System and method for providing buffer inventory profile in a discrete time supply chain planner using a nested bucketization structure

1. A system for providing nested bucketization in a supply chain network, comprising:

a database that stores data describing a time horizon of a specified time interval; and

a computer comprising a processor and a memory, the computer coupled with the database and configured to:

access the data describing the time horizon of the specified time interval;

create an on-hand inventory profile that points to an empty linked list when first created and comprises a set of (day, quantity) pairs, wherein day of the set of (day, quantity) pairs is a date on which an amount of material enters an on-hand inventory, and quantity of the set of (day, quantity) pairs is the amount of material that enters the on-hand inventory on the date;

store the on-hand inventory profile in the database;

add one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs to the on-hand inventory profile by inserting the one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs into the linked list;

divide the time horizon into multiple nested buckets;

add the one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs to the nested buckets and store the one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs within the nested buckets in separate linked lists; and

add the one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs to the on-hand inventory profile by adding it to the linked list within the nested bucket.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs is inserted into the linked list in a sorted manner.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further configured to receive a query from one or more users to access on-hand inventory on a given day.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the computer is further configured to traverse the linked list present in one or more of the multiple nested buckets to identify the on-hand inventory on a given day.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein day of the sets of (day, quantity) pairs is a time at which an amount of material enters an on-hand inventory.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the time horizon is divided into three nested buckets.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein a length of each of the nested buckets except for a last nested bucket is equal to the first whole integer rounded up from the result of the time horizon divided by number of nested buckets.

8. A computer-implemented method of nested bucketization, comprising:

accessing, by a computer, data describing a time horizon of a specified time interval;

creating, by the computer, an on-hand inventory profile that points to an empty link when first created and comprises a set of (day, quantity) pairs, wherein day of the set of (day, quantity) pairs is a date on which an amount of material enters an on-hand inventory, and quantity of the set of (day, quantity) pairs is the amount of material that enters the on-hand inventory on the date; and

storing, by the computer, the on-hand inventory profile in a database;

adding, by the computer, one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs to the on-hand inventory profile by inserting the one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs into the linked list;

dividing, by the computer, the time horizon into multiple nested buckets;

adding, by the computer, the one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs to the appropriate nested buckets and storing the one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs within the nested buckets in separate linked lists; and

adding the one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs to the on-hand inventory profile by adding it to the linked list within the appropriate nested bucket.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs is inserted into the linked list in a sorted manner.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving a query from one or more users to access on-hand inventory on a given day.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising traversing the linked list present in one or more of the multiple nested buckets to identify the on-hand inventory on a given day.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein day of the sets of (day, quantity) pairs is a time at which an amount of material enters an on-hand inventory.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the time horizon is divided into three nested buckets.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein a length of each of the nested buckets except for a last nested bucket is equal to the first whole integer rounded up from the result of the time horizon divided by number of nested buckets.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium embodied with software providing nested bucketization in a supply chain network, the software when executed using one or more computers is configured to:

access data describing a time horizon of a specified time interval;

create an on-hand inventory profile that points to an empty link list when first created and comprises a set of (day, quantity) pairs, wherein day of the set of (day, quantity) pairs is a date on which an amount of material enters an on-hand inventory, and quantity of the set of (day, quantity) pairs is the amount of material that enters the on-hand inventory on the date; and

store the on-hand inventory profile in a database;

add one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs to the on-hand inventory profile by inserting the one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs into the linked list;

divide the time horizon into multiple nested buckets;

add the one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs to the appropriate nested buckets and storing the one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs within the nested buckets in separate linked lists;

add the one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs to the on-hand inventory profile by adding it to the linked list within the appropriate nested bucket.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the software is further configured to add one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs to the on-hand inventory profile by inserting the one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs into the linked list.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs is inserted into the linked list in a sorted manner.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the software is further configured to add the one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs to the appropriate nested buckets and storing the one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs within the nested buckets in separate linked lists.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the software is further configured to add the one or more sets of (day, quantity) pairs to the on-hand inventory profile by adding it to the linked list within the appropriate nested bucket.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the software is further configured to receive a query from one or more users to access on-hand inventory on a given day.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein the software is further configured to traverse the linked list present in one or more of the multiple nested buckets to identify the on-hand inventory on a given day.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the software is further configured to divide the time horizon into multiple nested buckets.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein day of the sets of (day, quantity) pairs is a time at which an amount of material enters an on-hand inventory.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the time horizon is divided into three nested buckets.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein a length of each of the nested buckets except for a last nested bucket is equal to the first whole integer rounded up from the result of the time horizon divided by number of nested buckets.