Supply Chain Network Creation Using Bill of Materials Filtering

The patent segments the supply chain network creation process into multiple hierarchical stages: first creating a preliminary network based on broad industrial classifications, then progressively refining it by dividing into more specific classifications and applying bill of materials analysis. This segmentation allows the system to manage complexity while progressively improving precision in identifying companies truly related to the target item.

The patent performs preliminary actions by first constructing a supply chain network using broad industrial classifications before refining it. The bill of materials is created in advance to establish component relationships, which then serves as a basis for filtering and narrowing down companies. This preliminary structuring enables subsequent precision improvements without starting from scratch.

The patent applies a dynamic, multi-stage filtering approach where the supply chain network is progressively refined through multiple passes. Companies are dynamically added and removed based on their relevance to the target item, with each stage applying stricter criteria. This dynamic process transitions from a broad initial network to a precisely filtered final network, adapting the company count to actual relevance requirements.

The patent initially creates an excessive supply chain network that includes more companies than strictly necessary, using broad industrial classifications. This intentional over-inclusion allows subsequent filtering stages to remove irrelevant companies systematically. The bill of materials analysis serves as a partial action that progressively narrows down the excessive initial set to the precise target set.

The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-creating bill of materials structures and organizing item classifications before the actual supply chain network refinement. This preliminary organization of component relationships and classification hierarchies enables faster subsequent processing, as the system doesn't need to analyze everything from scratch during each refinement stage.

The patent segments the complex analysis process into manageable stages: first organizing item classifications, then creating preliminary bill of materials, then applying multi-pass filtering. This segmentation breaks down the time-consuming detailed analysis into smaller, more efficient processing steps, reducing overall processing time while maintaining precision.