Inventory control system and method

A computer readable storage device storing instructions that are executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform inventory control operations comprising:

• generating, based on historical demand data, an initial demand matrix including a plurality of demand value cells, each demand value cell storing a demand value indicating demand, during a respective time period, for a respective inventory item of a plurality of inventory items;
• generating, based on the historical demand data, a plurality of synthetic demand matrices, each synthetic demand matrix of the plurality of synthetic demand matrices including a plurality of synthetic demand values arranged in synthetic demand value cells, each synthetic demand value determined by using a randomization process to assign a demand value for a particular inventory item and for a first historical period as a synthetic demand value for the particular inventory item and for a second historical period;
• identifying sparse demand vectors for the synthetic demand matrices, each sparse demand vector including values indicating synthetic demand that satisfies a sparse demand criteria of inventory control parameters;
• modifying the synthetic demand matrices based on sparse demand vectors to generate a plurality of filtered synthetic demand matrices;
• generating estimated demand for a target period for each inventory item of the plurality of inventory items, the estimated demand generated based on the filtered synthetic demand matrices and the initial demand matrix;
• performing a comparison of the estimated demand and inventory data to determine whether one or more inventory items should be acquired;
• and
• responsive to determining that one or more inventory items should be acquired, generating and sending a demand signal to cause the one or more inventory items to be acquired.

A computer-implemented method of inventory control, the method comprising:

• generating, by a processor based on historical demand data, an initial demand matrix including a plurality of demand value cells, each demand value cell storing a demand value indicating demand, during a respective time period, for a respective inventory item of a plurality of inventory items;
• generating, by the processor based on the historical demand data, a plurality of synthetic demand matrices, each synthetic demand matrix of the plurality of synthetic demand matrices including a plurality of synthetic demand values arranged in synthetic demand value cells, each synthetic demand value determined by using a randomization process to assign a demand value for a particular inventory item and for a first historical period as a synthetic demand value for the particular inventory item and for a second historical period;
• identifying sparse demand vectors for the synthetic demand matrices, each sparse demand vector including values indicating synthetic demand that satisfies a sparse demand criteria of inventory control parameters;
• modifying the synthetic demand matrices based on sparse demand vectors to generate a plurality of filtered synthetic demand matrices;
• generating, by the processor, estimated demand for a target period for each inventory item of the plurality of inventory items, the estimated demand generated based on the filtered synthetic demand matrices and the initial demand matrix;
• performing, by the processor, a comparison of the estimated demand and inventory data to determine whether one or more inventory items should be acquired;
• and
• responsive to determining that one or more inventory items should be acquired, generating and sending, by the processor, a demand signal to cause the one or more inventory items to be acquired.