Shipping plan creation system, shipping plan creation method, and program

Abstract

Provided is a shipping plan creation system capable of creating a shipping plan in consideration of the status of a process for performing production for each product.　A shipping plan creation system (100) according to the present disclosure comprises: a shipping plan creation unit (11) that creates, for each type of product, a shipping plan indicating a shipping time of the product and a shipping amount corresponding to the shipping time, by using production-related information including production plan information indicating, for each type of product, a production time of the product and a production amount corresponding to the production time, procurement time information indicating, for each type of product, a procurement time required from when the production of the product ends to when the product is shipped, and status information, for each type of product, related to the status of a process in which the production of the product is performed; and a transmission unit (15) that transmits, to a display unit (22) that displays information to a user, a signal indicating the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit (11).

Description

Shipping Plan Creation System, Shipping Plan Creation Method, and Program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a shipping plan creation system, a shipping plan creation method, and a program.

[0002] Conventionally, a system for formulating a shipping plan indicating a plan for shipping produced products has been proposed. In Patent Document 1, a production plan data indicating the cumulative quantity of products that can be shipped for each shipping destination and transport machine data related to transport machines are input as input data, and a shipping plan creation device that generates a shipping plan for products based on the input data is disclosed.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-187934

[0004] The production of products varies depending on the situation in the production process. Furthermore, when creating a shipping plan for producing multiple types of products, the production situations for each product are different. However, the shipping plan creation device described in Patent Document 1 has a problem that it cannot create a shipping plan considering the situation in the production process for each product.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to create a shipping plan considering the situation in the production process for each product.

[0006] The shipping plan creation system according to the present disclosure uses production-related information including production plan information indicating the production time of products and the production quantity corresponding to the production time for each product type, procurement time information indicating the procurement time required from the end of production to shipment for each product type, and situation information regarding the situation in the production process for each product type, and creates a shipping plan indicating the shipping time of products and the shipping quantity corresponding to the shipping time for each product type. The shipping plan creation system includes a shipping plan creation unit and a transmission unit that transmits a signal indicating the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit to a display unit that displays information to the user and has a transmission unit.

[0007] Furthermore, the shipping plan creation method and program relating to this disclosure comprises: a first step in which a shipping plan creation unit creates a shipping plan for each product type, indicating the shipping time and corresponding shipping quantity for each product type, using production-related information including production plan information indicating the production time and corresponding production quantity for each product type, procurement time information indicating the time required from the end of production of each product type until shipment, and status information regarding the status of the production process for each product type; and a second step in which a transmission unit transmits a signal indicating the shipping plan created in the first step to a display unit that displays information to the user.

[0008] The shipping plan creation system, shipping plan creation method, and program described herein have the effect of creating a shipping plan that takes into account the status of the production process for each product.

[0009] This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. This is a diagram showing the content displayed by the display unit of the display device of the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. This is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. This is a flowchart showing the processing performed by the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. This is a flowchart showing the shipping plan creation processing performed by the calculation device of the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure. This is a diagram showing the content displayed by the display unit of the display device of the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure. This is a flowchart showing the processing performed by the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure. This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiment 3 of the present disclosure. This is a diagram showing an example of a neural network used by the evaluation creation unit of the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiment 3 of the present disclosure. This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiment 4 of the present disclosure. This is a flowchart showing the processing performed by the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiment 4 of the present disclosure.

[0010] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below, and modifications or omissions are permitted without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. Furthermore, common elements in each drawing are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0011] Embodiment 1. Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the shipping plan creation system 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a diagram showing the contents displayed by the display unit 22 of the display device 20 of the shipping plan creation system 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. The functional configuration of the shipping plan creation system 100 will be explained using Figures 1 and 2.

[0012] The shipping plan creation system 100 includes a calculation device 10 and a display device 20. The calculation device 10 and the display device are connected via a network. Methods of connecting to the network include, for example, LAN, WAN, the Internet, Bluetooth®, a dedicated circuit, and infrared communication.

[0013] The calculation device 10 performs calculations for creating a shipping plan, calculations for creating an evaluation of the shipping plan, and modifications of conditions for modifying the shipping plan. The shipping plan shows the shipping time and the corresponding shipping quantity for each type of product. If there are any differences in the production process of a product, it is considered to be a different type of product. For example, even if products are composed of the same components, if their composition ratio or production method is different, they are considered to be different types of products.

[0014] The calculation device 10 includes a shipping plan creation unit 11, an evaluation creation unit 12, a condition correction unit 13, a storage unit 14, and a transmission / reception unit 15.

[0015] The shipping plan creation unit 11 creates a shipping plan using production-related information, inventory information, and order information stored in the storage unit 14. Production-related information includes production plan information, procurement time information, and status information. Production plan information indicates the production period and the corresponding production quantity for each type of product. Procurement time information indicates the time required from the end of production to shipment for each type of product. Here, "the end of production" refers to the state in which the product is stored in the warehouse and ready for shipment after quality inspection and packaging work necessary for shipment have been completed. Status information is information regarding the status of the production process for each type of product. In the shipping plan creation system 100, status information is stored as information indicating the time required according to the situation. For example, if the production process for a particular type of product takes longer than usual, a positive value is stored as the status information for that type of product.

[0016] By configuring the system to create a shipping plan using production-related information, including status information, the shipping plan creation system 100 has the effect of creating a shipping plan that takes into account the status of the production process for each product.

[0017] Furthermore, in the shipment plan creation system 100 according to Embodiment 1, the status information includes information about the workers who produce the product, information about the machinery used to produce the product, information about the materials used for the product, and information about the production method of the product. With this configuration, the shipment plan creation system 100 has the effect of being able to create a highly accurate shipment plan.

[0018] Inventory information indicates the number of products in stock for each product type. Order information indicates the order date for each product type and the number of orders corresponding to that order date. By configuring the system to create a shipping plan using inventory information and order information in addition to production-related information, the shipping plan creation system 100 has the effect of being able to create a shipping plan that is appropriate to the situation at the time the shipping plan is created.

[0019] Specifically, the shipping plan creation unit 11 calculates shipping time information (e.g., available shipping date) for each product type from production-related information. The available shipping date is calculated by adding the time indicated by procurement time information and status information corresponding to the product type to the production time in the production plan information included in the production-related information. Then, a shipping plan is created from the available shipping date, inventory information, and order information. With this configuration, the shipping plan creation system 100 has the effect of being able to create a shipping plan that is suitable for the shipping time.

[0020] The evaluation creation unit 12 obtains the shipping plan from the shipping plan creation unit 11 and creates an evaluation of the shipping plan. Specifically, the evaluation creation unit 12 uses the on-time delivery rate, procurement time length, quantity variation, shipping volume variation, and weight variation as evaluation criteria, and creates an evaluation of the shipping plan by determining whether each evaluation criterion item meets predetermined standards.

[0021] The evaluation creation unit 12 uses the on-time delivery rate as an evaluation criterion. When the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit 11 is executed, the evaluation unit 12 determines the on-time delivery rate to be acceptable if the product's on-time delivery rate is equal to or greater than the standard on-time delivery rate, and unacceptable if the product's on-time delivery rate is less than the predetermined standard on-time delivery rate. A low on-time delivery rate indicates that many products will not be delivered on time when the created shipping plan is executed, so a high on-time delivery rate is desirable.

