FR3079648A1 - CONTENT MESSAGE ROUTING FOR INFORMATION SHARING WITHIN A SUPPLY CHAIN - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a method of routing supply chain messages that includes recording in a logistics chain information-sharing data processing system a multiplicity of different actors in a supply chain and generating a knowledge graph that includes different entities representative of corresponding actors among the actors connected by edges representative of the relations between entities respectively connected among the entities. The knowledge graph also indicates a role for each of the actors. The method also includes monitoring, in an event log, the events published on it by the various actors and responding to a new event published on the event log by extracting, from the event, the events supply chain keywords, associating keywords with one or more supply chain roles, identifying a set of entities in the role-related knowledge graph, formulating a message from the new event , and by publishing the message formulated for each entity in the identified set.

Description

CONTENT MESSAGE ROUTING FOR INFORMATION SHARING WITHIN A SUPPLY CHAIN

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to the field of sharing and visibility of logistics data and more particularly the routing of supply chain data messages in supply chain management .

Description of the Related Art [0004] A supply chain is a network between a company and its suppliers to produce and distribute a specific product, and the supply chain represents the steps necessary for the product or service to reach the consumer. . Supply chain management is a crucial process because an optimized supply chain results in lower costs and a faster production cycle. Establishment logistics management refers to the production and distribution process within the enterprise, while supply chain management includes suppliers, manufacturers, logistics and transport companies and retailers who distribute the product to the end consumer. Supply chains include any establishment that deals with a particular product, including companies that assemble and distribute parts to the manufacturer.

Because the traditional supply chain involves different actors using many different disparate information systems, sharing information between different actors can be difficult. Transparency in the situation of a given transaction depends greatly on the willingness and diligence of each player in the supply chain of the transaction to provide accurate and timely information to each other. In a single transaction, all this does not seem so difficult, but in a supply chain ecosystem, hundreds if not thousands of transactions are in progress at any given time and most of the resources available in the ecosystem - in particular with regard to transport and logistics - remain dependent on the state of multiple different transactions.

In this regard, in any supply chain ecosystem, the implicit objective is to optimize the use of all resources in the supply chain so as to bring products in the most efficient and optimal way from the source. to the receiver. However, given the multiplicity of different actors in the supply chain and the disparity of information provided by each actor, optimizing the supply chain remains almost impossible. To complicate matters, supply chain participants vary in terms of their willingness to share supply chain information that is considered sensitive, confidential, and therefore not appropriate for public consumption.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The embodiments of the present invention address gaps in the state of the art with respect to supply chain information sharing and provide a method, system and product. new and non-obvious computer program for message routing. According to an embodiment of the invention, a method of routing supply chain messages consists of recording in a data processing system of supply chain information sharing, a multiplicity of different actors in a supply chain and generating a knowledge graph in the memory of the system which comprises different entities representative of corresponding actors among the actors of the supply chain linked by edges representative of the relationships between entities respectively connected among the entities. The knowledge graph also indicates a role for each of the actors. The method also consists in monitoring, in an event log, the events published on it by the various actors of the knowledge graph and in responding to a new event published in the event log by extracting from the event, one or more keywords relating to the supply chain, by associating the keywords with one or more roles in the supply chain, by identifying a set of entities in the knowledge graph corresponding to said one or more roles, formulating a message from the new event, and publishing the message formulated for each entity in the identified set.

According to one aspect of the embodiment, the keywords are associated with a defined set of terms which in turn are associated with one or more of the roles.

According to another aspect of the embodiment, the method consists in further restricting the publication of the message to only those among the entities authorized to receive the message according to a separate access control list defined in the sharing data processing system d supply chain information. According to yet another aspect of the embodiment, the keywords are extracted from the event by breaking down the event into lexical units and comparing each lexical unit with a repertoire of lexical units correlating multiple lexical units among the lexical units with different corresponding keywords relating to the supply chain and synonyms of the correlated lexical units.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a supply chain data processing system is configured for the routing of messages. The system includes a host computer system consisting of one or more computers, each having memory and at least one processor, a supply chain information sharing application running in the host computer system and recording a multiplicity of different actors in a supply chain and generating a knowledge graph in the memory comprising different entities representative of corresponding actors among the actors in the supply chain linked by edges representative of relationships between entities respectively connected among the entities, the knowledge graph indicating in addition a role for each of the actors, and a message router coupled to the supply chain information sharing application.

