Method and system for multi-enterprise optimization using flexible trade contracts
View Patent ↗A method of multi-enterprise optimization at a buyer computer ( 20 ) includes accessing a forecasted demand for at least one item and generating one or more proposed flexible trade contracts ( 500, 530, 560 ) using the forecasted demand for the item. The proposed flexible trade contract ( 500, 530, 560 ) is communicated to a seller computer ( 40 ) and subsequently executed after acceptance of the proposed flexible trade contract ( 500, 530, 560 ) at the seller computer ( 40 ) to create a flexible trade contract ( 500, 530, 560 ). Each proposed flexible trade contract ( 500, 530, 560 ) may be a forward contract ( 500 ), an option contract ( 530 ), or a flexible forward contract ( 560 ).
1. A method of supply chain activity optimization involving multiple enterprises at a buyer computer system, comprising:
accessing a forecasted demand for at least one item;
automatically and without user input subsequent to accessing the forecasted demand, generating one or more proposed flexible trade contracts using the forecasted demand for the item;
automatically and without user input subsequent to generating the proposed flexible trade contracts, communicating each proposed flexible trade contract to a seller computer system to initiate an automatic collaborative negotiation over the proposed flexible trade contract with the seller computer system;
automatically and without user input subsequent to communicating the proposed flexible trade contract, as part of the automatic collaborative negotiation, receiving at least one modification of the proposed flexible trade contract from the seller computer system for automatic evaluation and possible acceptance in response to communicating the proposed flexible trade contract;
automatically and without user input subsequent to receiving the modification of the proposed flexible trade contract from the seller computer system, as part of the automatic collaborative negotiation, evaluating the modification to determine whether the modification is acceptable;
automatically and without user input subsequent to evaluating the modification of the proposed flexible trade contract, as part of the automatic collaborative negotiation, accepting the modification if the modification is acceptable;
subsequent to execution of a flexible trade contract created based on the proposed flexible trade contract as a result of the automatic collaborative negotiation, taking one or more actions to perform under the executed flexible trade contract; and
subsequent to execution of the flexible trade contract created based on the proposed flexible trade contract as a result of the automatic collaborative negotiation, taking one or more actions to enforce the executed flexible trade contract.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each proposed flexible trade contract is selected from the group consisting of a forward contract, an option contract, and a flexible forward contract.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein each forward contract comprises a quantity of the item that a buyer is obligated to purchase and a seller is obligated to supply.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein each forward contract comprises a unit forward contract, and wherein the buyer is obligated to purchase and the seller is obligated to supply a quantity of one unit of the item.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein each option contract comprises an option, the option comprising at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of:
a maximum quantity of the item that a seller is obligated to supply;
a maximum number of item types that the seller is obligated to supply; and
a maximum number of locations where the item must be provided.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein each option contract comprises a unit option contract, and wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of:
a maximum of one unit of the item;
a maximum of one item type; and
a maximum of one location.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein each option contract comprises an exercise period after the execution of the option contract during which a buyer must exercise the option.
8. The method of claim 2 , wherein each flexible forward contract comprises:
a total quantity of one or more items that a buyer is obligated to purchase and a seller is obligated to supply; and
a plurality of subcontracts each comprising an option, each option comprising at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of:
a range of quantities for one item;
a range of quantities for one item type; and
a range of quantities for one location where the item must be provided.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein each flexible forward contract comprises a unit flexible forward contract, and wherein the total quantity is one unit and the parameter is selected from the group consisting of:
a range of zero to one unit for the item;
a range of zero to one unit for the item type; and
a range of zero to one unit for the location.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein each flexible forward contract comprises an exercise period after the execution of the flexible forward contract during which the buyer must exercise the option.
11. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
receiving an alternate contract term from the seller computer system for automatic evaluation and possible acceptance;
automatically and without user input subsequent to receiving the alternate contract term from the seller computer system, accepting the alternate contract term without user input if the alternate contract term falls within a range of acceptable contract terms; and
automatically and without user input subsequent to receiving the alternate contract term from the seller computer system, identifying the alternate contract term as requiring user input if the alternate contract term falls outside the range of acceptable contract terms.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
updating the forecasted demand for the item; and
automatically and without user input subsequent to updating the forecasted demand for the item, exercising an option in the flexible trade contract based on the updated forecasted demand.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, automatically and without user input subsequent to execution of the flexible trade contract, calculating a penalty if a seller fails to comply with a term of the flexible trade contract.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein communicating each proposed flexible trade contract to the seller computer system comprises communicating each proposed flexible trade contract to the seller computer system through an intermediary.
