MXPA01001634A - System and method for visually representing a supply chain - Google Patents

Abstract

A computer-related system for visually representing a supply chain includes a supply chain physical window (12). The supply chain physical window (12) displays a plurality of supply chain entities (24), at least one supply chain bar (28) adjacent a corresponding supply chain entity (24), and at least one connector (26) between two of the supply chain entities (24). The supply chain bar (28) provides data related to the adjacent supply chain entity (24), and the connector (26) represents product flow between the two supply chain entities (24).

Description

- * SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VISUALLY REPRESENTING A SUPPLY CHAIN TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to the field of supply chain administration and more particularly to a system and method for visually representing a supply chain. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Programming and planning systems implemented by computer are widely used for factory, company and supply chain planning functions. In general, such systems can model manufacturing and other environments and provide plans or programs to produce items to meet consumer demand within the constraints of the environment. A chain of Supply can be defined as a collection of suppliers, factories, distribution centers, and customers of a company or set of companies that take products from production to market.

SYNTHESIS OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, a system and method for visually representing a supply chain reduces or eliminates the problems associated with the supply chains.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a computer-related system for visually representing a supply chain includes a physical supply chain window. The physical supply chain window exhibits a plurality of supply chain entities, at least one supply chain bar adjacent to a corresponding supply chain entity, and at least one connector between the two supply chain entities . The supply chain bar provides data related to the adjacent supply chain entities, and the connector represents a product flow between the two supply chain entities.

The system and method of the present invention provide a number of important technical advantages. The present invention provides a visual representation that is updated when the supply chain plan is changed through a manual or automated reprogramming or reprogramming. In addition, within the visual representation, a user can call an underlying planning or programming engine to solve a problem or to manipulate the plan manually. In addition, the graphic windows are coordinated to respond to orders generated using other windows.

In addition, a physical supply chain window can display a complete supply chain and display data about the supply chain in either two-dimensional or three-dimensional. The physical window includes supply chain entities and supply chain connectors that provide data related to the flow of product between entities. Supply chain bars provide data associated with connectors and supply chain entities. The physical window can provide geographic, logical or combined views of the supply chain and is navigable to allow a user to see several views and depths in detail. The physical window can animate the supply chain over time using the bar data, it can show how a product moves through the supply chain by highlighting the entities, connectors or bars of the supply chain that affect the supply chain. product, and can display windows that skip and display data associated with supply chain entities, with connectors or bars.

With these advances, a programmer or planner of ^ g ^^^ J ^^^^^^^ - ^. ^ Jtt ~ - ~ -. - ~ * ¿Supply chain can more effectively understand the dynamic problems and operating issues associated with the supply chain through a complete visualization, and can better solve and optimize the best plan or program. The additional technical advantages will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To provide a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the additional features and advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary visual representation of a supply chain in a geographical mode according to the present invention.

Figure 2 illustrates an exemplary visual representation of a supply chain in a logical mode according to the present invention; Y Figure 3 illustrates an exemplary visual representation of a supply chain demonstrating a window that jumps according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary visual representation 10 of a supply chain. The visual representation 10 may include, without limitation and in any suitable combination a physical supply chain window 12, a supply chain formation overview window 14, a supply chain information detail window 16, a legend 18, and a top view window 20. The content information of the visual representation 10 is generated according to the data associated with a plan or program for the supply chain. In a particular addition, the RITMO family of products available from i2 TECHNOLOGIES generates the information according to a plan or program for the chain of supply. As described below, the visual representation 10 provides a coordinated display of the supply chain using the physical window 12, the information supply window 14 and the information detail window 16.

The visual representation 10 can be presented using a computer, a work station, a personal digital assistant or any other processing or communication device that generates a visual output using an associated output device. A user can interact with the visual representation 10 by manipulating a keyboard, a mouse, a digital screen, a device for recognizing _ ^ = gg¡g ^^ S ^^ ______ ^^ _ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^^^^ ^ ^^ _____- ^ _______________________________________ ^^^^^^^^ g ^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ - ^^^^^^^^^ voice, or any other appropriate input device or user interconnection. The visual representation 10 appears on an output device within at least one application window 13. The application window 13 may include a menu bar 15 for displaying commands that can be used to manipulate the visual representation 10.

