Information Management System and Information Management Method

Abstract

This invention relates to an information management system and an information management method. The information management system includes a storage unit and an access control unit. The storage unit stores at least one material-related information from one or more suppliers that supply materials constituting a product manufactured by a manufacturer to the manufacturer. Upon receiving a defect notification from the manufacturer, the access control unit controls the granting of access permissions to the manufacturer, wherein the access permissions are access to at least a portion of confidential information contained in the material information of the defect-related materials stored in the storage unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to information management systems and information management methods. Background Technology

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-047267 discloses a fault location determination support device for identifying fault locations in production equipment based on product defects. The fault location determination support device of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-047267 includes a fault location information storage unit that associates and stores fault location information with product defects. The fault location information indicates the fault location of the production equipment that is the cause of the product defect produced using the production equipment. Furthermore, the fault location determination support device of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-047267 includes a fault location information extraction unit that extracts fault location information corresponding to a specified product defect from the fault location information storage unit, and a display control unit that displays the fault location represented by the fault location information extracted by the fault location information extraction unit. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In the production of goods (products) by manufacturers such as vehicle manufacturers, many products are composed of multiple materials supplied from multiple suppliers. When a quality defect arises in such a product at the manufacturer's location, information from the manufacturer alone is insufficient to determine the cause of the defect; sometimes, information related to the materials managed by the supplier (material information) is needed. However, the material information used to determine the cause of the defect sometimes contains confidential information. Therefore, using the supplier's material information to determine the cause of the defect is not easy. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-047267 does not disclose the situation where the information contains confidential information; therefore, in the technology of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-047267, determining the cause of a quality defect related to the product is not easy.

[0004] The present invention provides an information management system and information management method that can easily determine the causes of quality defects related to products made of materials supplied from suppliers.

[0005] The information management system of the present invention comprises: a storage unit that stores at least one material information related to the material supplied to the manufacturer from one or more suppliers that constitute the material produced by the manufacturer; and an access control unit that, upon receiving a defect notification from the manufacturer indicating that a quality defect related to the product has occurred, controls the granting of access permissions to the manufacturer in such a manner that the access permissions are access to at least a portion of confidential information contained in the material information of the material related to the defect stored in the storage unit.

[0006] Furthermore, the information management method of the present invention stores at least one material information related to the materials that constitute the materials of a product manufactured by a manufacturer at one or more suppliers in a storage unit. When a defect notification indicating that a quality defect related to the product has been received from the manufacturer is received, the method controls the granting of access permissions to the manufacturer in such a way that the access permissions are access permissions to at least a portion of the confidential information contained in the material information of the materials related to the defect stored in the storage unit.

[0007] With this structure, manufacturers can use confidential information from suppliers to investigate the causes of defects. Therefore, this invention can easily determine the causes of quality defects related to products made from materials supplied by suppliers.

[0008] Alternatively, preferably, the access control unit grants the access permission to the manufacturer in such a way that the greater the urgency of finding out the cause of the defect, the wider the range of confidential information to which the access permission is granted.

[0009] With this structure, the present invention achieves a balance between protecting confidential information and determining the cause of defects.

[0010] Additionally, preferably, the confidential information is set with a machine density indicating the level of confidentiality at the supplier's location. The higher the urgency of the defect, the more access control unit will grant the manufacturer access rights to confidential information with a higher machine density and confidential information with a lower machine density.

[0011] With this structure, the present invention can more reliably achieve a balance between protecting confidential information and determining the cause of defects.

[0012] Alternatively, preferably, the access control unit grants the access rights to the manufacturer in such a way that the scope of confidential information to which the access rights are granted increases as the investigation into the cause of the defect progresses.

[0013] With this structure, the present invention achieves a balance between protecting confidential information and determining the cause of defects.

[0014] Additionally, preferably, the confidential information is set with a machine density indicating the level of confidentiality at the supplier's location. If the cause of the defect at the manufacturer is not identified after the access control unit grants access to the first confidential information in the confidential information, the access control unit grants access to the manufacturer to the second confidential information in the confidential information with a machine density higher than that of the first confidential information.

[0015] With this structure, the present invention can more reliably achieve a balance between protecting confidential information and determining the cause of defects.

[0016] Alternatively, preferably, the confidential information includes change point information related to the point in time when the production of the corresponding material changed from the state when the material was previously produced, and the access control unit grants the manufacturer access rights to the change point information.

[0017] With this structure, the cause of the defect can be more easily determined in this invention.