[0022] Furthermore, the evaluation creation unit 12 uses procurement time as an evaluation criterion item. When the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit 11 is executed, the evaluation unit 12 determines that the procurement time is acceptable if the procurement time is less than or equal to a predetermined standard time, and unacceptable if the procurement time is longer than the standard time. A longer procurement time results in a larger inventory volume in the warehouse when the created shipping plan is executed, so a shorter procurement time is desirable.

[0023] Furthermore, the evaluation creation unit 12 uses quantity variability as an evaluation criterion item. When the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit 11 is executed, the evaluation unit 12 determines that the quantity variability is acceptable if the variability in the quantity of shipped products per day is less than or equal to a predetermined standard quantity deviation, and that the quantity variability is unacceptable if the variability in the quantity of shipped products is greater than the standard quantity deviation. This is because a large variability in the quantity of shipped products results in a large difference in the quantity of shipped products handled when the created shipping plan is executed, so a small variability in the quantity of shipped products is desirable.

[0024] Furthermore, the evaluation creation unit 12 uses volume variation as an evaluation criterion item. When the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit 11 is executed, the evaluation creation unit 12 determines that the volume variation is acceptable if the variation in the volume of shipped products per day is less than or equal to a predetermined standard volume deviation. Conversely, it determines that the volume variation is unacceptable if the variation in the volume of shipped products is greater than the standard volume deviation. This is because a large variation in the volume of shipped products results in a large difference in the volume of shipped products when the created shipping plan is executed, so a small variation in shipped volume is desirable.

[0025] Furthermore, the evaluation creation unit 12 uses weight variation as an evaluation criterion item. When the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit 11 is executed, the evaluation unit 12 determines that the weight variation is acceptable if the daily weight variation of the shipped products is below a predetermined standard weight deviation, and that the weight variation is unacceptable if the weight variation of the shipped products is greater than the standard weight deviation. This is because a large weight variation in the shipped products results in a large difference in the weight of the shipped products when the created shipping plan is executed, so it is desirable to have a small weight variation in the shipped products.

[0026] When the modification reception unit 231 of the display device 20 receives a modification instruction from the user regarding the shipping plan, the condition modification unit 13 modifies the procurement time information or status information. The display device 20 will be described later.

[0027] When the condition modification unit 13 modifies procurement time information or status information, the shipping plan creation unit 11 creates a new shipping plan from the modified information. This configuration allows the shipping plan creation system 100 to create a shipping plan that meets the user's needs.

[0028] The memory unit 14 stores information necessary for the processing performed by the calculation device 10. Specifically, the memory unit 14 stores production-related information, inventory information, order information, compliance rate, standard time, standard quantity deviation, standard volume deviation, and standard weight deviation. Table 1 shows an example of the information necessary for creating a shipping plan that is stored in the memory unit 14.

[0029]

[0030] As shown in Table 1, the storage unit 14 stores the product type and the information necessary to create a shipping plan in a table format. In Embodiment 1, the information necessary to create a shipping plan includes production-related information, inventory information, and order information. The storage unit 14 also stores predetermined values ​​as numerical values ​​for standard compliance rate, standard time, standard quantity deviation, standard volume deviation, and standard weight deviation.

[0031] Furthermore, the memory unit 14 receives requests from the condition modification unit 13 to modify procurement time information or status information, and stores the modified procurement time information or status information.

[0032] The transmitting / receiving unit 15 transmits and receives signals to and from the display device 20. Specifically, the transmitting / receiving unit 15 receives signals from the display device 20 indicating a user's instruction to modify the shipping plan and a user's instruction to confirm the shipping plan. The transmitting / receiving unit 15 also transmits signals to the display device 20 indicating the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit 11 and signals indicating the evaluation of the shipping plan created by the evaluation creation unit 12. In other words, the transmitting / receiving unit 15 functions as a transmitter that sends signals indicating the shipping plan and signals indicating the evaluation to the display device 20.

[0033] The display device 20 includes a transmitting / receiving unit 21, a display unit 22, and an instruction receiving unit 23.

[0034] The transmitting / receiving unit 21 transmits and receives signals with the calculation device 10. Specifically, the transmitting / receiving unit 21 receives signals from the calculation device 10 indicating the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit 11 and signals indicating the evaluation of the shipping plan created by the evaluation creation unit 12. The transmitting / receiving unit 21 also transmits signals to the calculation device 10 indicating a user instruction to modify the shipping plan and a user instruction to finalize the shipping plan.

[0035] The display unit 22 displays information to the user. As shown in Figure 2, the display unit 22 includes a shipping period display unit 221, a shipping plan display unit 222, and an evaluation result display unit 223. The shipping period display unit 221 indicates the period during which the product will be shipped. In Embodiment 1, the shipping period display unit 221 displays the shipping month, which is the month in which the product will be shipped. The shipping plan display unit 222 displays the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit 11 for each type of product. More specifically, the shipping plan display unit 222 displays the product type corresponding to the product number, the shipping date, and the shipping quantity corresponding to the shipping date.

[0036] The evaluation result display unit 223 displays the evaluation of the shipping plan created by the evaluation creation unit 12 for each evaluation criterion item. Specifically, the evaluation result display unit 223 displays the evaluation criterion item corresponding to the evaluation number, the standard value, the planned value which indicates the value of the evaluation criterion item when the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit 11 is executed, and the judgment result. If the evaluation result display unit 223 determines that the shipping plan meets the criteria of the evaluation criterion item and is therefore a pass, it displays "○". If the evaluation result display unit 223 determines that the shipping plan does not meet the criteria of the evaluation criterion item and is therefore a fail, it displays "×".

[0037] The display unit 22 includes a shipping plan display unit 222 and an evaluation result display unit 223, which display to the user the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit 11 and the evaluation of the shipping plan created by the evaluation creation unit 12. This configuration allows the shipping plan creation system 100 to easily make decisions regarding the shipping plan.

[0038] Furthermore, the evaluation result display unit 223 of the display unit 22 displays the evaluation of the shipping plan for each evaluation criterion item. This configuration allows the shipping plan creation system 100 to focus on the evaluation criterion items that the user considers important, thus enabling the user to easily make decisions regarding the shipping plan.

[0039] Furthermore, the evaluation result display unit 223 of the display unit 22 displays an evaluation of the shipping plan for multiple evaluation criteria items. This configuration has the effect of allowing users to evaluate the shipping plan from multiple perspectives.

[0040] The instruction receiving unit 23 receives instructions from the user regarding the shipping plan when the display unit 22 displays information to the user. Specifically, the instruction receiving unit 23 receives instructions from the user to modify the shipping plan or to finalize the shipping plan. The instruction receiving unit 23 has a modification receiving unit 231 and a finalization receiving unit 232. The modification receiving unit 231 receives instructions from the user to modify the shipping plan. The finalization receiving unit 232 receives instructions from the user to finalize the shipping plan.

[0041] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the shipping plan creation system 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. The hardware configuration of the shipping plan creation system 100 will be described using Figure 3.

[0042] The calculation device 10 includes a communication interface 101, a processor 102, a memory 103, and a storage 104. Each part of the calculation device 10 is connected via a bus 105.