In a particular embodiment, a user may select a problem view, an operational view, or a gain view of the visual representation 10. The problem view provides data relating to the problems in the supply chain plan or program; the operational view provides data related to inventory, capacity, and transportation resources; and the gain window provides data related to profit and expenses through the supply chain. Within each view, a user can also select a subview. For example, the problem view may include subviews to display problems in different units or according to different problem characteristics, such as a number of subview problems, a severity of subview problems and a cost of subview problems. As indicated by the arrows 11, the visual representation 10 in the illustrated embodiment is a supply chain problems subview number. Even though the visual representation 10 is predominantly described in relation to the number of illustrated subview problems, the visual representation 10 may display the information, relative to a supply chain in the operational view, the gain view or any other suitable view without disclosing it. of the scope of the present invention.

The physical supply chain window 12 exhibits a physical representation 22 of the supply chain, including the supply chain entities 24 and the connectors 26. The supply chain entities 24 can be suppliers, factories, distribution centers, customers , or any other entity that affects the flow of a product within a supply chain. The supply chain physical window 12 may represent the supply chain entities 24 using one or more icons. In the illustrated embodiment, the physical window 12 displays factories 24a, distribution centers 24b and customers 24c using different icons for each type of supply chain entity 24. Legend 18 relates one or more icons to the different types of entities. supply chain entities 24. As indicated by legend 10 for an example physical representation 22 of Figure 1, which does not include provider entities 24, not every supply chain or supply chain 10 visual representation includes all the types of entities available 24.

In a geographic mode, the physical window 12 displays the supply chain entities 24 using an input map 32 of an appropriate geographic area. The physical window 12 displays the supply chain entities 4 according to their geographical locations on an entry map 32. The entry map 32 may include cities, states, countries, or any other suitable geographical features. In the illustrated embodiment, the entry map 32 is the contiguous United States.

The physical window 12 exhibits one or more supply chain bars 28 adjacent to the corresponding supply chain entities 24. The supply chain bars 28 provide data relative to the adjacent entities 24. The physical window 12 can adjust the height of the the bars 28 according to the data relating to the adjacent entities 24. For example, in the illustrated embodiment ", the physical window 12 exhibits the bars 28 with the heights determined according to a number of problems associated with the adjacent entities 24. In the alternate embodiments, the bars 28 may have the heights determined according to the data related to the gains, the operation or any other suitable characteristic associated with the supply chain. In a particular embodiment, a user may manipulate a scale input to control the height of the bars 28. The user may increase the scale, decrease the scale, return the scale to a fault location original, or manipulate the scale in any other appropriate way. Even though the bars 28 appear as rectangular projections in the illustrated embodiment, the present invention contemplates that the bars 28 may appear as profiles, figures, contours, shapes, or any other suitable projections or extensions according to the particular needs.

In addition to adjusting the heights of the bars 28, the physical window 12 can change one or more other characteristics of the supply chain bars 28 in response to the data in relation to the adjacent entities 24 that exhibit a threshold. For example, in the illustrated embodiment where the supply chain bars 28 exhibit a number of problems associated with the adjacent entities 24, the physical window 12 can change the color or brightness of the bars 28 in response to the number of problems associated with Adjacent entities 24 that exceed a threshold of a number of problems. The physical window 12 can simultaneously use different characteristics of the bars 28 to communicate different types of information. For example, in a particular embodiment, the color of the bar 28 can be related to a number of problems associated with the adjacent entity 24, and a brightness of the color can be related to the severity of the problems associated with the adjacent entity 24.

The connectors Z6 appear between two duly related supply chain entities 24, which represent the product flow between the two supply chain entities 24. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the connector 26a between the factory 24a and the center of distribution 24b represents the flow of one or more products manufactured in factory 24a for distribution center 24b. Similarly, the connector 26b between the distribution center 24b and the customer 24c represents the flow of one or more products stored in the distribution center 24b for the customer 24c. In a particular embodiment, the connectors 26 represent the transportation sources causing one or more products to flow between the two supply chain entities 24. The connector 26 may appear as a narrow line or as any other suitable graphical representation for associating two entities of supply chain 24.

