Supply chain architecture

Abstract

A supply chain network where customers, suppliers, logistics providers, carriers, and financial institutions are all connected to a centralized supply chain server. The server receives forecasts from the customers detailing the orders that the customers desire. These forecasts are analyzed by the supply chain server to ensure that they conform to contractual agreements and do not contain errors. The forecasts are also used to warn the suppliers of future demands so that the suppliers can anticipate demands and plan inventory accordingly. The supply chain server checks with the suppliers to determine whether the forecasts can fulfilled by the suppliers. If the forecasts cannot be fulfilled by the suppliers, the supply chain server contacts customers and suppliers and attempts to either redistribute the customers' demands to different suppliers or request that customers alter their demands. Once supplier demand issues are resolved, the forecasts are sent to the suppliers in groups so that the suppliers need to prepare a smaller number of large orders. The supply chain server also controls the processes involved in distributing the product from the suppliers to the customers including the generation and payment of invoices. A form of financing the customers' purchases, made possible by the novel supply chain architecture, is also disclosed.

1 . A method for processing customer demands received in a supply chain network, the method comprising: 
 electronically receiving forecasted demands from a plurality of customers by a supply chain server;    electronically aggregating the forecasted demands into an aggregated forecast; and    sending the aggregated forecast from the supply chain server to at least one supplier.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising modifying the aggregated forecast to take into account at least one of a previous shortfall in capacity from at least one supplier and a product return, wherein the step of sending comprises electronically sending the modified aggregated forecast from the supply chain server to at least one supplier.  
     
     
         3 . A system for processing customer demands received in a supply chain network, the supply chain network including a supply chain server coupled to at least one customer and at least one supplier, the supply chain server including a messaging services system and an ERP system; wherein: 
 the messaging system receives forecasted demands from a plurality of the customers;    the ERP system aggregates the forecasted demands into an aggregated forecast; and    the messaging system sends the aggregated forecast to at least one supplier.    
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the ERP system modifies the aggregated forecast to take into account at least one of a previous shortfall in capacity from at least one supplier and a product return, and wherein the messaging system sends the modified aggregated forecast to at least one supplier.