System and method for allocating data in a hierarchical organization of data
View Patent ↗A method for allocating data in a hierarchical organization of data ( 16 ) includes determining new values for one or more parents ( 200, 220 ) in the organization of data ( 16 ) and determining current values for one or more children ( 210, 230 ) in the organization of data ( 16 ). Each child ( 210, 230 ) is hierarchically related to one or more of the parents ( 200, 220 ). The method also includes determining the relationship between each parent ( 200, 220 ) and its children ( 210, 230 ) and determining a variation for each child ( 210, 230 ). Furthermore, the method includes determining a new value for each child ( 210, 230 ) by allocating the new values of the parents ( 200, 220 ) to the children based on the parent-child relationships, the current values of the children ( 210, 230 ), and the variations of the children ( 210, 230 ).
1. A computer-implemented method for allocating data in a hierarchical organization of data, comprising:
determining new values for one or more parents in the organization of data;
determining current values for one or more children in the organization of data, each child being hierarchically related to one or more of the parents;
determining the relationship between each parent and its children;
determining a variation for each child; and
determining a new value for each child by allocating the new values of the parents to the children based on the parent-child relationships, the current values of the children, and either the sum of the variations of the children or a matrix of the variations of the children.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the new values of the parents represent demand forecasts to be allocated to the children.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the variation of each child is calculated using statistical techniques based on the historical variation in the values of the child over a specified time period.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the new value of each child is determined using the equation:
{overscore (x)}′={overscore (x)}+ΣR T ( RΣR T ) −1 ( {overscore (y)}−R{overscore (x)} ),
in which {overscore (x)}′ comprises a vector of the new values of the children, {overscore (x)} comprises a vector of the current values of the children, Σ comprises a matrix of the variations of the children, R comprises a matrix identifying the parent-child relationships, R T comprises the transpose of R, and {overscore (y)} comprises a vector of the new values of the parents.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the new value of each child is determined using the equation:
x
_
i
′
=
x
_
i
+
σ
i
,
i
∑
i
σ
i
,
i
(
y
_
-
∑
i
x
_
i
)
,
in which {overscore (x)}′ i comprises the new value of the child i, {overscore (x)} i comprises the current value associated with a child i, σ i,i comprises the variation of the child i, Σ i σ i,i comprises the sum of the variations of the children, Σ i {overscore (x)} i comprises the sum of the current values of the children, and {overscore (y)} comprises the new value of the parent of the child i.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the organization of data comprises one or more dimensions; and
the parents and children are all members of the same dimension within the organization of data.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the organization of data comprises multiple dimensions; and
the parents and children are each associated with multiple dimensions of the organization of data.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the parents and children each represent a storage location within the organization of data that is uniquely identified by the positions of members in two or more of the dimensions.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the organization of data comprises at least two dimensions selected from the group consisting of a time dimension, a product dimension, and a geography dimension.
10. A system for allocating data in a hierarchical organization of data, comprising:
data storage including:
one or more parents having associated values; and
a plurality of children having associated values, each child being hierarchically related to one or more of the parents; and
a server coupled to the organization of data and operable to:
receive a new value for one or more of the parents;
receive a current value for one or more of the children;
receive an identification of the relationship between each parent and its children;
receive a variation for each child; and
determine a new value for each child by allocating the new values of the parents to the children based on the parent-child relationships, the current values of the children, and either the sum of the variations of the children or a matrix of the variations of the children.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the new values of the parents represent demand forecasts to be allocated to the children.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the variation of each child is calculated using statistical techniques based on the historical variation in the values of the child over a specified time period.
13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the server is operable to determine the new value of each child using the equation:
{overscore (x)}′={overscore (x)}+ΣR T ( RΣR T ) −1 ( {overscore (y)}−R{overscore (x)} ),
in which {overscore (x)}′ comprises a vector of the new values of the children, {overscore (x)} comprises a vector of the current values of the children, Σ comprises a matrix of the variations of the children, R comprises a matrix identifying the parent-child relationships, R T comprises the transpose of R, and {overscore (y)} comprises a vector of the new values of the parents.