In a particular embodiment, the physical window 12 may display the supply chain bars 28 associated with the connectors 26 to provide the data relating to the product flow represented by the connectors 26. For example, in a particular embodiment, a chain bar supply 28 (not explicitly shown) associated with connector 26b may represent a quantity of truck resources needed to accommodate scheduled shipments between distribution center 24b and customer 24c. The physical window _É ___ í ___ a_É_? Ii¡_ ^ 12 can display the bars 28 associated with the connectors 26 in a variety of form In a particular embodiment, the physical window 12 exhibits the bars 28 as graphic bars adjacent to the connectors 26 as described above in conjunction with the supply chain entities 24. In another embodiment, the physical window 12 exhibits the bars 28 associated with the connectors 26 as raised lines with determined heights according to the data related to the product flow. For purposes of visual clarity, the physical window 12 may be raised only by a specified segment of the line for the connector 26. In yet another embodiment, the physical window 12 may exhibit the bars 28 associated with the connectors 26 as the cylinders with diameters determined according to the data related to the product flow.

In response to the input of a user, the physical window 12 can quickly move to display a portion of the physical representation 22 to indicate the supply chain entities 24, the connectors 26 or the bars 28 in greater detail. In a particular embodiment, as a result of the operation of moving quickly to the approach, the physical window of the supply chain 12 adds numerical data to the physical representation 22 and divides at least one of the supply chain bars 28 into bars multiples 28. For example, in the illustrated embodiment where the bars 28 show a number of problems associated with the adjacent entity 24, the physical window 12 can divide the bars 28 into bars from side to side multiple 28 shown separately several problem categories , such as inventory problems (for example, unprocessed items in an assembly plant can be delivered too late to fulfill an order on time), capacity problems (for example, machine overuse) and transportation problems ( for example, there are no trucks available to move the items at the required time). In a particular embodiment, each side-by-side bar 28 that shows a problem category can again be divided into multiple bars 28 showing more detailed types of problems. For example, in such incorporation, inventory problems may include supply depletions, security supply violations, max exceeded, replenishment policy violation, and other inventory problems; capacity problems may include overloaded resource, underloaded resource, scheduled overtime, and other capacity problems; and transportation problems may include unconsolidated distribution lines, unconsolidated delivery lines, uncoordinated shipments, oversize consolidation, undersize consolidation, and other transport problems.

In addition, a user can quickly move to show up in one of the supply entities 24 to see a detailed three-dimensional rendering to the selected supply entity 24. For example, if the supply entity 24 is a factory, the user You can drill to see a detailed three-dimensional showing your product lines, or if the supply entity 24 is a distribution center, the user can see the product flow components. The physical window 12 can also quickly move to closely display a part of the physical representation 22 to show less detail. In a particular embodiment, as a result of an operation of rapidly moving to close display, the physical window 12 can remove the non-numeric data from the physical representation 22 and consolidate the side-by-side multiple bars 28 into the string bars of aggregate supply 28 according to the level at which the physical representation 22 is taken as a result of the withdrawal operation.

The physical window 12 modifies the display of the entities 24, of the connectors 26 and of the bars 28 according to several filtering commands. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the physical window 12 may restrict the supply chain bars 28 to a combination of inventory, capacity, transport, or customer service problems (not explicitly shown). Within these broad categories of problems, the physical window 12 can also filter the data for the display, as merely examples, of only the inventory problems for specific items or only of the capacity problems for specific types of machines.

In addition, the physical window of the supply chain 12 can filter any set of entities 24, connectors 26 or bars 28 that exceeds, or can not satisfy specified tolerances. The physical window 12 may also exhibit how a product moves through the supply chain by highlighting only the entities 24, the connectors 26 or the bars 28 associated with the product or with a problem relating to the product.

In addition to the problem view of the illustrated embodiment, the physical window 12 can use the supply chain bars 28 to display the information relative to other views of a supply chain. For example, in the operational view, the supply chain bars 28 may exhibit levels of capacity use or inventory levels. For capacity usage levels, the bars 28 can be double-colored to show the available capacity and capacity used. In addition, the physical window 12 can use the positive bars 28 above the plane of the map 32 and the negative bars 28 under the map plane 32 to show, for example, the percentages of underuse or the percentages of overuse, respectively. The bars 28 can also show the data of the average long-term utilization, of the long-term demanded utilization, of the target utilization levels, or from other uses. For gain views, the bars 28 can show the ^^^^^^^ - ^ ^ _ ^ ^ ----_--- ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^^^^ _ ^^^ _ ^^^ ^ ^^^ ß ^^^^^ ^^^^ utilization of budgets, target income against real, running costs, scraping costs, quality ratings, customer satisfaction research results, or any other measure or cost estimate or of the profit.