[0018] Furthermore, preferably, the storage unit stores the material information in a manner that establishes a correspondence between the material and other materials constituted by assembling the material, and also includes a material determination unit that uses the material information stored in the storage unit to determine the material associated with the defect.

[0019] With this structure, even if the material (component) that caused the defect has not been identified, it is easy to identify the material (component) that may have caused the defect.

[0020] According to the present invention, an information management system and information management method are provided that can easily determine the causes of quality defects related to products made of materials supplied from suppliers. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals denote the same elements, wherein:

[0022] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating the information management system of Implementation Method 1.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating the information stored in the storage unit of Embodiment 1.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a functional block diagram illustrating the structure of the information management system in Implementation Method 1.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating an information management method performed by the information management system of Implementation 1.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the alternative decision-making process performed by the information management system of Implementation 1.

[0027] Figure 6 This is a functional block diagram illustrating the structure of the information management system in Embodiment 2.

[0028] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the information management method performed by the information management system of Implementation 2.

[0029] Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating the material information stored in the storage unit of Embodiment 3.

[0030] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating the information management method performed by the information management system of Implementation 3.

[0031] Figure 10 This is a diagram illustrating the material information stored in the storage unit of Embodiment 4.

[0032] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating the information management method performed by the information management system of Implementation 4.

[0033] Figure 12 This is a diagram used to illustrate the material determination method of Embodiment 4. Detailed Implementation

[0034] (Implementation Method 1)

[0035] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. For clarity of description, the following descriptions and drawings have been appropriately omitted and simplified. In addition, the same reference numerals are used to label the same elements in the drawings, and repeated descriptions have been omitted as needed.

[0036] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating an information management system 1 according to Embodiment 1. The information management system 1 includes a product manufacturer device 10, a supplier device 20, a transportation company device 30, an information management device 100, and a storage unit 50. The information management device 100 is communicatively connected to the product manufacturer device 10, the supplier device 20, and the transportation company device 30 via a wired or wireless network 2. The network 2 can be, for example, the Internet or a LAN (Local Area Network).

[0037] Storage unit 50 is, for example, a database (DB). Information management device 100 manages the information stored in storage unit 50. Specifically, information management device 100 saves information to storage unit 50. Furthermore, information management device 100 makes the saved information readable as needed. It should be noted that storage unit 50 may also be physically integrated with information management device 100. Storage unit 50 may also be built into information management device 100. Additionally, storage unit 50 may also function as a website (web server) that allows the stored information to be viewed externally.

[0038] Product manufacturing device 10 functions as an information processing device, such as a computer. Product manufacturing device 10 is managed by the product manufacturer (hereinafter referred to as "manufacturer") that produces the product (article). Product manufacturing device 10 can be a server, a terminal, or have both server and terminal functions. Product manufacturing device 10 can be set up for each manufacturer or more. Furthermore, if there are multiple manufacturers, there can also be multiple product manufacturing devices 10.

[0039] The supplier device 20 functions as an information processing device, such as a computer. The supplier device 20 is managed by suppliers who produce the materials constituting the product and supply them to the manufacturer. The supplier device 20 can be a server, a terminal, or have functions as both a server and a terminal. Here, materials are, for example, components or unit products constituting the product. Unit products are further composed of multiple materials (components). For example, in the case of an automobile, the materials are a transmission axle, gearbox, bolts, and nuts. It should be noted that the transmission axle and gearbox can also be considered unit products composed of multiple materials (components). It should be noted that the supplier device 20 can be set up for more than one supplier. If there are multiple suppliers, there can also be multiple supplier devices 20.

[0040] The transportation company device 30 functions as an information processing device, such as a computer. The transportation company device 30 is managed by the transportation company. The transportation company device 30 can be a server, a terminal, or have functions as both. The transportation company, for example, transports materials from a supplier's factory to a manufacturer's factory. It should be noted that more than one transportation company device 30 can be set up for each transportation company. If there are multiple transportation companies, there can also be multiple transportation company devices 30.

[0041] Product manufacturing device 10 sends product manufacturer information, which is related to the manufacturer that manages the product manufacturing device 10, to information management device 100. Information management device 100 saves the received product manufacturer information to storage unit 50. Thus, storage unit 50 stores product manufacturer information.

[0042] Product manufacturer information may include information related to the products manufactured by the corresponding manufacturer. For example, product manufacturer information may indicate product specifications and manufacturing performance. Additionally, product manufacturer information may contain confidential information. This confidential information is not disclosed to the manufacturer's external parties unless a defect related to a product manufactured by the corresponding manufacturer occurs. Therefore, product manufacturer information can include information that can be used to investigate the cause of a defect when one related to a product manufactured by the corresponding manufacturer occurs.