14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the server is operable to determine the new value of each child is determined using the equation:
x
_
i
′
=
x
_
i
+
σ
i
,
i
∑
i
σ
i
,
i
(
y
_
-
∑
i
x
_
i
)
,
in which {overscore (x)}′ i comprises the new value of the child i, {overscore (x)} i comprises the current value associated with a child i, σ i,i comprises the variation of the child i, Σ i σ i,i comprises the sum of the variations of the children, Σ i{overscore (x)} i comprises the sum of the current values of the children, and {overscore (y)} comprises the new value of the parent of the child i.
15. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the organization of data comprises one or more dimensions; and
the parents and children are all members of the same dimension within the organization of data.
16. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the organization of data comprises multiple dimensions; and
the parents and children are each associated with multiple dimensions of the organization of data.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the parents and children each represent a storage location within the organization of data that is uniquely identified by the positions of members in two or more of the dimensions.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the organization of data comprises at least two dimensions selected from the group consisting of a time dimension, a product dimension, and a geography dimension.
19. Software for allocating data in a hierarchical organization of data, the software embodied in a computer-readable medium and operable to:
determine new values for one or more parents in the organization of data;
determine current values for one or more children in the organization of data, each child being hierarchically related to one or more of the parents;
determine the relationship between each parent and its children;
determine a variation for each child; and
determine a new value for each child by allocating the new values of the parents to the children based on the parent-child relationships, the current values of the children, and either the sum of the variations of the children or a matrix of the variations of the children.
20. The software of claim 19 , wherein the new values of the parents represent demand forecasts to be allocated to the children.
21. The software of claim 19 , wherein the variation of each child is calculated using statistical techniques based on the historical variation in the values of the child over a specified time period.
22. The software of claim 19 , wherein the new value of each child is determined using the equation:
{overscore (x)}′={overscore (x)}+ΣR T ( RΣR T ) −1 ( {overscore (y)}−R{overscore (x)} ),
in which {overscore (x)}′comprises a vector of the new values of the children, {overscore (x)} comprises a vector of the current values of the children, Σ comprises a matrix of the variations of the children, R comprises a matrix identifying the parent-child relationships, R T comprises the transpose of R, and {overscore (y)} comprises a vector of the new values of the parents.
23. The software of claim 19 , wherein the new value of each child is determined using the equation:
x
_
i
′
=
x
_
i
+
σ
i
,
i
∑
i
σ
i
,
i
(
y
_
-
∑
i
x
_
i
)
,
in which {overscore (x)}′ i comprises the new value of the child i, {overscore (x)} i comprises the current value associated with a child i, σ i,i comprises the variation of the child i, Σ i σ i,i comprises the sum of the variations of the children, Σ i{overscore (x)} i comprises the sum of the current values of the children, and {overscore (y)} comprises the new value of the parent of the child i.
24. The software of claim 19 , wherein:
the organization of data comprises one or more dimensions; and
the parents and children are all members of the same dimension within the organization of data.
25. The software of claim 19 , wherein:
the organization of data comprises multiple dimensions; and
the parents and children are each associated with multiple dimensions of the organization of data.
26. The software of claim 25 , wherein the parents and children each represent a storage location within the organization of data that is uniquely identified by the positions of members in two or more of the dimensions.
27. The software of claim 25 , wherein the organization of data comprises at least two dimensions selected from the group consisting of a time dimension, a product dimension, and a geography dimension.
28. A system for allocating data in a hierarchical organization of data, comprising:
means for determining new values for one or more parents in the organization of data;
means for determining current values for one or more children in the organization of data, each child being hierarchically related to one or more of the parents;
means for determining the relationship between each parent and its children;
means for determining a variation for each child; and
means for determining a new value for each child by allocating the new values of the parents to the children based on the parent-child relationships, the current values of the children, and either the sum of the variations of the children or a matrix of the variations of the children.