The supply chain data supply window 14 exhibits a number of data relative to the supply chain represented by supply chain entities 24 and connectors 26. To enable a user to better understand and remedy the problems in the supply chain, the data summary window 14 displays data relating to the supply chain over a specified period of time. In a particular embodiment, the data summary window 14 presents one or more schemas 38 that display the data relating to all the entities 24 and the connectors 26. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the schemes 38 exhibit the total number of inventory problems, capacity problems, and transportation problems in the supply chain per month over one year. Even though in the illustrated schemes 38 data are displayed according to the months, graphs 38 can be divided into years, months, weeks, days, or any other suitable time unit 40.

The data summary window 14 also includes a timeline 42 that allows users to select 1% 6 'a specific period of time to display the dasfeos. In the illustrated embodiment, timeline 14 is a row of boxes corresponding to various periods of time. In response to a user selecting a time period from timeline 14, the supply cady ??a bars 28 in a physical window 12 display the data for the selected period of time. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, if a user selects a particular month from timeline 14, bars 28 adjacent to entities 26 and connectors 26 may exhibit a total number of problems for the selected month and, if the window physical 12 is approached at entities 24 and at connectors 26, bars 28 may show a number of inventory problems, capacity problems, transportation problems and customer service problems for the selected month. This filtering of data for a period of time gives a user a powerful mechanism to visualize the plan or schedule the supply chain over time. A user can point or otherwise select several months to see which physical locations have more problems and when those problems occur. For example, a user can see that a significant part of the capacity and supply chain problems in June are due to the capacity problems of a factory in May and June. By oppressing in April and other preceding months, the user may discover by additional investigation that specific suppliers with shortage of inventory contributed to the job clogging ^ j ^^^ H ^^ áfc? .- '"***" * ". -.? * fn: that arrived at the factory in May and June, the ability to navigate the supply chain to understand and resolve the Planning problems provides significant advantages to users.

The visual representation 10 can also present an animated supply chain by displaying the information for a period of time and, after a short amount of time, automatically displaying data for a subsequent chronological time period. This animation allows a user to visualize changes in the supply chain over time. The periods of time can be years, months, weeks, days or any other appropriate period of time. In a particular embodiment, a user can control the speed of the animation by changing the amount of time between changes in the display. This animation provides a major advantage for understanding the flow of materials within a supply chain and the effect of particular supply chain plans and programs. Using such an animation, a user can see surface problems and disappear over time and over different parts of the supply chain. In addition, a user can re-run an animation several times to build an understanding of the operation of the supply chain over time.

The details window of the supply chain 16 displays data relating to one or more supply chain entities 24 or connectors 26 selected by ffroto: suario. In a part incorporation, a user selects the entity 24 using a pointing device in a physical window 12. In response to selecting the entity 24, the information detail window 16 displays the *** - data relating to the selected entity 24. In the illustrated embodiment, because the visual representation 10 is in a problem view, the information detail window 16 exhibits several problem categories associated with the selected entity 24. The problem categories may include capacity, inventory, transportation, customer service or any other problem category. Within each category, a user can select more detailed levels of information. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, if a user selects capacity problems, the information detail window 16 may exhibit different types of capacity problems, such as space problems, problems of resource over-utilization, problems of preventive maintenance to the delinquents, or any other problems of adequate capacity. Similarly, the data detail window 16 can provide different types of inventory problems, such as the shortage of items, and different types of transportation problems, such as shipments exceeding the size of the scheduled trucks, unscheduled shipments. , and shipments using non-preferred modes of transport. Under each type of problem, the information detail window 16 can provide the specific background of the problems. For example, under an overuse of resources, the data detail window 16 may list a problem in a pressing machine at the beginning of June or two problems in a bending machine near the end of June. Although the summary window 14 adds information to simplify the complexity of the supply chain, the information detail window 16 provides a way for a user to explore further in the supply chain to discover the specific data for the entities 24 and for connectors 26.

The visual representation 10 can be integrated with an underlying planning or a programming engine (such as a RITMO programming engine available from i2).

