Distributing consumer demand upstream in a supply chain
US8380568B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 26, 2003 |
| Grant date | Feb 19, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 2, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06Q30/0235
- WIPO fieldIT methods for management
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for distributing consumer demand upstream in a supply chain includes receiving, at a current time, an indication of consumer demand for a product that a consumer may be willing to receive at a future date rather than the current date in exchange for an incentive. The method also includes determining a particular incentive based on an order lead time for the product and conveying the particular incentive to allow the consumer to choose whether to receive the product at the particular future date rather than the current date in exchange for the particular incentive. If the consumer chooses to receive the product at the particular future date rather than the current date in exchange for the particular incentive, an order for the product is communicated to the upstream supply chain entity to allow the consumer to receive the product at the particular future date from current inventory of the upstream supply chain entity rather than from current inventory of the downstream supply chain entity in exchange for the particular incentive.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.