Equipment supply method

A method of equipment supply to a user, the method comprising:

• (i) obtaining predicted user demand over a given time period for equipment usage;
• (ii) calculating the number of equipment units which are required for supply to the user when working within an optimum reliability band for those equipment units, to meet the predicted user demand over the given time period;
• (iii) adding a number of extra equipment units to the number calculated in step (ii);
• (iv) authorizing supply of the equipment units to the user;
• (v) monitoring actual equipment usage over the given time period;
• and
• (vi) if actual user demand deviates from predicted user demand during said time period, modifying the number of equipment units supplied to the user accordingly at the next convenient opportunity.

A program product for a method of equipment supply to a user, comprising machine readable program code to cause a machine to perform the following method steps:

• (i) obtaining a predicted user demand over a given time period for equipment usage;
• (ii) applying an oversupply function to the predicted user demand over the given time period to provide a safety factored predicted demand function;
• (iii) calculating the number of equipment units which are required for supply to the user to meet the safety factored predicted demand over the given time period;
• (iv) authorizing supply of the equipment units to the user;
• (v) monitoring actual equipment usage over the given time period;
• and
• (vi) if actual user demand deviates from predicted user demand during said time period modifying the number of equipment units supplied to the user accordingly at the next convenient opportunity.

A program product for a method of equipment supply to a user, comprising machine readable program code for causing a machine to perform the following method steps:

• (i) obtaining predicted user demand over a given time period for equipment usage;
• (ii) calculating the number of equipment units which are required for supply to the user when working within an optimum reliability band for those equipment units, to meet the predicted user demand over the given time period;
• (iii) adding a number of extra equipment units to the number calculated in step (ii);
• (iv) authorizing supply of the equipment units to the user;
• (v) monitoring actual equipment usage over the given time period;
• and
• (vi) if actual user demand deviates from predicted user demand during said time period, modifying the number of equipment units supplied to the user accordingly at the next convenient opportunity.

A system for equipment supply to a user, comprising:

• (i) a component for obtaining a predicted user demand over a given time period for equipment usage;
• (ii) a component for applying an oversupply function to the predicted user demand over the given time period to provide a safety factored predicted demand function;
• (iii) a component for calculating the number of equipment units which are required for supply to the user to meet the safety factored predicted demand over the given time period;
• (iv) a component for authorizing the supply of the equipment units to the user;
• (v) a component for monitoring actual equipment usage over the given time period;
• and
• (vi) a component for, if actual user demand deviates from predicted user demand during said time period modifying the number of equipment units supplied to the user accordingly at the next convenient opportunity.

A system for equipment supply to a user, comprising:

• (i) a component for obtaining predicted user demand over a given time period for equipment usage;
• (ii) a component for calculating the number of equipment units which are required for supply to the user when working within an optimum reliability band for those equipment units, to meet the predicted user demand over the given time period;
• (iii) a component for adding a number of extra equipment units to the number calculated in step (ii);
• (iv) a component for authorizing supply of the equipment units to the user;
• (v) a component for monitoring actual equipment usage over the given time period;
• and
• (vi) a component for, if actual user demand deviates from predicted user demand during said time period, modifying the number of equipment units supplied to the user accordingly at the next convenient opportunity.