[0043] Supplier device 20 sends information related to materials supplied by the supplier managing it, i.e., material information, to information management device 100. Information management device 100 saves the received material information to storage unit 50. Thus, storage unit 50 stores material information.

[0044] Material information can represent the production performance and specifications of the corresponding material. This material information can include information that can be used to investigate the cause of a defect when one arises related to the corresponding material. More specifically, the material information can include information that can be used to investigate the cause of a quality defect related to a product made from the corresponding material. Furthermore, the material information contains confidential information. This confidential information is not disclosed to external parties except to the corresponding supplier when no defect related to the corresponding material has occurred. Additionally, the information contained in the material information can be appropriately determined through instructions from the manufacturer receiving the corresponding material.

[0045] The transportation company device 30 sends transportation information, which is related to the transportation of the transportation company managing the transportation company device 30, to the information management device 100. The information management device 100 saves the received transportation information to the storage unit 50. Thus, the storage unit 50 stores the transportation information. It should be noted that the transportation information can be used by the manufacturer to determine which transportation company to use when receiving the supply of materials.

[0046] Furthermore, the product manufacturer device 10 can access information stored in the storage unit 50 via the network 2, based on operations such as those performed by the administrator of the manufacturer managing the product manufacturer device 10. The product manufacturer device 10 can access the information stored in the storage unit 50, for example, using a web browser. In this case, the product manufacturer device 10 sends a signal (browsing request) requesting information to the information management device 100. The browsing request may include, for example, identification information of the product manufacturer device 10 (IP address, etc.) and identification information of the target information. Based on the browsing request, the information management device 100 sends the accessed information to the product manufacturer device 10 via the network 2. Thus, the administrator of the product manufacturer device 10 can browse information from other companies. It should be noted that even in this case, the product manufacturer device 10 cannot access confidential information for which it does not have access rights. In other words, the administrator of the product manufacturer device 10 cannot browse confidential information for which it does not have access rights.

[0047] Similarly, supplier device 20 can access information stored in storage unit 50 via network 2. Therefore, the administrator of supplier device 20 can browse information from other companies. It should be noted that even in this case, supplier device 20 cannot access confidential information for which it does not have access rights. In other words, the administrator of supplier device 20 cannot browse confidential information for which it does not have access rights.

[0048] Furthermore, the transportation company device 30 can also access information stored in the storage unit 50. Therefore, the administrator of the transportation company device 30 can browse information from other companies. It should be noted that even in this case, the transportation company device 30 cannot access confidential information for which it does not have access rights. In other words, the administrator of the transportation company device 30 cannot browse confidential information for which it does not have access rights.

[0049] Furthermore, when a quality defect arises related to a product manufactured by the corresponding manufacturer, the product manufacturer device 10 sends a defect notification to the information management device 100 via network 2. Details regarding defect notifications will be provided later. Upon receiving a defect notification, the information management device 100 grants the manufacturer associated with the product manufacturer device 10 that sent the defect notification access to at least a portion of the confidential information contained in the material information of the defect-related material. Further details will be provided later. Thus, the product manufacturer device 10 is able to access the confidential information contained in the material information of the defect-related material. Furthermore, the manufacturer's manager can use the product manufacturer device 10 to view this confidential information.

[0050] Here, since the storage unit 50 stores confidential information of manufacturers and suppliers, it is preferable that the administrator of the information management device 100 cannot understand the content of the confidential information even if the information management device 100 is operated. Therefore, it is preferable that the administrator of the information management device 100 specializes in a field completely different from the technical field related to the confidential information. Alternatively, the information management device 100 may also manage the information in the storage unit 50 in a manner that prevents the confidential information from being viewed even if the information management device 100 is operated.

[0051] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating information stored in the storage unit 50 of Embodiment 1. (As shown) Figure 2 As shown, the storage unit 50 stores product manufacturer information 60, material information 70, and transportation information 52.