[0043] The communication interface 101 transmits and receives signals wirelessly or wired with the communication interface 201 of the display device 20. Specifically, the communication interface 101 receives a signal indicating a modification instruction for the shipping plan by the user and a signal indicating a confirmation instruction for the shipping plan by the user from the communication interface 201. Further, the communication interface 101 transmits a signal indicating the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit 11 and a signal indicating an evaluation of the shipping plan created by the evaluation creation unit 12 to the communication interface 201. The transmission and reception unit 15 is realized by the communication interface 101.

[0044] The processor 102 executes programs stored in the memory 103. Specifically, the processor 102 performs processes for creating a shipping plan, processes for creating an evaluation for the shipping plan, and processes for modifying procurement time information or situation information. The processor 102 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

[0045] The memory 103 stores programs executed by the processor 102. Further, the memory 103 is used as a work area for the processor 102. The memory 103 is, for example, a volatile memory such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), a non-volatile memory such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), or both a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory. [[ID=​​

[0047] The storage 104 stores production-related information, inventory information, order information, compliance rate, standard time, standard quantity deviation, standard volume deviation, and standard weight deviation. The storage 104 is, for example, an SSD (Solid State Drive) or a hard disk.

[0048] The display device 20 includes a communication interface 201, a display 202, an operation button 203, and an operation button 204. Each part of the display device 20 is connected via a bus 205.

[0049] The communication interface 201 transmits and receives signals wirelessly or wired with the communication interface 101 of the calculation device 10. Specifically, the communication interface 201 receives from the communication interface 101 a signal indicating the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit 11 and a signal indicating the evaluation of the shipping plan created by the evaluation creation unit 12. Further, the communication interface 201 receives from the communication interface 101 a signal indicating a modification instruction of the shipping plan by the user and a signal indicating a confirmation instruction of the shipping plan by the user. The transmission / reception unit 21 is realized by the communication interface 201.

[0050] The display 202 displays information to the user. Specifically, the display 202 displays the shipping plan and the evaluation of the shipping plan to the user. The display unit 22 is realized by the display 202.

[0051] The operation button 203 and the operation button 204 receive an instruction for the shipping plan by the user. Specifically, the pressing of the operation button 203 by the user indicates a modification instruction of the shipping plan. Further, the pressing the pressing of the operation button 204 by the user indicates a confirmation instruction of the shipping plan. The modification reception unit 231 is realized by the operation button 203. The confirmation reception unit 232 is realized by the operation button 204.

[0052] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the processing performed by the shipping plan creation system 100 according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the shipping plan creation process performed by the calculation device 10 of the shipping plan creation system 100 according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure, and more specifically, it is a flowchart showing in detail the processing of step S101 in Figure 4. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the evaluation creation process performed by the calculation device 10 of the shipping plan creation system 100 according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure, and more specifically, it is a flowchart showing in detail the processing of step S102 in Figure 4. The processing performed by the shipping plan creation system 100 will be explained using Figures 4 to 6.

[0053] Step S101 begins when the calculation device 10 starts creating the shipping plan. In step S101, the shipping plan creation unit 11 of the calculation device 10 creates the shipping plan. More specifically, the process in step S101 is the process from step S111 to step S114, as shown in Figure 5. The processes in steps S111 to S114 will be explained below.

[0054] Step S111 is executed when the processing of step S101 begins. In step S111, the shipping plan creation unit 11 of the calculation device 10 acquires production-related information related to the type of product for which a shipping plan is to be created from the production-related information stored in the storage unit 14. Step S111 ends when the shipping plan creation unit 11 acquires the production-related information.

[0055] Step S112 is performed after the processing in step S111. In step S112, the shipping plan creation unit 11 of the calculation device 10 calculates the available shipping date for each product type from the production plan information, procurement time information, and status information among the production-related information acquired in step S111. Step S112 ends when the shipping plan creation unit 11 has calculated the available shipping date for each product type.

[0056] Step S113 is performed after the processing in step S112. In step S113, the shipping plan creation unit 11 of the calculation device 10 acquires inventory information and order information stored in the storage unit 14. Step S113 ends when the shipping plan creation unit 11 acquires the inventory information and order information.

[0057] Step S114 is performed after the processing in step S113. In step S114, the shipping plan creation unit 11 of the calculation device 10 determines a shipping plan based on the available shipping date calculated in step S112 and the inventory information and order information obtained in step S113. Step S114 ends when the shipping plan creation unit 11 determines the shipping plan.

[0058] Once the process in step S114 is completed, the calculation device 10 terminates the shipping plan creation process. In other words, the process in step S101 is completed.

[0059] Step S102 is performed after the processing in step S101. In step S102, the evaluation creation unit 12 of the calculation device 10 creates an evaluation for the shipping plan. More specifically, the processing in step S102 is the same as the processing in steps S121 to S124, as shown in Figure 6. The processing in steps S121 to S124 will be explained below. Note that the processing in steps S121 to S124 is performed for each evaluation criterion item.

[0060] Step S121 is executed when the process in step S102 begins. In step S121, the evaluation creation unit 12 of the calculation device 10 calculates the planned value, which is the value related to the evaluation criterion item when the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit 11 is executed. Step S121 ends when the evaluation creation unit 12 has calculated the planned value.

[0061] Step S122 is performed after the processing in step S121. In step S122, the evaluation creation unit 12 of the calculation device 10 determines whether the planned value calculated in step S121 meets the evaluation criteria for the evaluation criteria item. Step S122 ends when the evaluation creation unit 12 has determined whether the conditions are met.

[0062] Step S123 is executed when, in step S122, it is determined that the planned value meets the evaluation criteria for the evaluation criteria item (step S122, Yes). In step S123, the evaluation creation unit 12 of the calculation device 10 evaluates the shipping plan as passing the evaluation criteria item. Step S123 ends when the evaluation creation unit 12 has determined the evaluation content.

[0063] Step S124 is a process that is executed when, in step S122, it is determined that the planned value does not meet the evaluation criteria for the evaluation criteria item (step S122, No). In step S124, the evaluation creation unit 12 of the calculation device evaluates the shipping plan as failing in the relevant evaluation criteria item. Step S124 ends when the evaluation creation unit 12 has determined the evaluation content.

[0064] When the processing in step S123 or step S124 is completed, the calculation device 10 terminates the evaluation creation process. In other words, the processing in step S102 is completed.

[0065] Step S103 is performed after the processing in step S102. In step S103, the display unit 22 of the display device 20 receives signals from the transmitting / receiving unit 15 of the calculation device 10 indicating the shipping plan and the evaluation of the shipping plan created in step S101, and displays the shipping plan and the evaluation of the shipping plan to the user. Step S103 ends when the display unit 22 displays the shipping plan and the evaluation of the shipping plan.

[0066] Step S104 is performed after the processing in step S103. In step S104, the condition correction unit 13 of the calculation device 10 determines whether the confirmation reception unit 232 of the instruction reception unit 23 in the display device 20 has received confirmation of the shipping plan by the user. Step S104 ends when the condition correction unit 13 has determined whether the conditions are met.

[0067] Step S105 is executed when it is determined in step S104 that the user has not confirmed the shipping plan (step S104, No), that is, when the modification acceptance unit 231 of the display device 20 has accepted the user's modification of the shipping plan. In step S105, the condition modification unit 13 of the calculation device 10 modifies the procurement time information or the condition information. Step S105 ends when the condition modification unit 13 modifies the conditions.

