Generating An Ordering Of Workflow Items Given A Partial Ordering And Extension Data

Abstract

A method of processing items associated with a workflow includes accessing information that specifies, for each item to be processed, each of one or more primary input items required under normal conditions to produce the item. The method also includes accessing information that specifies, for at least one primary input item, an alternative input item that may replace the primary input item under alternative conditions in producing the item to be processed. The items to be processed are ordered such that: (a) each item to be processed that has one or more primary input items is placed ahead of its primary input items; and (b) each primary input item that has one or more alternative input items is placed ahead of its alternative input items provided doing so is not inconsistent with the ordering according to condition (a) and is also not inconsistent with the ordering according to condition (b).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of processing items associated with a workflow, comprising:
 accessing by a computer, partial ordering data that specifies, for each item to be processed, one or more primary input items that is required under normal conditions to produce the item to be processed;   accessing by the computer, extension data comprising one or more alternative input items to replace the one or more primary input items when there is insufficient quantity of the one or more primary input items to meet a demand in producing the item to be processed, the extension data specifies one or more extensions to the partial ordering data;   generating by the computer, an ordering of the items to be processed such that:
 (a) each item to be processed that has one or more primary input items is placed ahead of its primary input items; and 
 (b) each primary input item that has one or more alternative input items is placed ahead of its alternative input items provided doing so is not inconsistent with the ordering of items ordered according to condition (a); and 
   processing by the computer, the ordered items according to the ordering.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein processing an ordered item comprises determining a workflow value for the item. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the items comprise tangible items associated with a manufacturing process, processing an ordered item comprises determining a demand value for the item, and processing an ordered items according to the ordering. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the extension data further specifies which input items are primary input items to the item they produce. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating by the computer, a first list for each item to be processed, the first list for each item comprising all items that are expected to be produced using each item, whether directly or indirectly, under normal conditions according to the partial ordering data; and   generating by the computer, a second list for each item to be processed, the second list for each item comprising all items to be produced using each item, whether directly or indirectly, when there is insufficient quantity of the one or more primary input items to meet the demand in producing the item to be processed according to the extension data.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 for each item to be processed, determining by the computer, the number of items contained in the corresponding first list;   for each item to be processed, determining by the computer, the number of items contained in the corresponding second list;   for each item to be processed, summing by the computer, the numbers of items contained in the corresponding first and second lists; and   in ordering the items, sorting by the computer, the items to be processed such that each item is placed ahead of any items having higher sums.   
     
     
         7 . A system of processing items associated with a workflow, the system comprising one or more computers each comprising a memory and a processor, the one or more computers is configured to:
 access partial ordering data that specifies, for each item to be processed, one or more primary input items that is required under normal conditions to produce the item to be processed;   access extension data comprising one or more alternative input items to replace the one or more primary input items when there is insufficient quantity of the one or more primary input items to meet a demand in producing the item to be processed, the extension data specifies one or more extensions to the partial ordering data;   generate an ordering of the items to be processed such that:
 (a) each item to be processed that has one or more primary input items is placed ahead of its primary input items; and 
 (b) each primary input item that has one or more alternative input items is placed ahead of its alternative input items provided doing so is not inconsistent with the ordering of items ordered according to condition (a); and 
   process the ordered items according to the ordering.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein processing an ordered item comprises determining a workflow value for the item. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the items comprise tangible items associated with a manufacturing process and processing an ordered item comprises determining a demand value for the item. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the extension data further specifies which input items are primary input items to the item they produce. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more computers is further configured to:
 generate a first list for each item to be processed, the first list for each item comprising all items that are expected to be produced using each item, whether directly or indirectly, under normal conditions according to the partial ordering data; and   generate a second list for each item to be processed, the second list for each item comprising all items that would be expected to be produced using each item, whether directly or indirectly, when there is insufficient quantity of the one or more primary input items to meet the demand in producing the item to be processed according to the extension data.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more computers is further configured to:
 for each item to be processed, determine the number of items contained in the corresponding first list;   for each item to be processed, determine the number of items contained in the corresponding second list;   for each item to be processed, sum the numbers of items contained in the corresponding first and second lists; and   in ordering the items, sort the items to be processed such that each item is placed ahead of any items having higher sums.   
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory computer-readable media embodied with software that processes items associated with a workflow, the software when executed by one or more computers is configured to:
 access partial ordering data that specifies, for each item to be processed, one or more primary input items that is required under normal conditions to produce the item to be processed;   access extension data comprising one or more alternative input items to replace the one or more primary input items when there is insufficient quantity of the one or more primary input items to meet a demand in producing the item to be processed, the extension data specifies one or more extensions to the partial ordering data;   generate an ordering of the items to be processed such that:
 (a) each item to be processed that has one or more primary input items is placed ahead of its primary input items; and 
 (b) each primary input item that has one or more alternative input items is placed ahead of its alternative input items provided doing so is not inconsistent with the ordering of items ordered according to condition (a); and 
   process the ordered items according to the ordering.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 13 , wherein processing an ordered item comprises determining a workflow value for the item. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 13 , wherein the items comprise tangible items associated with a manufacturing process and processing an ordered item comprises determining a demand value for the item. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 13 , wherein the extension data further specifies which input items are primary input items to the item they produce. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 13 , further configured to:
 generate a first list for each item to be processed, the first list for each item comprising all items that are expected to be produced using each item, whether directly or indirectly, under normal conditions according to the partial ordering data; and   generate a second list for each item to be processed, the second list for each item comprising all items that would be expected to be produced using each item, whether directly or indirectly, when there is insufficient quantity of the one or more primary input items to meet the demand in producing the item to be processed according to the extension data.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 13 , further configured to:
 for each item to be processed, determine the number of items contained in the corresponding first list;   for each item to be processed, determine the number of items contained in the corresponding second list;   for each item to be processed, sum the numbers of items contained in the corresponding first and second lists; and   in ordering the items, sort the items to be processed such that each item is placed ahead of any items having higher sums.