29. A computer-implemented method for allocating data in a hierarchical, multi-dimensional organization of data, comprising:
determining demand forecasts for one or more parents in the organization of data;
determining current demand values for one or more children in the organization of data, each child being hierarchically related to one or more of the parents;
determining the relationship between each parent and its children, the parents and children each representing a storage location within the organization of data that is uniquely identified by the positions of members in two or more dimensions of the organization of data;
determining a variation for each child, the variation calculated using statistical techniques based on the historical variation in the values of the child over a specified time period; and
determining a new demand value for each child by allocating the demand forecasts for the parents to the children based on the parent-child relationships, the current demand values of the children, and either the sum of the variations of the children or a matrix of the variations of the children.
30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the new demand value of each child is determined using the equation:
{overscore (x)}′={overscore (x)}+ΣR T ( RΣR T ) −1 ( {overscore (y)}−R{overscore (x)} ),
in which {overscore (x)}′ comprises a vector of the new demand values of the children, {overscore (x)} comprises a vector of the current demand values of the children, Σ comprises a matrix of the variations of the children, R comprises a matrix identifying the parent-child relationships, R T comprises the transpose of R, and {overscore (y)} comprises a vector of the demand forecasts of the parents.
31. A system for allocating data in a hierarchical, multi-dimensional organization of data, comprising:
a hierarchical, multi-dimensional organization of data including:
one or more parents having demand associated values; and
a plurality of children having associated demand values, each child being hierarchically related to one or more of the parents;
the parents and children each representing a storage location within the organization of data that is uniquely identified by the positions of members in two or more dimensions of the organization of data; and
a server coupled to the organization of data and operable to:
receive a forecasted demand value for one or more of the parents;
receive a current demand value for one or more of the children;
receive an identification of the relationship between each parent and its children;
receive a variation for each child, the variation calculated using statistical techniques based on the historical variation in the values of the child; and
determine a new demand value for each child by allocating the demand forecasts of the parents to the children based on the parent-child relationships, the current demand values of the children, and either the sum of the variations of the children or a matrix of the variations of the children.
32. The system of claim 31 , wherein the new demand value of each child is determined using the equation:
{overscore (x)}′={overscore (x)}+ΣR T ( RΣR T ) −1 ( {overscore (y)}−R{overscore (x)} ),
in which {overscore (x)}′ comprises a vector of the new demand values of the children, {overscore (x)} comprises a vector of the current demand values of the children, Σ comprises a matrix of the variations of the children, R comprises a matrix identifying the parent-child relationships, R T comprises the transpose of R, and {overscore (y)} comprises a vector of the demand forecasts of the parents.
33. Software for allocating data in a hierarchical organization of data, the software embodied in a computer-readable medium and operable to:
determine demand forecasts for one or more parents in the organization of data;
determine current demand values for one or more children in the organization of data, each child being hierarchically related to one or more of the parents;
determine the relationship between each parent and its children, the parents and children each representing a storage location within the organization of data that is uniquely identified by the positions of members in two or more dimensions of the organization of data;
determine a variation for each child, the variation calculated using statistical techniques based on the historical variation in the values of the child; and
determine a new demand value for each child by allocating the demand forecasts for the parents to the children based on the parent-child relationships, the current demand values of the children, and either the sum of the variations of the children or a matrix of the variations of the children.
34. The software of claim 33 , wherein the new demand value of each child is determined using the equation:
{overscore (x)}′={overscore (x)}+ΣR T ( RΣR T ) −1 ( {overscore (y)}−R{overscore (x)} ),
in which {overscore (x)} comprises a vector of the new demand values of the children, {overscore (x)} comprises a vector of the current demand values of the children, Σ comprises a matrix of the variations of the children, R comprises a matrix identifying the parent-child relationships, R T comprises the transpose of R, and {overscore (y)} comprises a vector of the demand forecasts of the parents.