[0052] Product manufacturer information 60 includes the corresponding manufacturer's identification information (manufacturer ID), public information, and confidential information. The public information in Product Manufacturer Information 60 is information that can always be freely viewed by members (employees, etc.) of other companies (other manufacturers, suppliers, and transportation companies) besides the corresponding manufacturer. On the other hand, the confidential information in Product Manufacturer Information 60 is information that is normally not accessible from outside the corresponding manufacturer. Furthermore, confidential information cannot be viewed without access permission. Public information includes, for example, the production record of the products manufactured by the corresponding manufacturer, the types of products, the production date of the products, and the publicly available specifications of the products. Confidential information includes, for example, the production conditions, production methods, inspection methods, and publicly restricted specifications of the products manufactured by the corresponding manufacturer.

[0053] exist Figure 2 In the example, product manufacturer information 60 regarding manufacturer A includes public information A and confidential information A. Similarly, product manufacturer information 60 regarding manufacturer B includes public information B and confidential information B. It should be noted that product manufacturer information 60 can also be set not for each manufacturer but for each department within each manufacturer (e.g., production site department, production technology department, design department, quality assurance department, etc.).

[0054] Additionally, an organic density can be set for the confidential information in the product manufacturer information 60. The organic density can be set by the corresponding manufacturer's administrator. Organic density indicates the level of confidentiality (secrecy or secrecy) at the manufacturer's level. The higher the organic density of the confidential information, the more stringent the conditions for accessing that confidential information.

[0055] exist Figure 2 In the example, manufacturer A's confidential information A includes confidential information A1, confidential information A2, and confidential information A3. Furthermore, the density of confidential information A2 is higher than that of confidential information A1. Additionally, the density of confidential information A3 is higher than that of confidential information A2. For example, the density of confidential information A1 could be "low," the density of confidential information A2 "medium," and the density of confidential information A3 "high." Similarly, manufacturer B's confidential information B includes confidential information B1, confidential information B2, and confidential information B3. Furthermore, the density of confidential information B2 is higher than that of confidential information B1. Additionally, the density of confidential information B3 is higher than that of confidential information B2. For example, the density of confidential information B1 could be "low," the density of confidential information B2 "medium," and the density of confidential information B3 "high."

[0056] It should be noted that, in Figure 2In the example, the security density of confidential information is set to three levels, but the number of security density levels is arbitrary. Alternatively, the security density can be set to one level. Furthermore, for example, the security density can be set as a continuous value from 0 to 1. The same applies to the security density of material information, which will be discussed later.

[0057] Material Information 70 includes identification information for the corresponding material (Material ID), identification information for the supplier providing the material (Supplier ID), public information, and confidential information. The public information of Material Information 70 is information that can always be freely viewed by members (employees, etc.) of companies other than the supplier providing the corresponding material (other suppliers, manufacturers, and transportation companies). On the other hand, the confidential information of Material Information 70 is information that is normally not accessible from outside the corresponding supplier. Furthermore, confidential information cannot be viewed without access permission. Public information regarding the corresponding material includes, for example, production performance, production date, location information of production sites and warehouses, inventory status, and publicly available specifications. If the corresponding material is a unit item, the public information may also show what other materials constitute that unit item. Confidential information regarding the corresponding material includes, for example, production conditions, design conditions, production methods, inspection methods, and publicly restricted specifications.

[0058] exist Figure 2 In the example, material information 70 regarding material a includes the identification information of supplier a, public information a, and confidential information a of supplier a. Additionally, material information 70 regarding material b includes the identification information of supplier b, public information b, and confidential information b of supplier b.

[0059] Additionally, an organic density can be set for the confidential information in Material Information 70. The organic density can be set by the corresponding supplier's manager. Organic density indicates the level of confidentiality at the supplier's location. The higher the organic density of the confidential information, the more stringent the conditions for accessing that confidential information.

[0060] exist Figure 2In the example, the confidential information a of material a includes confidential information a1, confidential information a2, and confidential information a3. Furthermore, the density of confidential information a2 is higher than that of confidential information a1. Additionally, the density of confidential information a3 is higher than that of confidential information a2. For example, the density of confidential information a1 could be "low," the density of confidential information a2 could be "medium," and the density of confidential information a3 could be "high." Similarly, the confidential information b of material b includes confidential information b1, confidential information b2, and confidential information b3. Furthermore, the density of confidential information b2 is higher than that of confidential information b1. Additionally, the density of confidential information b3 is higher than that of confidential information b2. For example, the density of confidential information b1 could be "low," the density of confidential information b2 could be "medium," and the density of confidential information b3 could be "high."

[0061] Transportation information 52 includes the identification information (transportation company ID) of the corresponding transportation company and publicly available information. The publicly available information in transportation information 52 includes, for example, the location information of the corresponding transportation company, the operational status of the transport vehicles, and the availability of vehicles for emergency transport requests. It should be noted that transportation information 52 may also contain confidential information, similar to material information 70. Figure 2 In the example, transportation information 52 regarding transportation company #1 contains public information #1. Additionally, transportation information 52 regarding transportation company #2 contains public information #2.