TECHNOLOGIES) to provide a highly effective planning method. When a user searches more for detailed data, such as individual problems, the user can make calls to an underlying scheduler or planner. For example, after discovering a specific problem in the details window of data 16, the user can order a planning or programming engine to modify a plan or program to solve the problem. The user can examine the operations that contribute to the problem (for example, the scheduled work to an overused resource) and reprogram operations manually to eliminate or redthe severity of the problem After each call, the visual representation 10 can update all the displays, including the phasic window 12, the data summary window 14, and the data details window 16; to give the user a fresh view of the planned supply chain. The coordination of the data shown by the windows 12, 14 and 16 junt * yes with the external calls to the underlying planning or programming engine provide a significant advance in the technology of supply chain planning for the user. Even when the illustrated incorporation of the visual representation 10 includes the window physical 12, the data summary window 14, and the data detail window 16, the present invention contemplates that the visual representation 10 may include the physical window 12, either alone or in combination with one or both of the window of summary 14 and of the data detail window 16 according to the particular needs.

Figure 2 illustrates an example visual representation 22 of the supply chain in logical mode. The physical window 12 and the top view window 20 exhibit the supply chain entities 24 and the supply chain connectors 26 using a different visual organization structure than that shown in the geographic mode of Figure 1. Neither the physical window 12 nor the top view window 20 include the map of entry 32 of a geographical region. Plus Well, the physical window and the top view window 20 display the supply chain entities 24 according to the logical flow of products within the supply chain. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, factories 24a, distribution centers 24b, and customers 24c are generally arranged from left to right according to the flow of products within the supply chain.

Although a geographical and logical mode are described in detail, the physical window 12 may display the supply chain entities 24, the connectors 26 and the bars 28 in a variety of ways without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in an alternate embodiment, the physical window 12 may combine the geographical and logical modes to proda combined mode. In the combined mode, the physical window 12 exhibits two or more input maps 32 of a geographical region, and each supply chain entity 24 appears in at least one of the 32 input maps according to the product flow within Supply Chain. In a particular embodiment, the physical window 12 stacks the input maps 32 generally vertically on top of each of the other planes and places a different type of supply entity 24 on each map 32. For example, the factories 24a may appear above the top of the map 32, the distribution centers 24b may appear on the average map 32 and the clients 24c may appear on the lower map 32. The connectors between the maps 32 represent product flows between the chain entities 24 supply on the different maps 32. In such embodiment, the connectors 32 may change colors according to the orientation of the maps 32 so as to interfere less with other geographical displays such as the supply chain bars 28. Using a combined JEfao, A user could better understand the geographical flow and logic of the supply chain.

Figure 3 illustrates a visual representation of example 10 of a supply chain demonstrating a window that appears 30. The display 10 displays a window that appears in response to a user selecting one of the entities 24, the connectors 26 or the bars 28 within the physical window 12. The window that appears 30 shows data associated with the selected entity 24, the connector 26 or the bar 28. In a particular embodiment, a user selects an entity 24, the connector 26 or the bar 28 using a pointing device, such as a mouse, even when any device Appropriate entrance can be used. In the illustrated embodiment, a window that appears 30 exhibits data associated with a distribution center. According to the window that appears 30, the selected distribution center has a total of two problems both inventory problems.

In accordance with the present invention, the visual representation can be manipulated in any of the ÜMMMÜÜ Étti ^^ Ss 3Aáfc > ^ £ a3fE = .. and | &? G ^ í forms used to manipulate the standard three-dimensional graphs. For example, the visual representation 10 may be rotated along any of three axes, or a user may rearrange the physical representation 22 using an input device, such as a mouse, to reveal the hidden or obscured data. In addition, supply chain entities 24, connectors 26 and bars 28 can be displayed in two or three dimensions.

Although the present invention has been described with various modalities, a person skilled in the art will be able to make various alterations, modifications and additions without departing from the spirit and scope of the presented invention as defined in the appended claims. fifteen ^ ^ ^ ^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Claims (46)

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N S

1. A computer-related system to visually represent a supply chain, comprising a physical supply chain window operable to display: a plurality of supply chain entities; at least one supply chain bar adjacent to a corresponding supply chain entity and providing data relative to the adjacent supply chain entity; Y At least one connector between two of the supply chain entities, the connector represents a product flow between the two supply chain entities.

2. The system as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that at least one of the entities of the supply chain is selected from the group consisting of: a provider; a factory; a distribution center; Y a client.

3. The system as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the physical supply chain window is operable to display the supply chain entities in a logical structure according to the product flow within the supply chain.

4. The system as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the physical supply chain window is operable to display the supply chain entities in a geographic structure according to an input map of a geographical area.

5. The system as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the physical supply chain window is also operable to display the supply chain entities in a combined logical and geographical structure according to the product flow among the plurality of maps of entry of a geographical area.