[0068] After the processing in step S105, the process returns to step S101, and the shipping plan creation unit 11 of the calculation device 10 creates a shipping plan again from the corrected production-related information, inventory information, and order information. In other words, the shipping plan creation system 100 repeats the processing from steps S101 to S105 until the shipping plan created by the user is finalized.

[0069] If it is determined in step S104 that the user has confirmed the shipping plan (step S104, Yes), the shipping plan creation system 100 terminates processing.

[0070] In the evaluation creation unit of the shipment plan creation system 100 according to Embodiment 1, the system is configured to create evaluations for each of the multiple evaluation criterion items, but it is not limited to this configuration. For example, there may be only one evaluation criterion item. Also, the types and number of evaluation criterion items are not limited to those described in Embodiment 1. Furthermore, the system may be configured to select evaluation criteria appropriate for each type of product. Furthermore, the system may be configured to change the threshold for determining whether the evaluation criteria are met for each type of product. Furthermore, the system may be configured to change the criteria for evaluation criterion items according to the specific circumstances of each type of product.

[0071] Embodiment 2. The shipping plan creation system 200 according to Embodiment 2 will be described. In Embodiment 2, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as in Embodiment 1 of this disclosure, and descriptions of the same or corresponding parts will be omitted.

[0072] Figure 7 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the shipping plan creation system 200 according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure. Figure 8 is a diagram showing the content displayed by the display unit 42 of the display device 40 of the shipping plan creation system 200 according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure. The functional configuration of the shipping plan creation system 200 will be explained using Figures 7 and 8. Furthermore, the hardware configuration of the shipping plan creation system 200 is the same as the hardware configuration of the shipping plan creation system 100.

[0073] The shipping plan creation system 200 according to Embodiment 2 includes a calculation device 30 and a display device 40.

[0074] The calculation device 30 of the shipment plan creation system 200 according to Embodiment 2 differs from the calculation device 10 of the shipment plan creation system 100 according to Embodiment 1 in that it includes a similar case extraction unit 31, the contents stored in the storage unit 34, and the information transmitted by the transmitting / receiving unit 35. The configuration other than the similar case extraction unit 31, the storage unit 34, and the transmitting / receiving unit 35 is the same as that of the calculation device 10, so a description is omitted.

[0075] The similar case extraction unit 31 extracts past shipping plans that have similar evaluations to the shipping plans created by the evaluation creation unit 12. Similar evaluations are defined as cases where, for example, there are a certain number or more instances where the pass or fail judgment for each evaluation criterion item is the same. The similar case extraction unit 31 is implemented using memory and a processor.

[0076] In addition to the contents stored by the storage unit 14 in Embodiment 1, the memory unit 34 stores past shipping plans linked to evaluations of those shipping plans.

[0077] In addition to the information transmitted by the transmitting / receiving unit 15 in Embodiment 1, the transmitting / receiving unit 35 transmits to the display device 40 a signal indicating past shipping plans with similar evaluations to the shipping plan, which is extracted by the similar case extraction unit 31. In other words, the transmitting / receiving unit 35 functions as a transmitter that transmits a signal indicating past shipping plans to the display device 40. The information received by the transmitting / receiving unit 35 is the same as that received by the transmitting / receiving unit 15.

[0078] The display device 40 of the shipping plan creation system 200 according to Embodiment 2 differs from the display device 20 of the shipping plan creation system 100 according to Embodiment 1 in that the information received by the transmitting / receiving unit 41 and the content displayed by the display unit 42 are different. The configuration other than the transmitting / receiving unit 41 and the display unit 42 is the same as that of the display device 20, so a description is omitted.

[0079] In addition to the information received by the transmitting / receiving unit 21 in Embodiment 1, the transmitting / receiving unit 41 receives signals from the calculation device 30 indicating past shipping plans with similar evaluations to the shipping plan. The information transmitted by the transmitting / receiving unit 41 is the same as that transmitted by the transmitting / receiving unit 21.

[0080] As shown in Figure 8, the display unit 42 has a similar case display unit 421 in addition to the content displayed by the display unit 22. The similar case display unit 421 displays the shipping month, which is the timing of the shipping plan extracted by the similar case extraction unit. The similar case display unit 421 also displays past shipping plans extracted by the similar case extraction unit 31 for each product type. More specifically, the similar case display unit 421 displays the product type corresponding to the product number, the shipping date, and the shipping quantity corresponding to the shipping date.

[0081] By configuring the display unit 42 to display the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit 11 and past shipping plans with similar evaluations, the shipping plan creation system 200 has the effect of allowing users to review the shipping plan by considering shipping plans created in similar situations in the past.

[0082] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the processes performed by the shipping plan creation system 200 according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure. The processes performed by the shipping plan creation system 200 will be explained using Figure 9.

[0083] Steps S201 and S202 are the same as the processes in steps S101 and S102 in Embodiment 1, so their explanation is omitted. Step S203 is performed after the process in step S202. In step S203, the similar case extraction unit 31 extracts past shipping plans with similar evaluations from the storage unit 34. Step S203 ends when the similar case extraction unit 31 extracts past shipping plans with similar evaluations. Steps S204 to S206 are the same as the processes in steps S103 to S105 in Embodiment 1, so their explanation is omitted.

[0084] In the second embodiment, the shipping plan creation system 200 is configured to display shipping plans with a certain number or more identical pass / fail judgments for each evaluation criterion item as similar shipping plans. However, the criteria for determining similarity are not limited to this. For example, the system may be configured to change the evaluation criterion items used to determine similarity for each type of product, or the user may select the evaluation criterion items to be used as the criteria for similarity. Alternatively, the system may be configured to determine similarity using criteria other than the evaluation criterion items.

[0085] Furthermore, the display device of the shipping plan creation system 200 in Embodiment 2 is configured to display the shipping plan and past cases with similar evaluations of the shipping plan on the same screen, but it is not limited to this configuration, and may be configured to display them on separate screens. Also, the display device of the shipping plan creation system 200 is configured to display past cases with similar evaluations of the shipping plan before the shipping plan is finalized, but it is not limited to this configuration. It may be configured to display them after the shipping plan is finalized.

[0086] Embodiment 3. The shipping plan creation system 300 according to Embodiment 3 will be described. In Embodiment 3, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as in Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, and descriptions of the same or corresponding parts will be omitted.

[0087] Figure 10 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the shipping plan creation system 300 according to Embodiment 3 of this disclosure. Figure 11 is a diagram showing an example of a neural network used by the evaluation creation unit of the shipping plan creation system 300 according to Embodiment 3 of this disclosure. The functional configuration of the shipping plan creation system 300 will be explained using Figures 10 and 11.

[0088] The shipment plan creation system 300 according to Embodiment 3 includes a calculation device 50 and a display device 60.

[0089] Compared to the calculation device 10 of the shipping plan creation system 100 according to Embodiment 1, the calculation device 50 of the shipping plan creation system 300 differs in the processing performed by the evaluation creation unit 52, the information stored in the storage unit 54, and the information transmitted by the transmitting / receiving unit 55. The configuration excluding the evaluation creation unit 52, the storage unit 54, and the transmitting / receiving unit 55 is the same as that of the calculation device 10 according to Embodiment 1, so a description is omitted.

