Supply Chain Network Redrawing for Trading Path Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional supply chain analysis techniques fail to accurately represent actual supply chains, as they may include platform companies that are not part of the actual trading network and struggle to reflect companies not included in open information, and make it difficult to find alternative paths within the chain.
Innovation Solution
An information processing system that extracts and redraws supply chain networks by obtaining a supply chain network, extracting subnetworks including upstream and downstream companies, and redrawing paths to accurately represent trading relationships and alternative paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If conventional supply chain analysis techniques display paths based on open information, then the system can provide a basic supply chain view, but the displayed paths may not represent actual supply chains due to inclusion of platform companies and missing private trading relationships
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes platform companies from the supply chain network. The path extraction unit specifically identifies and excludes paths that pass through platform companies, ensuring that only direct trading relationships between actual supply chain participants are displayed, thereby preventing contamination of the supply chain view with non-participating entities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary verification mechanism where the path extraction unit acts as a mediator between the raw supply chain network data and the displayed paths. This intermediary layer validates paths against multiple criteria (excluding platform companies, ensuring direct trading relationships) before presenting the final supply chain representation
2Ease of operation
If the system displays a specific path in the supply chain, then it provides a clear trading route, but it becomes difficult to find alternative substitute paths when the specific path cannot be used
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic path extraction that can adapt to different scenarios. The path extraction unit is configured to extract multiple alternative paths between supply chain participants, and the system can dynamically switch between different paths based on usability requirements, providing both clarity for specific routes and flexibility for alternatives
3Quantity of substance
If the system includes all companies in the network, then it provides comprehensive coverage, but it includes platform companies that are not part of the actual trading network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes platform companies from the supply chain network. The path extraction unit specifically identifies and excludes paths that pass through platform companies, ensuring that only direct trading relationships between actual supply chain participants are displayed, thereby preventing contamination of the supply chain view with non-participating entities
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing system includes: a supply chain network obtaining unit obtaining a supply chain network in which a plurality of nodes, each corresponding to one of a plurality of companies, are connected together with links; a subnetwork extracting unit extracting, from the supply chain network, a subnetwork including at least one of an upstream subnetwork including an upstream company supplying a first company with a product, or a downstream subnetwork including a downstream company supplied with the product from the first company; a path extracting unit extracting a path group including one or more paths in the subnetwork, the one or more paths connecting a node representing the first company and a node representing a second company with one or more of the links; and a redrawing unit redrawing the path group extracted by the path extracting unit.