[0062] Figure 3 This is a functional block diagram illustrating the structure of the information management system 1 according to Embodiment 1. The information management device 100 has a hardware structure including a CPU 101 (Central Processing Unit), ROM 102 (Read Only Memory), RAM 103 (Random Access Memory), I / O 104 (Input / Output), and UI 105 (User Interface). It should be noted that the product manufacturer device 10, the supplier device 20, and the transportation company device 30 can also have these hardware structures.

[0063] CPU 101 functions as a processing device (processor) for control and arithmetic operations. ROM 102 functions as a storage device for storing control programs and arithmetic programs executed by CPU 101. ROM 102 can contain a database. Storage unit 50 can also be implemented using ROM 102. RAM 103 functions as a memory for temporarily storing processed data. I / O 104 is a communication device and input / output device, receiving data and signals from the outside and outputting data and signals to the outside. UI 105 consists of input devices such as a keyboard and output devices such as a display. It should be noted that UI 105 can also be configured as a touch panel where the input and output devices are integrated. Additionally, UI 105 can also include a microphone and a speaker.

[0064] Furthermore, the information management device 100 comprises an information acquisition unit 110, an information storage unit 112, an access processing unit 120, a defect notification receiving unit 130, a data determination unit 140, an access control unit 150, a cause investigation status acquisition unit 160, and a substitution determination unit 170 as its constituent elements. It should be noted that one or more of each constituent element of the information management device 100 may also be implemented by a device independent of the information management device 100 (e.g., the product manufacturer device 10). Furthermore, each constituent element of the information management device 100 is not limited to being implemented by a single physical device; for example, it may be implemented by multiple devices through cloud computing, etc. In other words, the information management device 100 may also be physically composed of multiple devices.

[0065] It should be noted that these components can be implemented by the CPU 101 executing a program stored in the ROM 102. Alternatively, the information management device 100 can record the required program on any non-volatile recording medium and install the program as needed. It should also be noted that the components of the information management device 100 are not limited to being implemented in software as described above; they can also be implemented in hardware such as certain circuit elements. Furthermore, the components of the information management device 100 can also be implemented using user-programmable integrated circuits such as FPGAs (field-programmable gate arrays) or microcomputers. In this case, the program composed of the aforementioned components can also be implemented using such integrated circuits.

[0066] Information acquisition unit 110 acquires product manufacturer information 60, material information 70, and transportation information 52. Specifically, information acquisition unit 110 acquires product manufacturer information 60 from product manufacturer device 10 via network 2. Additionally, information acquisition unit 110 acquires material information 70 from supplier device 20 via network 2. Furthermore, information acquisition unit 110 acquires transportation information 52 from transportation company device 30 via network 2. Information acquisition unit 110 uses I / O 104 to receive product manufacturer information 60, material information 70, and transportation information 52.

[0067] The information storage unit 112 stores the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 110 to the storage unit 50. The information storage unit 112 also stores product manufacturer information 60, material information 70, and transportation information 52 to the storage unit 50. At this time, the information storage unit 112 can also perform processing to enable browsing in the event of access from an external device. Furthermore, the information storage unit 112 can also prevent browsing of confidential information contained in the product manufacturer information 60 and material information 70 if the accessing device does not have the necessary access permissions.

[0068] The access processing unit 120 performs processing to enable browsing of information stored in the storage unit 50 when access occurs from another device (such as the product manufacturer device 10). The following description pertains to the case where access occurs from the product manufacturer device 10, but the same applies to access from other devices.

[0069] Specifically, the access processing unit 120 obtains a browsing request from the product manufacturer device 10 via the network 2. The access processing unit 120 receives the browsing request using I / O 104. If the information corresponding to the browsing request (information about the object to be browsed) is public information, the access processing unit 120 sends the information about the object to the product manufacturer device 10 in a manner that allows it to be viewed on the product manufacturer device 10, based on the identification information (IP address, etc.) included in the browsing request. The access processing unit 120 sends the information using I / O 104. As a result, the product manufacturer device 10 receives the information (public information) and displays it on a display or the like.