The system as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the physical window of the supply chain is also operable to display numerical data in relation to the supply chain entity in response to a pointing device that moves over the entity of the supply chain; Y the physical window of the supply chain is further operable to display numerical data relative to the product flow between the two supply chain entities in response to the pointing device moving over a connector between the two supply chain entities.

7. The system as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the physical supply chain window is further operable to exhibit a three-dimensional rendering of a supply chain entity in response to user input, the rendering providing an operation of the supply chain entity that affects the supply chain.

8. The system as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the physical supply chain window is also operable to exhibit the movement of a product through the supply chain by highlighting one or more supply chain entities with operations that affect the product. g ^ ^ &já JIg? Éía ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ t = í ^ jj ^^ j ^^^^^ stó ^^

9. The system as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the physical window of the supply chain is also operable to change a characteristic of the chain of surny »ister in response to the data that exceed a threshold, the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: a colour; Y a brilliance

10. The system as claimed in clause 1, further characterized by comprising a timeline that includes a plurality of time periods, wherein the physical supply chain window is further operable to exhibit a supply chain bar that provides data relating to a corresponding supply chain entity for one of the time periods in response to a user selecting the time period of the timeline.

11. The system as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the physical window of the supply chain is further operable to display a supply chain bar that provides data relative to a corresponding supply chain entity for a period of time and, for a relatively short amount of time for AïsíilíM ¡nn ^^^ ^ * ^ 3 ^^^^^^^ £ automatically display a supply chain bar that provides data relative to the entity of the supply chain for a following chronological time period.

12. The system 'as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the physical window of the supply chain is also operable to break the supply chain bar into multiple bars and to add multiple bars to the supply chain bar, at least some of the multiple bars provide data relating to inventory problems, capacity problems and transportation problems associated with the adjacent supply chain entity.

13. The system as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the supply chain bar provides data relating to the problems associated with the adjacent supply chain entity.

14. The system as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the physical supply chain window is further operable to display a supply chain bar adjacent to the connector and provide data relative to the product flow represented by the connector.

15. The system as claimed in clause 14, characterized in that the physical supply chain window exhibits the supply chain bar adjacent to the connector using a highlighted line having a height in accordance with the data relating to the product flow.

16. The system as claimed in clause 14, characterized in that the physical supply chain window exhibits the supply chain bar adjacent to the connector using a cylinder having a diameter according to the data relating to the product flow.

17. The system as claimed in clause 14, characterized in that the supply chain bar adjacent to the connector provides data relative to the transportation resources.

18. The system as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the physical supply chain window is further operable to automatically update one or more displays in response to a user who reschedules the operations in a supply chain entity.

19. The system as claimed in clause 1, further characterized by comprising a supply chain data summary window operable to display one or more graphs according to a view selected by a ^^^^^^^^^^^^ fe ^^^ - ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^ g user, the selected view of the group consists of: a sight an operational view; Y a gain view

20. The system as claimed in clause 19, characterized in that the physical window of the supply chain and the summary window of supply chain data are coordinated so that the command is operable to automatically modify both the physical window of Supply chain and supply chain data summary window.

21. The system as claimed in clause 1, further characterized in that it comprises a data window of supply chain data operable to display data relating to a supply chain entity selected from the physical supply chain window.

22. The system as claimed in clause 21, characterized in that the physical supply chain window and the supply chain detail window are coordinated so that an order is operable to automatically modify both the physical supply chain window and the supply chain data details window.

23. The system as claimed in clause 1, further characterized in that it comprises a data window of supply chain data operable to display data relating to a selected connector of the physical window of the supply chain.

24. A method related to the computer to visually represent a supply chain, comprising: displaying a plurality of entities in the supply chain in a physical supply chain window; providing data relating to a supply chain entity by displaying at least one supply chain bar on one side of the supply chain entity; Y Represent the product flow between two of the supply chain entities by displaying at least one connector between the two supply chain entities.

25. The method as claimed in clause 24, characterizes it because at least one of the entities in the supply chain is selected from the group consisting of: a provider; a factory; a distribution center; and 10 a customer.

26. The method as claimed in clause 24, further characterized in that it comprises displaying the 15 supply chain entities in a logical structure according to the product flow within the supply chain.

27. The method as claimed in clause 24, further characterized in that it comprises displaying the 20 supply chain entities in a geographic structure according to an input map of a geographical area.