[0090] As shown in Figure 10, the evaluation creation unit 52 includes a model generation unit 521, a trained model storage unit 522, and an inference unit 523.

[0091] The model generation unit 521 learns an evaluation of the shipping plan based on training data created based on the combination of production-related information, inventory information, and order information stored in the memory unit 54, and the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit 11. In other words, the model generation unit 521 generates a trained model that infers an evaluation of the optimal shipping plan from the production-related information, inventory information, order information, and shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit 11 of the shipping plan creation system 300. Here, the training data is data that associates the production-related information, inventory information, order information, and shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit 11 with each other.

[0092] The model generation unit 521 learns an evaluation of the shipping plan, for example, by supervised learning according to a neural network model. Here, supervised learning is a method in which a learning device is given pairs of input and result (label) data, learns features in that training data, and infers the result from the input.

[0093] A neural network consists of an input layer made up of multiple neurons, an intermediate layer (hidden layer) made up of multiple neurons, and an output layer made up of multiple neurons. The intermediate layer may consist of one or more layers.

[0094] For example, in a three-layer neural network as shown in Figure 11, when multiple inputs are input to the input layer (X1-X3), these values ​​are multiplied by weights W1 (w11-w16) and input to the hidden layer (Y1-Y2). The result is then further multiplied by weights W2 (w21-w26) and output from the output layer (Z1-Z3). This output varies depending on the values ​​of weights W1 and W2.

[0095] The shipping plan creation system 300 learns to evaluate shipping plans through so-called supervised learning, according to training data created based on a combination of production-related information, inventory information, and order information stored in the memory unit 54 and the shipping plans created by the shipping plan creation unit 11. In Embodiment 3, the evaluation of a shipping plan is, for example, a judgment result of whether the entire shipping plan is approved or rejected.

[0096] In other words, the neural network learns by inputting production-related information, inventory information, order information, and shipping plans into the input layer, and adjusting the weights W1 and W2 so that the output from the output layer approaches an evaluation of the shipping plan.

[0097] The model generation unit 521 generates and outputs a trained model by performing the learning described above. The trained model storage unit 522 stores the trained model output from the model generation unit 521.

[0098] The inference unit 523 infers an evaluation of the shipping plan obtained using the trained model. The inference unit 523 creates an evaluation of the shipping plan by determining whether the shipping plan meets the evaluation criteria. In other words, the inference unit 523 can output an evaluation of the shipping plan inferred from the production-related information, inventory information, and order information stored in the memory unit 54, as well as the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit 11, by inputting these into the trained model. With this configuration, the shipping plan creation system 300 has the effect of being able to create highly accurate evaluations that take into account evaluations of past shipping plans.

[0099] Furthermore, if the inference unit 523 determines that the evaluation of the shipping plan is unsatisfactory, it infers the reason for the unsatisfactory determination or the measures that would allow it to be deemed satisfactory.

[0100] The memory unit 54 stores production-related information, inventory information, and order information. In addition to the information transmitted by the transmission unit 15, the transmitting / receiving unit 55 transmits to the display device 60 the reason for the failure or the measures to be taken to make it a success, if the evaluation of the shipping plan is judged as unsatisfactory.

[0101] The display device 60 of the shipping plan creation system 300 differs from the display device 20 of the shipping plan creation system 100 in that the content displayed by the display unit 61 and the information received by the transmitting / receiving unit 62 are different. The configuration excluding the display unit 61 and the transmitting / receiving unit 62 is the same as that of the display device 20 according to Embodiment 1, so a description will be omitted.

[0102] If the display unit 61 determines that the evaluation of the shipping plan is satisfactory, it displays the same content as the display unit 22. If the evaluation of the shipping plan is unsatisfactory, the display unit 61 displays the same content as the display unit 22, as well as the reason for the unsatisfactory determination or the measures to be taken to achieve a satisfactory determination, as inferred by the inference unit 523.

[0103] In addition to the information received by the transmitting and receiving unit 21, the transmitting and receiving unit 62 receives from the calculation device 50 the reason for the failure or the measures to be taken to make it a success if the evaluation of the shipping plan is judged as unsatisfactory.

[0104] In the third embodiment, the shipping plan creation system 300 was described as creating an evaluation of the shipping plan using a trained model learned by the model generation unit 521 of the calculation device 50. However, it is also possible to obtain a trained model from an external source such as another calculation device and output an evaluation of the shipping plan based on this trained model.

[0105] Furthermore, while Embodiment 3 described a case where supervised learning is applied to the learning algorithm used by the model generation unit 521, it is not limited to this. In addition to supervised learning, reinforcement learning, unsupervised learning, or semi-supervised learning can also be applied to the learning algorithm.

[0106] Furthermore, the model generation unit 521 in the shipment plan creation system 300 of Embodiment 3 may learn an evaluation of the shipment plan according to the training data created for multiple calculation devices. The model generation unit 521 may acquire training data from multiple calculation devices used in the same area, or it may learn an evaluation of the shipment plan using training data collected from multiple calculation devices operating independently in different areas. It is also possible to add or remove calculation devices that collect training data from the target during the process. Moreover, a training device that has learned an evaluation of the shipment plan for one calculation device may be applied to another calculation device, and the evaluation of the shipment plan for that other calculation device may be relearned and updated.

[0107] Furthermore, the learning algorithm used in the model generation unit 521 of the shipment plan creation system 300 of Embodiment 3 may be deep learning, which learns to extract the features themselves, or machine learning may be performed according to other known methods, such as genetic programming, inductive logic programming, or support vector machines.

[0108] Furthermore, the evaluation creation unit 52 in the shipment plan creation system 300 of Embodiment 3 acquires production-related information, inventory information, status information, and a shipment plan at corresponding timings. In other words, the evaluation creation unit 52 may acquire this information simultaneously, or it may acquire it at different timings in association with other information.

[0109] Furthermore, the shipment plan creation system 300 of Embodiment 3 is provided with a storage unit for production-related information, inventory information, and order information, and a trained model storage unit for trained models, but it is also possible to configure it so that all of this information is stored in a single storage unit.

[0110] Furthermore, while the shipment plan creation system 300 of Embodiment 3 was configured such that the evaluation creation unit created an evaluation of the shipment plan using a trained model, it may also be configured so that processes other than those performed by the evaluation creation unit are carried out using the trained model. For example, it may be configured so that a shipment plan is created using a trained model that infers a shipment plan from past production-related information, inventory information, and order information.

[0111] Embodiment 4. The shipment plan creation system 400 according to Embodiment 4 will be described. In Embodiment 4, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as in Embodiment 1, Embodiment 2, or Embodiment 3, and descriptions of the same or corresponding parts will be omitted. In Embodiment 4, after the shipment plan is finalized, the future risks of the shipment plan are predicted and the results are displayed to the user. The hardware configuration of the calculation device 70 and the display device 80 is the same as the configuration shown in Figure 3, so it will be omitted.

[0112] First, the functional configuration of the shipping plan creation system 400 will be explained using Figure 12. Figure 12 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the shipping plan creation system 400 according to Embodiment 4 of this disclosure.

