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US 7,406,358 B2Granted
Kanban control cycle system
AssigneeSap SE
InventorMartin Preiss
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Modeling a process chain includes mapping processes in the process chain to control cycles, defining states for the control cycles, and defining couplings between states in different control cycles such that a state change in one control cycle causes a state change in another control cycle. The control cycles may be Kanban control cycles.
Claims21
A method of modelling a process chain, comprising:
- mapping processes in the process chain to control cycles;
- designating a control cycle in the process chain to be a leading control cycle;
- designating a control cycle in the process chain to be a dependent control cycle;
- defining states for the leading control cycle using a first matrix that defines starting and ending states in the leading control cycle;
- defining states for the dependent control cycle using a second matrix that defines starting and ending states in the dependent control cycle;
- and
- defining couplings between states in the leading control cycle and the dependent control cycle to produce a model of the process chain, at least one of the couplings causing a state change in the leading control cycle to affect a state change in the dependent control cycle;
- wherein the couplings are defined using a third matrix that relates the first matrix to the second matrix;
- wherein the at least one of the couplings comprises a one-directional coupling in which the state change in the leading control cycle affects the state change in the dependent control cycle;
- wherein at least one of the couplings comprises a bi-directional coupling in which a state change in the leading control cycle or in the dependent control cycle affects, respectively, a state change in the dependent control cycle or the leading control cycle;
- and
- wherein the third matrix identifies at least some of the couplings as either one-directional or bi-directional.
9 more elements
A computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product comprising instructions for use in modelling a process chain, the instructions for causing at least one machine to:
- map processes in the process chain to control cycles;
- designate a control cycle in the process chain to be a leading control cycle;
- designate a control cycle in the process chain to be a dependent control cycle;
- define states for the leading control cycle using a first matrix that defines starting and ending states in the leading control cycle;
- define states for the dependent control cycle using a second matrix that defines starting and ending states in the dependent control cycle;
- and
- define couplings between states in the leading control cycle and the dependent control cycle to produce a model of the process chain, at least one of the couplings causing a state change in the leading control cycle to affect a state change in the dependent control cycle;
- wherein the couplings are defined using a third matrix that relates the first matrix to the second matrix;
- wherein the at least one of the couplings comprises a one-directional coupling in which the state change in the leading control cycle affects the state change in the dependent control cycle;
- wherein at least one of the couplings comprises a bi-directional coupling in which a state change in the leading control cycle or in the dependent control cycle affects, respectively, a state change in the dependent control cycle or the leading control cycle;
- and
- wherein the third matrix identifies at least some of the couplings as either one-directional or bi-directional.
9 more elements
A system for modelling a process chain, comprising:
- means for mapping processes in the process chain to control cycles;
- means for designating a control cycle in the process chain to be a leading control cycle;
- means for designating a control cycle in the process chain to be a dependent control cycle;
- means for defining states for the leading control cycle using a first matrix that defines starting and ending states in the leading control cycle;
- means for defining states for the dependent control cycle using a second matrix that defines starting and ending states in the dependent control cycle;
- and
- means for defining couplings between states in the leading control cycle and the dependent control cycle to produce a model of the process chain, at least one of the couplings causing a state change in the leading control cycle to affect a state change in the dependent control cycle;
- wherein the couplings are defined using a third matrix that relates the first matrix to the second matrix;
- wherein the at least one of the couplings comprises a one-directional coupling in which the state change in the leading control cycle affects the state change in the dependent control cycle;
- wherein at least one of the couplings comprises a bi-directional coupling in which a state change in the leading control cycle or in the dependent control cycle affects, respectively, a state change in the dependent control cycle or the leading control cycle;
- and
- wherein the third matrix identifies at least some of the couplings as either one-directional or bi-directional.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.