[0070] On the other hand, if the information corresponding to the browsing request is confidential, the access processing unit 120 determines whether the product manufacturer device 10 (the manufacturer managing the device) corresponding to the identification information included in the browsing request has access rights to the confidential information. It should be noted that access rights can be granted by the access control unit 150, which will be described later. Furthermore, if the product manufacturer device 10 (the manufacturer managing the device) has access rights to the confidential information, the access processing unit 120, in the same manner as for access to public information, sends the confidential information to the product manufacturer device 10 corresponding to the identification information included in the browsing request.

[0071] On the other hand, if the product manufacturer device 10 (the manufacturer managing the device) does not have access to the confidential information, the access processing unit 120 will not send the confidential information to the product manufacturer device 10 corresponding to the identification information included in the browsing request. In other words, the access processing unit 120 prohibits the product manufacturer device 10 from accessing the confidential information. Furthermore, the access processing unit 120 may also send a message indicating that it does not have access to the information to the product manufacturer device 10.

[0072] The defect notification receiving unit 130 receives defect notifications. Specifically, the defect notification receiving unit 130 receives defect notifications from the product manufacturer device 10. The defect notification receiving unit 130 uses I / O 104 to receive defect notifications. Here, the defect notification indicates that a quality defect related to the product manufactured by the manufacturer has occurred at the manufacturer's facility. For example, if a quality defect occurs in a certain production step (production line) during the production process at the manufacturer's facility, the defect notification is received. Alternatively, for example, if a quality defect occurs in a product delivered from the manufacturer to the customer, the defect notification is received. It should be noted that the defect notification can be sent from the product manufacturer device 10 by an operator. Alternatively, in cases where a defect occurs in a certain production step, the product manufacturer device 10 can also automatically send the defect notification without operator intervention.

[0073] It should be noted that the defect notification includes information related to the defect (defect information). Defect information may, for example, indicate materials or unit parts that are highly likely to be involved in the generation of the defect. Materials or unit parts that are highly likely to be involved in the generation of the defect may be materials or unit parts related to a production process that has been stopped due to a defect in the product production line. For example, materials or unit parts incorporated into an intermediate production item (workpiece) that becomes the product during a stopped production process are highly likely to be involved in the generation of the defect. Defect information can be generated through managerial operation. Alternatively, it can be automatically generated by the product manufacturer device 10 by automatically identifying the materials or unit parts corresponding to the production process that generated the defect.

[0074] The material determination unit 140 determines the materials related to the defect. Specifically, the material determination unit 140 uses the defect notification to determine materials that are highly likely to be involved in the occurrence of the defect. Here, when the defect notification shows materials that are highly likely to be involved in the occurrence of the defect, the material determination unit 140 determines the materials that are highly likely to be involved in the occurrence of the defect by extracting those materials. In addition, when the defect notification shows a unit product that is highly likely to be involved in the occurrence of the defect, the material determination unit 140 determines all the materials constituting that unit product as materials that are highly likely to be involved in the occurrence of the defect. For example, if the unit product related to the defect is composed of materials A, materials B, and materials C, the material determination unit 140 determines materials A, materials B, and materials C as materials that are highly likely to be involved in the occurrence of the defect. It should be noted that the material determination unit 140 may also determine the supplier that supplied the material as a material related to the defect corresponding to the defect notification. In other words, when there are multiple suppliers of the same type of material, the material determination unit 140 determines which supplier supplies which material is the material related to the defect.

[0075] Upon receiving a defect notification, the access control unit 150 controls access to at least a portion of the confidential information contained in the material information of the defect-related material stored in the storage unit 50 corresponding to the defect notification, granting access to the manufacturer. Specifically, the access control unit 150 grants access to at least a portion of the confidential information contained in the material information related to the material determined by the material determination unit 140 to the manufacturer associated with the defect notification. Thus, as described later, the cause of the defect can be investigated at the manufacturer's location. It should be noted that the confidential information for which access is granted by the access control unit 150 can be confidential information of the material corresponding to the supplier that supplied the defect-related material. That is, if there are multiple suppliers of the same type of material, and a defect occurs in the material supplied by one supplier, access may not be granted to the confidential information of other suppliers.

[0076] Here, the access permissions granted by the access control unit 150 are preferably temporary. That is, once the investigation into the cause of the defect is completed, the access permissions granted to the manufacturer can also be revoked. As a result, the confidential information of the supplier can be protected as much as possible.

[0077] Here, the access control unit 150 may grant access to all confidential information contained in the material information related to the identified material at once. Alternatively, the access control unit 150 may grant access in a manner that the scope of confidential information to which access is granted increases as the investigation into the cause of the defect progresses. For example, the access control unit 150 may also grant access to confidential information contained in the material information related to the identified material to the manufacturer step by step according to the density of the confidential information.