[0113] The shipping plan creation system 400 according to Embodiment 4 includes a calculation device 10, a calculation device 70, and a display device 80. The shipping plan creation system 400 according to Embodiment 4 includes the calculation device 10 and the calculation device 70 as separate components. However, the calculation device 10 and the calculation device 70 may be configured as the same hardware.

[0114] The calculation device 10 includes a shipping plan creation unit 11 and a transmission / reception unit 15. Note that the calculation device 10 according to Embodiment 4 omits other components that are present in the calculation device 10 according to Embodiment 1. The calculation device 70 includes a transmission / reception unit 71, a shipping plan storage unit 72, a performance data storage unit 73, an external data storage unit 74, a trained model storage unit 75, a future risk prediction unit 76, and a transmission / reception unit 77.

[0115] The transmitting / receiving unit 71 receives the shipping plan created and finalized by the calculation device 10, etc. The transmitting / receiving unit 77 transmits to the display device 80 the risks that may occur in the future with respect to the shipping plan, as predicted by the calculation device 70, and the risk levels. Furthermore, the transmitting / receiving unit 77 transmits to the display device 80 an explanation of the cause of the predicted risks and recommended countermeasures.

[0116] The shipping plan storage unit 72 stores past shipping plan data, which are shipping plans created in the past. Past shipping plan data includes, for example, the shipping timing and quantity for each type of product.

[0117] The performance data storage unit 73 stores performance data, including actual shipments of previously created shipment plans. For example, the performance data includes time-series data of order performance, trends in production plans, trends in status information (4M information) regarding workers, machinery, materials, and production methods used in product production, trends in order performance, and trends in evaluation indicators for shipment plans. Specifically, evaluation indicators for shipment plans include, for example, the on-time delivery rate or variability indicators.

[0118] The external data storage unit 74 stores external data that is referenced in future risk prediction. The external data includes, for example, external indicators such as seasonal factors, holiday calendars, logistics, weather, and exchange rates.

[0119] The trained model storage unit 75 has the same configuration as the trained model storage unit 522 according to Embodiment 3, so its description will be omitted, and only the differences will be described. The trained model storage unit 75 stores a model that has learned indicators that affect the shipping plan and their weights, obtained from the shipping plan storage unit 72, the actual data storage unit 73, and the external data storage unit 74. In this embodiment, the model stored in the trained model storage unit 75 is a Large Language Model (LLM). Note that the model is not necessarily limited to a trained model, and may be a general-purpose large language model that has not been further trained with indicators that affect the shipping plan and their weights. Also, the trained model may be obtained from an external device of the calculation device 70. Furthermore, similar processing may be performed using a rule-based approach.

[0120] The future risk prediction unit 76 uses the shipment plan data created and finalized by the shipment plan creation unit 11 to predict risks that may occur in the future with respect to the finalized shipment plan. Specifically, for example, the future risk prediction unit 76 inputs the finalized shipment plan data, previously created shipment plan data, actual data including shipment results for the previously created shipment plan data (e.g., trends in shipment results, order results, or production-related information), and external data including external indicators into a trained model to detect and calculate risks and risk scores that may occur in the future.

[0121] The data configuration used by the future risk prediction unit 76 for risk prediction is not limited to this. The future risk prediction unit 76 may predict risk using only confirmed shipment plan data. Alternatively, the future risk prediction unit 76 may compare confirmed shipment plan data with actual data stored in the actual data storage unit 73 and predict risk based on the trends and statistical characteristics of actual results relative to past shipment plans. Furthermore, the future risk prediction unit 76 may predict future fluctuation risks caused by external factors by taking into account external data stored in the external data storage unit 74. In other words, the future risk prediction unit 76 may perform the risk prediction by combining confirmed shipment plan data with actual data and at least one of the external data.

[0122] Here, "risk" refers to a category of risk, such as delivery delays, and "risk score" refers to the degree of that risk. The "risk score" is calculated, for example, by multiplying the probability of the risk occurring by the magnitude of its impact if the risk occurs. The "probability of the risk occurring" and the "magnitude of its impact if the risk occurs" are predicted based on past performance data. Specifically, for example, the magnitude of the impact of a risk in the category of delivery delays is quantified by calculating an indicator such as "number of days delayed × number of products (or monetary value)" based on past performance data. Note that the method of calculating the risk score is not limited to this.

[0123] Furthermore, the future risk prediction unit 76 determines the risk level of the shipment plan based on the calculated risk score. The risk level is determined by classifying the calculated risk score into three stages, for example, "Level A (0 to 5 points)", "Level B (5 to 10 points)", and "Level C (10 points or more)", based on predetermined thresholds. In other words, the risk level is an indicator of the importance of the risk. Note that the scale and number of stages of the risk level used for determination are not limited to these. In addition, the future risk prediction unit 76 causes the trained model to generate an explanation of the cause and recommended countermeasures.

[0124] The display device 80 of the shipping plan creation system 400 differs from the display device 20 of the shipping plan creation system 100 according to Embodiment 1 in that it includes information received by the transmitting / receiving unit 81 and a risk display unit 82.

[0125] The transmitting / receiving unit 81 receives from the transmitting / receiving unit 77 the risks that may occur in the future with respect to the shipping plan, as predicted by the calculation device 70, and the risk levels. The transmitting / receiving unit 81 also receives from the transmitting / receiving unit 77 an explanation of the causes of the risks predicted by the calculation device 70 and recommended countermeasures.

[0126] The risk display unit 82 displays the risk level based on the output of the calculation device 70 that it receives. The risk level is displayed by an alert message and color coding. When displaying the risk level by an alert message, for example, in the case of high risk, a warning message such as "Second week of June: High risk of delay in delivery of product A" is displayed. When displaying the risk level by color coding, for example, high risk is displayed in red, medium risk in yellow, and low risk in green, etc.

[0127] The risk display unit 82 displays the predicted problems, their causes, and the direction of recommended countermeasures in text. The text display includes, for example, a summary of the problem such as "Possibility of insufficient shipment volume due to expected surge in demand," the causes such as "Upward trend in order performance and tendency for procurement lead times to lengthen," and messages of proposed countermeasures such as "Earlier procurement, temporary use of alternative suppliers, and shift to increased production of equipment." The risk display unit 82 may also allow the user to select a displayed risk item and check detailed supporting data (such as the relevant 4M items, order performance graph, trends in evaluation indicators, or related external data).

[0128] Next, the processes performed by the shipping plan creation system 400 will be explained using Figure 13. Figure 13 is a flowchart showing the processes performed by the shipping plan creation system 400 according to Embodiment 4 of this disclosure. This process may be configured to automatically perform future risk prediction and display the results when a confirmation reception unit 232 (not shown) receives confirmation of a created shipping plan, using the confirmed shipping plan data as the starting point. Alternatively, it may be configured to be performed at any time upon user instruction.

[0129] In step S401, the transmitting / receiving unit 71 receives the shipment plan data created and finalized by the shipment plan creation unit 11 from the transmitting / receiving unit 15. The future risk prediction unit 76 acquires the finalized shipment plan data. The future risk prediction unit 76 also acquires past shipment plan data, actual data, and external data from the shipment plan storage unit 72, the actual data storage unit 73, and the external data storage unit 74.