The router includes program instructions which, during execution in the memory of the host computer system, carry out the monitoring, in an event log, of the events published thereon by the various actors of the knowledge graph . The program instructions during execution in the memory of the host computer system also respond to a new event published in the event log by extracting from the event, one or more keywords relating to the supply chain, by associating the keywords with one or more roles in the supply chain, by identifying a set of entities in the knowledge graph corresponding to said one or more roles, by formulating a message from the new event, and by publishing the message formulated for each entity of the identified set.

Additional aspects of the invention will be presented in part in the description which follows, and will become apparent in part from the description, or can be learned by the practice of the invention. The aspects of the invention will be realized and obtained by means of the elements and combinations indicated in particular in the appended claims. It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are given only by way of example and explanation and do not limit the invention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIOUS VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS The attached drawings, which are incorporated and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. The embodiments illustrated here are presently preferred, it being understood however that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities presented, in which:

Figure 1 is a pictorial illustration of a message routing process in a supply chain information sharing system;

Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of a supply chain information sharing data processing system designed for message routing; and, Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating a message routing process in a supply chain information sharing system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The embodiments of the invention relate to the routing of content-based messages in a supply chain information sharing system. According to one embodiment of the invention, different actors in a logistics chain such as manufacturers, transit operations agents, carriers, ports of entry and distributors, each register in the processing system. supply chain information sharing data in order to access dynamically changing data produced in relation to different supply chain transactions involving different actors among the actors. The actors are then organized in a knowledge graph of different entities representing different resources in the supply chain, including the different actors. Some of the actors, from time to time, post events to a system event log using supply chain keywords. An event is then detected in the event log and one or more of the keywords are extracted from the event. The keywords are then associated with one or more roles for the actors in the supply chain and the knowledge graph is queried with the roles to identify corresponding entities. Finally, a message is constructed for the event and the message is transmitted to those of the entities identified for the roles. In this way, messages in the information sharing data processing system are routed according to the content of the message itself without it being necessary for the recipients of the message to subscribe specifically to messages having content. particular.

As an illustration, Figure 1 illustrates a pictorial process for routing content-based messages in a supply chain information sharing system. As shown in Figure 1, a knowledge graph 120 is present in the memory of a supply chain information sharing system and represents the entire supply chain. The knowledge graph includes different entities representing different resources in a supply chain, including different actors such as manufacturers 110A, carriers 110B, HOC ports of entry, and 110D distribution points. The knowledge graph 120 also includes different edges connecting each of the selected pairs of entities and defining the relationship between the connected entities. Finally, each of the entities of the knowledge graph 120 stores within it a role of each of the entities.

An event log 160 is also planned, in which different actors among the actors 110A, 110B, 11C, 110D publish events 140 relating to changes of state in the supply chain. Each event 140 includes one or more keywords relating to the supply chain previously specified in a content routing table 150. In particular, the content routing table 150 associates the different keywords of each event 140 with said one or several roles of actors 110A, 110B, 11C, 110D. Therefore, when a monitor 130 monitors the event log 160 to detect an event 140 reflecting a change of state in the supply chain, the content-based message router 110 retrieved from the event 140 one or more of the keywords and associates the extracted keywords with one or more roles in the content routing table 150.

The content-based message router 110 then delivers a query 180 aimed at the knowledge graph 120 with the roles in order to identify one or more entities. Finally, subject to the restrictions of an access control list 190 for the entities, the content-based message router 110 transmits a message 170 constructed from the event 140 to said entities associated with the roles and authorized by the access control list 190. Consequently, the content-based message router 110 routes the message 170 only to those of the actors 110A,

110B, 11C, 110D determined to be authorized to receive message 170 having regard to the content of event 140 as specified by the content routing table 150 and as authorized by the access control list 190.

The process described in relation to Figure 1 can be implemented in a supply chain information sharing system. By way of illustration, Figure 2 schematically shows a supply chain information sharing data processing system designed for content-based message routing. The system includes a host computer system 210 which includes one or more computers, each having memory 230 and at least one processor (not shown). The host computer system 210 is coupled to different enterprise computer systems 270 via a computer communication network 220. Each of the different enterprise computer systems 270 corresponds to a different actor in a supply chain served by the system host computing, such as a manufacturer, carrier, port of entry, or distribution point.