28. The method as claimed in clause 24, further characterized in that it comprises displaying the 25 supply chain entities in a logical and geographic structure combined according to a product flow between a

^^ BB ^^^ g ^^^^^^^^^^^^ gfeg ^ - ¿g ^ aái ------ ^^^^^^^^^^^ M ^^^ JSI- li --------- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ M ^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^ plurality of maps of a geographical area. clause 24, numeric in response to a pointing device that moves over the supply chain entity; Y displaying the numerical data in relation to a product flow between two supply chain entities in response to the pointing device moving over a connector between the two supply chain entities.

30. The method as claimed in clause 24, further characterized in that it comprises displaying a three-dimensional rendering of a supply chain entity in response to a user's input, the rendering showing an operation of the supply chain entity that affects that supply chain.

31. The method as claimed in clause 24, further characterized in that it comprises highlighting one or more supply chain entities with operations that affect a product to show the movement of the product through the supply chain.

32. The method as claimed in clause 24, further characterized by comprising changing a characteristic of the supply chain bar in response to data exceeding a threshold, the characteristic being 5 selected from the group that is: a colour; Y a brilliance

33. The method as claimed in clause 24, further characterized in that it comprises: exhibiting a timeline that includes a plurality of time periods; Y display a supply chain bar that provides data relative to a corresponding supply chain entity for one of the time periods in response 20 to a user by selecting the time period of the timeline.

34. The method as claimed in clause 24, further characterized in that it comprises: providing data relating to an entity of supply chain for a period of time to display a supply chain bar adjacent to the supply chain entity; Y provide data relating to the supply chain entity for a subsequent chronological time period by automatically modifying the supply chain bar after a relatively short amount of time.

35. The method as claimed in clause 24, further characterized by comprising: breaking the supply bar into multiple bars, at least some of the multiple bars provide data relating to inventory problems, capacity problems and transportation problems associated with the adjacent supply chain entity; Y add multiple bars to the supply chain bar.

36. The method as claimed in clause 24, characterized in that the supply chain bar provides data relating to the problems associated with the entity of the adjacent supply chain. «^^^^ ........... ^^^^^^^^^. ^^^^ j ^^^^^^^^^ g ^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^ M ^^^

37. The method as claimed in clause 24, further characterized in that it exhibits a supply chain bar adjacent to the connector to provide data relating to the product flow represented by the connector.

38. The method as claimed in clause 37, further characterized in that it comprises exhibiting the supply chain bar adjacent the connector using a highlighted line having a height in accordance with the data related to the product flow.

39. The method as claimed in clause 37, further characterized in that it comprises exhibiting the supply chain bar adjacent to the connector using a cylinder having a diameter according to the data related to the product flow.

40. The method as claimed in clause 37, characterized in that the supply chain bar adjacent to the connector provides data relative to the transportation resources.

41. The method as claimed in clause 24, further characterized in that it comprises automatically updating one or more displays in response to a user reprogramming the operations in a supply chain entity.

42. The method as claimed in clause 24, further characterized in that it comprises displaying one or more graphs in a supply chain summary window according to a view selected by a user, the selected view of a group consists of: a problem view; an operational view; Y a gain view,

43. The method as claimed in clause 42, further characterized by comprising coordinating the physical window of the supply chain and the supply chain data summary window so that a command is operable to automatically modify both the window supply chain physics and the supply chain data summary window.

44. The method as claimed in clause 24, further characterized in that it displays in a detail window supply chain data information relative to ^^? * ÁgM ^ ^ a supply chain entity selected from the physical supply chain window.

45. The method as claimed in clause 44, characterized adepts because it comprises coordinating the physical supply chain window and the supply chain data detail window so that a command is operable to automatically modify both the physical window Supply chain and supply chain data details window.

46. The method as claimed in clause 24, further characterized in that it comprises displaying a supply chain data detail window displaying data relating to a selected connector of the physical supply chain window. ^ 3 ^^ ¡¡^ ^ I - ^^^ ß ^^ -________ ^ i ^ ___ < ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ fc ^^^ _ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ A computer-related system to visually represent a supply chain that includes a 5 physical supply chain window. The physical supply chain window displays a plurality of supply chain entities, at least one supply chain bar adjacent to the corresponding supply chain entity, and at least one connector between two of the supply chain entities 10. The supply chain bar provides data relative to the adjacent supply chain entity, and the connector represents the product flow between the two supply chain entities. fifteen * - > * - > - - & • - £ &jk fejj £ g