15. A method of supply chain activity optimization involving multiple enterprises at a seller computer system, comprising:
receiving, as part of an automatic collaborative negotiation, one or more proposed flexible trade contracts from a buyer computer system for automatic evaluation and possible acceptance, each proposed flexible trade contract reflecting a buyer's forecasted demand for at least one item;
automatically and without user input subsequent to receiving a proposed flexible trade contract from the buyer computer system, as part of the automatic collaborative negotiation, evaluating the proposed flexible trade contract to determine whether the proposed flexible trade contract is acceptable;
automatically and without user input subsequent to evaluating the proposed flexible trade contract, as part of the automatic collaborative negotiation:
if the proposed flexible trade contract is acceptable, accepting the proposed flexible trade contract; and
if the proposed flexible trade contract is not acceptable, generating at least one modification of the proposed flexible trade contract and communicating the modification to the buyer computer system for automatic evaluation and possible acceptance;
subsequent to execution of a flexible trade contract created based on the proposed flexible trade contract as a result of the automatic collaborative negotiation, taking one or more actions to perform under the executed flexible trade contract; and
subsequent to execution of the flexible trade contract created based on the proposed flexible trade contract as a result of the automatic collaborative negotiation, taking one or more actions to enforce the executed flexible trade contract.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein each proposed flexible trade contract is selected from the group consisting of a forward contract, an option contract, and a flexible forward contract.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein each forward contract comprises a quantity of the item that the buyer is obligated to purchase and a seller is obligated to supply.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein each forward contract comprises a unit forward contract, and wherein the buyer is obligated to purchase and the seller is obligated to supply a quantity of one unit of the item.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein each option contract comprises an option, the option comprising at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of:
a maximum quantity of the item that a seller is obligated to supply;
a maximum number of item types that the seller is obligated to supply; and
a maximum number of locations where the item must be provided.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein each option contract comprises a unit option contract, and wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of:
a maximum of one unit of the item;
a maximum of one item type; and
a maximum of one location.
21. The method of claim 19 , wherein each option contract comprises an exercise period after the execution of the option contract during which the buyer must exercise the option.
22. The method of claim 16 , wherein each flexible forward contract comprises:
a total quantity of one or more items that the buyer is obligated to purchase and a seller is obligated to supply; and
a plurality of subcontracts each comprising an option, each option comprising at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of:
a range of quantities for one item;
a range of quantities for one item type; and
a range of quantities for one location where the item must be provided.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein each flexible forward contract comprises a unit flexible forward contract, and wherein the total quantity is one unit and the parameter is selected from the group consisting of:
a range of zero to one unit for the item;
a range of zero to one unit for the item type; and
a range of zero to one unit for the location.
24. The method of claim 22 , wherein each flexible forward contract comprises an exercise period after the execution of the flexible forward contract during which the buyer must exercise the option.
25. The method of claim 15 , comprising:
automatically and without user input subsequent to evaluating the proposed flexible trade contract, generating an alternate contract term; and
automatically and without user input subsequent to generating the alternate contract term, communicating the alternate contract term to the buyer computer system for automatic evaluation and possible acceptance.
26. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
receiving a request from the buyer computer system to exercise an option in the flexible trade contract; and
automatically and without user input subsequent to receiving the request from the buyer computer system, accepting the buyer's request if the buyer computer system submitted the request within an exercise period and the request does not exceed a term of the flexible trade contract.
27. The method of claim 15 , further comprising, automatically and without user input subsequent to execution of the flexible trade contract, calculating a penalty if the buyer fails to comply with a term of the flexible trade contract.
28. The method of claim 15 , wherein receiving one or more proposed flexible trade contracts from the buyer computer system comprises receiving one or more proposed flexible trade contracts from the buyer computer system through an intermediary.
29. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, as part of the collaborative negotiation, communicating with the seller computer system in a series of rounds in which the buyer computer system and the seller computer system successively propose one or more counter-modifications of the proposed flexible trade contract for automatic evaluation and possible acceptance to create the flexible trade contract.
30. The method of claim 15 , further comprising, as part of the collaborative negotiation, communicating with the buyer computer system in a series of rounds in which the buyer computer system and the seller computer system successively propose one or more counter-modifications of the proposed flexible trade contract for automatic evaluation and possible acceptance to create the flexible trade contract.