Note that a knowledge graph 250 is placed in the memory 230 of the host computer system 210. The knowledge graph 250 comprises a multiplicity of entities each corresponding to one of the actors or other resources present in a chain common logistics. The knowledge graph 250 also includes different edges coupling different pairs of entities defining a relationship in the supply chain between them. Finally, the knowledge graph

250 includes a role indication for each of the entities. In the memory 230 is also present an association device between a keyword and a role 240. The association device between a keyword and a role 240 defines an association between different keywords relating to the supply chain and different roles of supply chain actors indicating which types of actors (as opposed to which specific actors) are likely to be interested in messages relating to events occurring in the supply chain. In the memory 230 is also present an access control list 290 indicating which entities of the knowledge graph 250 are authorized to visualize which types of messages according to the content of a message.

In operation, a monitoring device 260 running in the memory of the host computer system 210 monitors events in an event log 280 as the events are published by the actors of the supply chain through of different enterprise computer systems 270. In this regard, as each event is posted to the event log 280, the monitor 260 generates a message from the event and delivers the message to the message router 300. For example, the message router 300 can be a messaging intermediary which manages pushed messages on a stack managed by the message router 300. As a variant, the message router 300 can be a publication and subscription service. in which messages placed on a message bus are published for those who subscribed to messages on the message bus. In all cases, the message router 300 is widely understood to be a computer program which includes program instructions which, when executed on the host computer system 210, make it possible to inspect the content of the message provided by the monitoring device 260, extract the keywords from the content and consult the association device between a keyword and a role 240 in the memory 230 in order to identify one or more corresponding roles.

The message router 300 then interrogates the knowledge graph 250 with said one or more roles identified in order to identify specific entities of the supply chain which correspond to said one or more roles, the specific entities being those intended to receive the message routing. Finally, the message router 300 limits the specific entities to only those authorized by the access control list 290 to receive the message. Then, the message router program code 300 transmits the generated message only to those of the enterprise computer systems 270 corresponding to the actors corresponding to the limited selection of entities.

As an illustration of the operation of the program instructions of the message router 300, Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process for routing content-based messages in a supply chain information sharing system. Starting at block 310, an event is detected in an event log of the supply chain information sharing system. In block 320, the content of the event is extracted and in block 330, a message is generated for the event. In block 340, different keywords are extracted from the message and one or more lexical units are generated from the keywords. In this regard, a directory of lexical units, associating each lexical unit with one or more synonymous keywords reflecting the terminology of the supply chain, is consulted with the keywords extracted from the message in order to produce a set of lexical units uniform with which, in block 360, an association device is consulted to identify one or more corresponding roles. Subsequently, in block 370, the knowledge graph is interrogated with the roles to identify specific entities intended to receive the message. Finally, at block 380, the message is provided to each of the specific entities identified.

The present invention can be incorporated into a system, a method, a computer program product or any combination thereof. The computer program product may include computer readable storage medium or media having computer readable program instructions therein or therein to cause a processor to implement aspects of the present invention. The computer-readable storage medium may be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer-readable storage medium can be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a storage device for semiconductors, or any suitable combination thereof.

The computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing / processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or an external storage device via 'a network. Computer-readable program instructions can run entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer or fully on the remote computer or server. Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to the embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or the block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or the block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions.

These computer readable program instructions can be provided to a processor of a universal computer, a special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which are executed via the computer processor or other programmable data processing device, create means for the implementation of the functions / acts specified in the block or blocks flowchart and / or functional diagram. These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium which can instruct a computer, a programmable data processor, and / or other devices to operate in a particular manner, such that the computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein includes a manufactured item comprising instructions that implement aspects of the function / act specified in the block or blocks of flowchart and / or functional diagram.

The computer readable program instructions can also be loaded on a computer, another programmable data processing device, or another device to cause a series of functional steps to be performed on the computer, the other programmable device or other device to produce a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions that execute on the computer, the other programmable device, or the other device implement the functions / acts specified in the block or blocks of flowchart and / or block diagram.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams can represent a module, a segment, or a part of instructions, which includes one or more executable instructions for the implementation of the logic function (s). (s) specified. In certain implementation variants, the functions noted in the block can occur in a different order than that noted in the Figures. For example, two blocks represented in succession can, in fact, be executed substantially simultaneously, or the blocks can sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved. It should also be noted that each block of the functional diagrams and / or the flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the functional diagrams and / or the flowchart illustration, can be implemented by systems based on special purpose equipment that performs specified functions or acts or implements combinations of computer instructions and special purpose equipment.

Finally, the terminology used here is intended to describe only particular embodiments and is not intended to limit the invention. As used herein, the singular forms "one", "one" and "the" or "the" are intended to also include the plural forms, unless the context requires otherwise. It will also be understood that the terms “comprises” and / or “comprising”, when used in this specification, specify the presence of characteristics, whole numbers, steps, operations, elements, and / or of the components mentioned, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other characteristics, whole numbers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or groups thereof.