[0130] Step S402 is performed after the processing in step S401. In step S402, the future risk prediction unit 76 uses the trained model stored in the trained model storage unit 75 to predict the risk score for a predetermined prediction period (for example, 1 to 6 months ahead) on a product or period basis. Specifically, the future risk prediction unit 76 inputs the confirmed shipping plan data, past shipping plan data, actual data, and external data into the trained model to predict the risk score.

[0131] Step S403 is performed after the processing in step S402. In step S403, the future risk prediction unit 76 determines the risk level of the shipment plan, which has been determined according to a predetermined threshold, based on the predicted risk score.

[0132] Step S404 is performed after the processing in step S403. In step S404, the future risk prediction unit 76 extracts the factors that contributed to the inference. Specifically, the future risk prediction unit 76 has the trained model extract the factors that contributed to the inference.

[0133] Step S405 is performed after the processing in step S404. In step S405, the future risk prediction unit 76 causes the trained model to generate an explanation of the cause and recommended countermeasures.

[0134] Step S406 is performed after the processing in step S405. In step S406, the transmitting / receiving unit 77 transmits to the transmitting / receiving unit 81 the risks that may occur in the future with respect to the shipping plan, the risk level, and an explanation of the causes of the predicted risks and recommended countermeasures.

[0135] Step S407 is performed after the processing in step S406. In step S407, the risk display unit 82 displays the output of the calculation device 70 received by the transmitting / receiving unit 81 on the display device 80. Step S407 is completed when the output of the calculation device 70 is displayed on the display device 80.

[0136] As described above, this embodiment predicts future risks in advance for a confirmed shipping plan, taking into account changes in the 4M situation, trends in order performance and evaluation indicators, and changes in external data. Furthermore, this embodiment intuitively displays the detected risks and presents causes and countermeasures. As a result, users can grasp future risks in advance, enabling them to quickly consider countermeasures such as revising or accelerating the plan.

[0137] In this embodiment, the risk level threshold, forecast period, and type of external data referenced in the shipping plan creation system 400 may be changed according to the product and operation. Furthermore, the risk prediction performed by the future risk prediction unit 76 may be executed by program instead of using a trained model. If a trained model is not used, the future risk prediction unit 76 may be configured to detect fluctuations exceeding a preset threshold as risks based on statistical trends such as actual data.

[0138] The embodiments and modifications described above may be combined with each other as appropriate, to the extent that they do not contradict the technical standards. For example, it is possible to replace a part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment.

[0139] For example, the shipping plan creation system 400 in Embodiment 4 may be implemented in combination with the shipping plan creation system 100 in Embodiment 1. Specifically, for example, the shipping plan creation system 400 in Embodiment 4 may be configured to directly transition to a flow that accepts correction instructions when the transmission of detected risks by the transmitting / receiving unit 77 of the calculation device 70 is triggered. The shipping plan creation system 400 in Embodiment 4 may also be configured such that the condition correction unit 13 acquires the detected risks, and the condition correction unit corrects the shipping plan based on the acquired risks.

[0140] The shipping plan creation system according to Embodiments 1 to 4 is configured to primarily perform a creation process for creating a shipping plan, a process for creating an evaluation of the shipping plan, and a process for modifying procurement time information or status information. However, the system may also be configured not to perform the process for creating an evaluation of the shipping plan or the process for modifying procurement time information or status information. In other words, the shipping plan creation system may be configured to display only the created shipping plan to the user.

[0141] Furthermore, the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiments 1 to 4 is configured such that the calculation device comprises a shipping plan creation unit, an evaluation creation unit, and a condition modification unit, but is not limited to this configuration. In other words, the device for creating the shipping plan, the device for creating the evaluation of the shipping plan, and the device for modifying procurement time information or status information may be configured as separate devices.

[0142] Furthermore, while the shipping plan creation systems according to embodiments 1 to 4 have a configuration in which the calculation device has a storage unit, they are not limited to this. The storage unit may be configured as a separate device from the calculation device, as long as the transmitting and receiving unit of the calculation device can receive the necessary information.

[0143] Furthermore, while the shipping plan creation systems according to embodiments 1 to 4 are configured such that the display device has an instruction receiving unit, they are not limited to this configuration. The instruction receiving unit may be a separate device from the display device, as long as the calculation device is configured to receive signals indicating user instructions.

[0144] Furthermore, the shipping plan creation unit of the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiments 1 to 4 is configured to calculate the available shipping date from production-related information and create a shipping plan from the available shipping date, inventory information, and order information, but is not limited to this configuration. For example, it may be configured to create a shipping plan directly from production-related information, inventory information, and order information. Alternatively, it may be configured to create a shipping plan using only production-related information without considering inventory information and order information. Furthermore, it may be configured to create a shipping plan by inputting information other than production-related information, inventory information, and order information.

[0145] Furthermore, in the shipment planning unit of the shipment planning system according to Embodiments 1 to 4, the production-related information is defined as production planning information, procurement time information, and status information, but the production-related information can be any information related to production, and its type and number are not limited. Also, in the shipment planning unit of the shipment planning system according to Embodiments 1 to 3, the status information is defined as information about the workers who produce the product, information about the machinery used to produce the product, information about the materials of the product, and information about the production method of the product, but its type and number are not limited to these. The status information can be any information about the conditions in the process of producing the product. For example, the status information may include information about measuring instruments or methods for measuring the product, or it may include the conditions of the work environment or the natural environment.

[0146] Furthermore, in the shipping plan creation systems according to Embodiments 1 to 4, the procurement time is defined as the time required from the end of product production to shipment, and does not include the time spent on packaging and quality inspection. However, the procurement time may include the time spent on packaging and quality inspection.

[0147] Furthermore, the evaluation creation unit of the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiments 1 to 4 creates an evaluation of pass or fail depending on whether or not the evaluation criteria are met, but is not limited to this. The evaluation creation unit may also be configured to create an evaluation based on the score in the evaluation criteria.

[0148] Furthermore, while the instruction receiving unit of the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiments 1 to 4 is implemented by operation buttons, it is not limited to this. The hardware configuration is not limited as long as it can receive user instructions. For example, the instruction receiving unit may be implemented by touching a predetermined position on a touch panel, or by voice input.

[0149] Furthermore, the instruction receiving unit of the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiments 1 to 4 has a configuration that includes a modification receiving unit and a confirmation receiving unit, but is not limited to this. The instruction receiving unit may have only a modification receiving unit, and if it does not receive a modification instruction from the user for a certain period of time, it may be configured to confirm the shipping plan. Conversely, the instruction receiving unit may have only a confirmation receiving unit, and if it does not receive a confirmation instruction from the user for a certain period of time, it may be configured to modify the shipping plan.

[0150] Furthermore, while the display device for the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiments 1 to 4 is configured to display the shipping plan and its evaluation on the same screen, it is not limited to this configuration, and may be configured to display them on separate screens. The method of display is not limited as long as the user can see the shipping results and evaluation.

[0151] Furthermore, the display device of the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiments 1 to 4 displays the shipping date as the shipping time in the shipping plan, but it is not limited to the shipping date; any information indicating the shipping time is acceptable. Also, the display device of the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiments 1 to 4 shows the quantity to be shipped as the shipping plan, but it is not necessary to display the number of products to be shipped themselves. For example, if the quantity to be shipped is very large, the quantity may be displayed in units of 10. Also, if multiple products are shipped as a bundled pack, the quantity may be displayed in units of packs.