[0078] For example, let's say: in Figure 2 In the example, material a was identified as a material with a high probability of being involved in the defect. In this case, the access control unit 150 first grants access rights to confidential information a1 (first confidential information) to the manufacturer. Then, if the cause of the defect at the manufacturer's location is not determined, the access control unit 150 grants access rights to confidential information a2 (second confidential information), which has a higher density than confidential information a1. It should be noted that the access control unit 150 may also first grant access rights to both confidential information a1 and a2 (first confidential information) to the manufacturer, and if the cause of the defect at the manufacturer's location is not determined, grant access rights to confidential information a3 (second confidential information) to the manufacturer.

[0079] If the access control unit 150 controls access to confidential information by granting access rights to the manufacturer, the access processing unit 120 allows access to the confidential information based on a browsing request for the confidential information from the product manufacturing device 10 of the manufacturer. Furthermore, the access processing unit 120 sends the confidential information to the product manufacturing device 10 in a manner that allows it to be viewed on the product manufacturing device 10 of the manufacturer. At the manufacturer's location, the confidential information can be used to investigate the cause of defects.

[0080] At this time, the product manufacturer device 10 can also send an investigation status notification indicating the investigation status of the cause of the defect to the information management device 100. The investigation status notification can be generated by the manager operating the product manufacturer device 10. The investigation status notification may, for example, indicate "Cause not found," "Cause found," or "Investigation closed." It should be noted that "Cause not found" means that the cause was not found even using confidential information with access rights. "Cause found" means that the cause was found using confidential information with access rights. "Investigation closed" means that the investigation into the cause is terminated regardless of whether the cause was found.

[0081] The cause investigation status acquisition unit 160 obtains the investigation status of the cause of the defect. Specifically, the cause investigation status acquisition unit 160 obtains the investigation status notification from the product manufacturer device 10 via network 2. The cause investigation status acquisition unit 160 uses I / O 104 to receive the investigation status notification. The access control unit 150 can also expand the scope of confidential information for which access is granted, as described above, based on the investigation status notification.

[0082] The substitution determination unit 170 determines provisional measures (alternative measures) for the period until the defect is eliminated. Specifically, the substitution determination unit 170 determines a supplier other than the supplier that supplied the material related to the defect (alternative supplier). Additionally, the substitution determination unit 170 determines a transportation company capable of transporting the material from the alternative supplier to the manufacturer (alternative transportation company). The substitution determination unit 170 can, for example, use the material information 70 and transportation information 52 stored in the storage unit 50 to determine the alternative supplier and the alternative transportation company.

[0083] For example, let's say: in Figure 2 In the example, material a was identified as a material with a high probability of being involved in the defect. In this case, the substitution determination unit 170 determines a material that can be a substitute for material a based on material information (public information). Furthermore, the substitution determination unit 170 uses the public information contained in the material information related to the material to determine whether the supply of the material can be accepted from the supplier related to the material information. In addition, the substitution determination unit 170 uses the public information of the transportation information 52 to determine whether there is a transportation company that can transport the material from the supplier to the manufacturer.

[0084] Additionally, the substitution determination unit 170 can also use publicly available information contained in the material information 70, such as the material's production history, inventory status, and the location information of production sites and warehouses, to determine a substitute supplier. Furthermore, the substitution determination unit 170 can also use publicly available information contained in the material information 70, such as past delivery records of the corresponding material to manufacturers or other manufacturers related to defect notifications, to determine a substitute supplier. Additionally, the substitution determination unit 170 can also use publicly available information contained in the transportation information 52, such as the location information of the transportation company, the operational status of the transportation vehicles, and the availability of vehicles for unexpected entrusted transportation, to determine a substitute transportation company.

[0085] Alternatively, the substitution determination unit 170 can also use a learned model pre-learned through machine learning algorithms such as neural networks to determine the alternative supplier and the alternative transportation company. For example, the substitution determination unit 170 can use a learned model that outputs a determination result as to whether the corresponding supplier is suitable as a substitute supplier if the aforementioned supplier information (public information) is input. In this case, by setting the aforementioned supplier information as input data and using data indicating whether the supplier is suitable as a substitute supplier as a positive label for machine learning, the aforementioned learned model can be generated. The determination of the alternative transportation company is the same.