The structures, materials, acts, and corresponding equivalents of any means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act to perform the function in combination with other elements claimed as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the disclosed form. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to allow other persons skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications. as appropriate for the particular use envisaged.

Having thus described the invention of the present application in detail and with reference to the embodiments thereof, it will appear that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims as follows.

Claims (12)

1. Method for routing supply chain messages consisting of: record in a supply chain information sharing data processing system, a multiplicity of different actors in a supply chain; generate a knowledge graph in the memory of the system comprising different entities representative of corresponding actors among the actors of the supply chain linked by edges representative of the relationships between entities respectively connected among the entities, the knowledge graph further indicating a role for each of the actors; monitor, in an event log, the events published on it by the various actors of the knowledge graph; and, respond to a new event published in the event log: by extracting from the event, one or more keywords relating to the supply chain, by associating the keywords with one or more roles in the supply chain, by identifying a set of entities in the corresponding knowledge graph to said one or more roles, by formulating a message from the new event, and by publishing the message formulated for each entity in the identified set. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the keywords are associated with a defined set of terms which in turn are associated with one or more of the roles. The method of claim 1, further comprising further restricting the publication of the message to only those among the entities authorized to receive the message according to a separate access control list defined in the data sharing data processing system. supply chain information. The method of claim 1, wherein the keywords are extracted from the event by breaking the event down into lexical units and comparing each lexical unit with a repertoire of lexical units correlating multiple lexical units. among the lexical units with different corresponding keywords relating to the supply chain and synonyms of the correlated lexical units. 5. Supply chain data processing system configured for message routing, the system comprising: a host computer system comprising one or more computers, each having memory and at least one processor; a supply chain information sharing application running in the host computer system and recording a multiplicity of different actors in a supply chain and generating a knowledge graph in memory comprising different entities representative of corresponding actors among the actors of the supply chain linked by edges representative of the relationships between entities respectively linked among the entities, the knowledge graph further indicating a role for each of the actors; and, a message router coupled to the supply chain information sharing application, the router including program instructions which, during execution in the memory of the host computer system, perform the following steps: monitor, in an event log, the events published on it by the various actors of the knowledge graph; and, respond to a new event published in the event log: by extracting from the event, one or more keywords relating to the supply chain, by associating the keywords with one or more roles in the supply chain, by identifying a set of entities in the corresponding knowledge graph to said one or more roles, by formulating a message from the new event, and by publishing the message formulated for each entity in the identified set. The system of claim 5, wherein the keywords are associated with a defined set of terms which in turn are associated with one or more of the roles. 7. The system of claim 5, further comprising further restricting the publication of the message to only those among the entities authorized to receive the message according to a separate access control list defined in the data sharing data processing system. supply chain information. 8. The system of claim 5, wherein the keywords are extracted from the event by breaking down the event into lexical units and comparing each lexical unit with a repertoire of lexical units correlating multiple lexical units among the lexical units with different corresponding keywords relating to the supply chain and synonyms of the correlated lexical units. 9. A computer program product for routing supply chain messages, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embedded therein, the program instructions being executable by a device to bring the device for carrying out a process consisting in: record in a supply chain information sharing data processing system, a multiplicity of different actors in a supply chain; generate a knowledge graph in the memory of the system comprising different entities representative of corresponding actors among the actors of the supply chain linked by edges representative of the relationships between entities respectively connected among the entities, the knowledge graph further indicating a role for each of the actors; monitor, in an event log, the events published on it by the various actors of the knowledge graph; and, respond to a new event published in the event log: by extracting from the event, one or more keywords relating to the supply chain, by associating the keywords with one or more roles in the supply chain, by identifying a set of entities in the corresponding knowledge graph to said one or more roles, by formulating a message from the new event, and by publishing the message formulated for each entity in the identified set. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the keywords are associated with a defined set of terms which in turn are associated with one or more of the roles. 11. A computer program product according to claim 9, further comprising further restricting the publication of the message to only those among the entities authorized to receive the message according to a separate access control list defined in the sharing data processing system. supply chain information. 12. A computer program product according to claim 9, in which the words- 5 keys are extracted from the event by decomposing the event into lexical units and comparing each lexical unit with a repertoire of lexical units correlating multiple lexical units among the lexical units with different corresponding keywords relating to the chain logistics and synonyms of correlated lexical units.