[0152] Furthermore, while the storage unit of the shipping plan creation system according to Embodiments 1 to 4 is configured to store production-related information, procurement time information, and status information corresponding to each product in a single table, it may also be configured to store each item in a separate table.

[0153] The configurations shown in the embodiments described above are merely examples of the content of this disclosure and can be combined with other known technologies. Furthermore, it is possible to omit or modify parts of the configuration without departing from the gist of this disclosure.

[0154] 10 Calculation device 11 Shipping plan creation unit 12 Evaluation creation unit 13 Condition modification unit 14 Storage unit 15 Transmit / receive unit 20 Display device 21 Transmit / receive unit 22 Display unit 23 Instruction reception unit 30 Calculation device 31 Similar case extraction unit 34 Storage unit 35 Transmit / receive unit 40 Display device 41 Transmit / receive unit 42 Display unit 50 Calculation device 52 Evaluation creation unit 54 Storage unit 55 Transmit / receive unit 60 Display device 61 Display unit 62 Transmit / receive unit 70 Calculation device 71 Transmit / receive unit 72 Shipping plan storage unit 73 Actual data storage unit 74 External data storage unit 75 Learned model storage unit 76 Future risk prediction unit 77 Transmit / receive unit 80 Display device 81 Transmit / receive unit 82 Risk display unit 100 Shipping plan creation system 101 Communication interface 102 Processor 103 Memory 104 Storage 105 Bus 200 Shipping plan creation system 201 Communication interface 202 Display 203 Operation buttons 204 Operation buttons 205 Bus 221 Shipping period display unit 222 Shipping plan display unit 223 Evaluation result display unit 231 Correction acceptance unit 232 Confirmation acceptance unit 300 Shipping plan creation system 400 Shipping plan creation system 521 Model generation unit 522 Trained model storage unit 523 Inference unit

Claims

1. A shipping plan creation system comprising: a shipping plan creation unit that creates a shipping plan for each product type, indicating the shipping time and the shipping quantity corresponding to the shipping time of the product, using production-related information including production plan information indicating the production time and production quantity corresponding to the production time of the product for each product type, procurement time information indicating the procurement time required from the end of production of the product to shipment for each product type, and status information regarding the status of the production process for each product type; and a transmission unit that transmits a signal indicating the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit to a display unit that displays information to the user.

2. The shipping plan creation system according to claim 1, wherein the status information includes information about workers who produce the product, information about machinery used in the production of the product, information about the materials of the product, and information about the production method of the product.

3. The shipping plan creation system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shipping plan creation unit creates the shipping plan using, in addition to the production-related information, inventory information indicating the number of products in stock for each type of product, and order information indicating the order date and the number of orders corresponding to the order date for each type of product.

4. The shipping plan creation system according to claim 3, wherein the shipping plan creation unit calculates shipping time information indicating the time when each product can be shipped from the production-related information, and creates the shipping plan from the shipping time information, inventory information, and order information.

5. The shipping plan creation system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising an evaluation creation unit that creates an evaluation of the shipping plan created by the shipping plan creation unit, wherein the transmission unit transmits a signal to the display unit indicating the evaluation of the shipping plan created by the evaluation creation unit.

6. The shipping plan creation system according to claim 5, wherein the evaluation creation unit creates an evaluation for the shipping plan for each of the predetermined evaluation items, and the transmission unit transmits a signal to the display unit indicating the evaluation for the shipping plan for each of the evaluation items created by the evaluation creation unit.

7. The shipping plan creation system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the evaluation creation unit, when the shipping plan is executed, uses the following evaluation criteria to create an evaluation of the shipping plan: that the on-time delivery rate of the products is equal to or greater than a predetermined standard on-time; that the procurement time is equal to or less than a predetermined standard time; that the variation in the quantity of products shipped per certain period of time is equal to or less than a predetermined standard quantity deviation; that the variation in the volume of products shipped per certain period of time is equal to or less than a predetermined standard volume deviation; or that the variation in weight per certain period of time is equal to or less than a predetermined standard weight deviation.

8. The shipping plan creation system according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the transmitting unit transmits to the display unit a signal indicating a past shipping plan that has an evaluation similar to the shipping plan created by the evaluation creation unit.

9. A shipping plan creation system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising: a modification reception unit that receives a modification instruction for the shipping plan from the user; a condition modification unit that modifies the procurement time information or the status information when the modification reception unit receives a modification instruction for the shipping plan from the user; the shipping plan creation unit, when the condition modification unit modifies the procurement time information or the status information, creates the shipping plan from information including the production-related information with the modified procurement time information or status information; and the transmission unit transmits a signal to the display unit indicating the shipping plan created from information including the production-related information with the modified procurement time information or status information.

10. The shipping plan creation system according to claim 5, wherein the evaluation creation unit creates an evaluation of the shipping plan from the production-related information and the shipping plan corresponding to the production-related information using a trained model for inferring an evaluation of the shipping plan from the production-related information and the shipping plan corresponding to the production-related information.

11. The shipping plan creation system according to claim 10, wherein the evaluation creation unit creates an evaluation of the shipping plan by determining whether or not the shipping plan meets the evaluation criteria, and if it determines that the shipping plan does not meet the evaluation criteria, it creates the cause of the determination that the shipping plan does not meet the evaluation criteria or countermeasures to meet the evaluation criteria, and the transmission unit displays on the display unit the cause of the determination that the shipping plan does not meet the evaluation criteria or countermeasures to meet the evaluation criteria if the evaluation creation unit has determined that the shipping plan does not meet the evaluation criteria.

12. The shipping plan creation system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising a future risk prediction unit that uses the shipping plan data created and finalized by the shipping plan creation unit to predict risks that may occur in the future with respect to the finalized shipping plan, wherein the transmission unit transmits a signal to the display unit for displaying a risk level, which is an indicator of the importance of the risks predicted by the future risk prediction unit.

13. The shipping plan creation system according to claim 12, wherein the transmitting unit transmits a signal to the display unit for displaying the recommended countermeasures along with the risk level.

14. The shipping plan creation system according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the future risk prediction unit uses at least one of the following data for predicting the risk: actual data including actual shipment data of previously created shipping plan data, and external data including external indicators.

15. A shipping plan creation method comprising: a first step in which a shipping plan creation unit creates a shipping plan for each product type, indicating the shipping time and the shipping quantity corresponding to the shipping time for each product type, using production plan information indicating the production time and production quantity corresponding to the production time for each product type, procurement time information indicating the time required from the end of production of each product type until shipment, and production-related information including status information regarding the status of the production process for each product type; and a second step in which a transmission unit transmits a signal indicating the shipping plan created in the first step to a display unit that displays information to the user.

16. A program comprising: a first step in which a shipping plan creation unit creates a shipping plan for each product type, indicating the shipping time and the shipping quantity corresponding to the shipping time for each product type, using production plan information indicating the production time and production quantity corresponding to the production time for each product type, procurement time information indicating the time required from the end of production of each product type until shipment, and production-related information including status information regarding the status of the production process for each product type; and a second step in which a transmission unit transmits a signal indicating the shipping plan created in the first step to a display unit that displays information to the user.

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