction for each company and issues a shipping instruction, and a company supervision function 1000 having a transport instruction calculation unit 10001 that generates a transport instruction that associates at least the source company, which is a higher-level base of the destination company in the supply chain, the destination company, the item, the shipping date, and the amount of flexible availability, based on the order backlog and available amount for each item of each company and the lead time information between the companies. As a result, when the transport instruction generation system 10 detects the order backlog of an item on a specified day, it can accommodate the available amount of the source company at a point back from the specified day by the number of lead time days from the source company to the destination company. As a result, inventory can be lent from higher-level locations in the supply chain, allowing for the supply of backordered items to be shared with regular transport, reducing lead time shortfalls when inventory is lent, and reducing opportunity losses from lost customers and costs associated with inventory lent.

(2) When generating a transport instruction, the transport instruction calculation unit 10001 selects the source company in order of the lead time with the destination company (step S403 in FIG. 11D).

(3) When generating a transport instruction, if the transport instruction is not to be delivered by the destination company's deadline, the transport instruction calculation unit 10001 selects the source company so as to minimize the transport time (step S408 in FIG. 11D).

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be implemented using any components without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The above-mentioned embodiments, examples, and modifications are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these contents as long as the characteristics of the invention are not impaired. In addition, although various embodiments, examples, and modifications have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these contents. Other aspects that can be considered within the scope of the technical ideas of the present invention are also included in the scope of the present invention.

In each of the above diagrams, the control lines and information lines shown are those considered necessary for explanation, and do not necessarily show all of the control lines and information lines in the implementation. For example, in reality, it can be considered that almost all components are interconnected.

Furthermore, the above-described layout of the various functional units, various processing units, and various databases of the transport instruction generation system 10 is merely an example. The layout of the various functional units, various processing units, and various databases can be changed to an optimal layout in terms of the performance, processing efficiency, communication efficiency, etc., of the hardware and software equipped in the transport instruction generation system 10.

10: Transport instruction generation system

Claims (4)

A transport instruction generation system for simulating in a virtual space the inventory status of each company and the transport status between companies of an item transported in a supply chain, and generating transport instructions for the item transported between companies as well as the inventory status of each company of the item in the supply chain by the simulation, comprising:
A computer having at least a processor and a memory device,
The storage device includes:
A company master information table for managing company master information indicating transportation lead times between companies;
a company outbound request quantity/outbound information table for managing each company outbound request quantity/outbound information, which represents information in which the outbound request quantity and outbound quantity for each item from the outbound request source company to the outbound request destination company in the simulation are listed in chronological order as of the calculation date of the simulation;
a company inventory information table for managing company inventory information representing information in which the inventory amount for each item of the company in the simulation is listed in chronological order as of the calculation date of the simulation;
a company inventory information table for managing the order backlog and flexible volume information of each company, which represents information listing the order backlog and flexible volume of each item of the company in the simulation in chronological order as of the calculation date of the simulation;
At least
The processor,
As a corporate business execution function,
a process in which an order backlog calculation unit calculates order backlogs for which inventory has not been allocated for each order by item of each company using each company's outbound request amount and outbound information stored in the each company's outbound request amount and outbound information table ;
a process of calculating the amount of each company's inventory for each item by a flexible amount calculation unit using the inventory information of each company stored in the inventory information table of each company ;
The shipping instruction section refers to the transport instructions for each company and issues instructions for shipping.
Run
As a corporate governance function,
A transport instruction calculation unit executes a process of generating transport instructions that associate at least an accommodation source company, which is a higher-level company of the accommodation destination company in the supply chain that is the subject of the simulation calculation, an accommodation destination company , the item, a delivery date, and an accommodation amount, based on the company master information that indicates the order backlog and the accommodation amount for each item of each company and the transportation lead time between each company stored in the company master information table.
A transport instruction generating system comprising: The transport instruction generation system according to claim 1, wherein the transport instruction calculation unit, when generating a transport instruction, selects the source company in order of the longest lead time with the destination company. The transport instruction generation system of claim 1, wherein when generating a transport instruction, if the specified delivery date of the destination company in the simulation cannot be met, the transport instruction calculation unit selects the source company so as to minimize the transport time calculated based on the order backlog and available amount information of each company stored in the inventory information table of each company . A transport instruction generation method for simulating, in a virtual space, an inventory status of each company of an item and a transport status between companies for the transport of the item in a supply chain , and generating transport instructions for the item being transported between companies as well as the inventory status of each company of the item in the supply chain by the simulation, comprising:
A computer having at least a processor and a storage device,
The storage device includes:
A company master information table for managing company master information indicating transportation lead times between companies;
a company outbound request quantity/outbound information table for managing each company outbound request quantity/outbound information, which represents information in which the outbound request quantity and outbound quantity for each item from the outbound request source company to the outbound request destination company in the simulation are listed in chronological order as of the calculation date of the simulation;
a company inventory information table for managing company inventory information representing information in which the inventory amount for each item of the company in the simulation is listed in chronological order as of the calculation date of the simulation;
a company inventory information table for managing the order backlog and flexible volume information of each company, which represents information listing the order backlog and flexible volume of each item of the company in the simulation in chronological order as of the calculation date of the simulation;
At least
The processor,
As a corporate business execution function,
a step of calculating an order backlog for each company's order for each item by using each company's outbound request amount and outbound information stored in the each company's outbound request amount and outbound information table by an order backlog calculation unit ;
a step of calculating the amount of each company's inventory for each item by a flexible amount calculation unit using the inventory information of each company stored in the inventory information table of each company ;
A procedure in which the shipping instruction section issues instructions for shipping by referring to the transport instructions for each company.
Perform a process including
As a corporate governance function,
A step of generating , by a transport instruction calculation unit, transport instructions that correspond to at least an accommodation source company, which is a higher-level company of the accommodation destination company in the supply chain that is the subject of the simulation calculation, an accommodation destination company, the item, a warehouse release date, and an accommodation amount, based on the company master information that indicates the order backlog and the accommodation amount for each item of each company and the transportation lead time between each company stored in the company master information table.
Perform a process that includes
A method for generating a transport instruction.

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