[0086] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the information management method performed by the information management system 1 of Embodiment 1. Figure 4 The processing is primarily performed by the information management device 100. The defect notification receiving unit 130 receives a defect notification from the product manufacturer device 10 (step S102). The material determination unit 140 determines the material x related to the defect corresponding to the defect notification (step S104). It should be noted that if material x is shown in the defect notification, the material determination unit 140 determines material x by extracting that material x. Alternatively, if material x is not shown in the defect notification, the material determination unit 140 determines all materials constituting the unit product related to the production process that resulted in the defect as material x.

[0087] Access control unit 150 grants access to confidential information x1 to the manufacturer related to the defect notification (step S106). Specifically, access control unit 150 grants the manufacturer access to the confidential information x1 with the lowest security among the confidential information x related to material x. It should be noted that in Figure 2 In the example, where material x corresponds to material a, confidential information x1 corresponds to confidential information a1. Therefore, the manufacturer can use confidential information x1 to investigate the cause of the defect.

[0088] The information management device 100 determines whether the cause of the defect has been identified (step S108). Specifically, the information management device 100 determines the investigation status of the cause of the defect. More specifically, for example, the access control unit 150 determines whether the investigation status notification obtained by the cause investigation status acquisition unit 160 indicates "cause identified" or "cause not identified". If the investigation status notification indicates "cause identified", the access control unit 150 determines that the cause of the defect has been identified. On the other hand, if the investigation status notification indicates "cause not identified", the access control unit 150 determines that the cause of the defect has not been identified.

[0089] If the cause of the defect has been identified (Yes in S108), the information management device 100 terminates the processing related to granting access permissions. On the other hand, if the cause of the defect has not been identified (No in S108), the access control unit 150 grants access permissions to the manufacturer related to the defect notification for confidential information x2 (step S110). Specifically, the access control unit 150 grants the manufacturer access permissions to confidential information x2, which has a higher machine density than confidential information x1, within the confidential information x related to material x. That is, the access control unit 150 grants the manufacturer access permissions to confidential information x2, which is next to confidential information x1 but has a lower machine density, within the confidential information x related to material x. It should be noted that in... Figure 2 In the example, where material x corresponds to material a, confidential information x2 corresponds to confidential information a2. Therefore, the manufacturer can use confidential information x1 and confidential information x2 to investigate the cause of the defect.

[0090] The information management device 100 determines, in the same manner as in S108, whether the cause of the defect has been identified (step S112). If the cause of the defect has been identified (yes in S112), the information management device 100 terminates the process related to granting access permissions. On the other hand, if the cause of the defect has not been identified (no in S112), the access control unit 150 grants access permissions to the manufacturer related to the defect notification to the confidential information x3 (step S114).

[0091] Specifically, the access control unit 150 grants the manufacturer access to confidential information x3, which has a higher security density than confidential information x2, within the confidential information x related to material x. In other words, the access control unit 150 grants the manufacturer access to the confidential information x3, which has the highest security density among the confidential information x related to material x. It should be noted that in... Figure 2In the example, when material x corresponds to material a, confidential information x3 corresponds to confidential information a3. Therefore, the manufacturer can use confidential information x1, confidential information x2, and confidential information x3 to investigate the cause of the defect. It should be noted that if no confidential information with a higher density than confidential information x3 exists, the information management device 100 terminates the processing related to granting access permissions. Conversely, if confidential information with a higher density than confidential information x3 exists, the information management device 100 can repeatedly perform the processes S112 to S114 until access permissions to all confidential information x related to material x are granted.

[0092] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the alternative decision-making process performed by the information management system 1 of Embodiment 1. Figure 5 The processing is mainly performed by the information management device 100. The information management device 100 performs... Figure 4 The flowchart shown illustrates the processing steps S102 to S104 (step S122). Specifically, the defect notification receiving unit 130 receives the defect notification (S102). The material determination unit 140 determines the material x (S104).

[0093] The determination unit 170 obtains the information required for determining the provisional response measures from the storage unit 50 (step S124). Specifically, the determination unit 170 obtains publicly available information contained in material information related to materials of the same type as material x. It should be noted that, preferably, the determination unit 170 obtains publicly available information contained in material information related to materials of the same type as material x but from material information related to a supplier different from the supplier that supplied material x. In addition, the determination unit 170 obtains publicly available information contained in transportation information.

[0094] The substitution determination unit 170 determines alternative suppliers and alternative transportation companies capable of supplying material x (step S126). Then, the substitution determination unit 170 contacts the alternative supplier and the alternative transportation company to obtain material x', which will serve as a substitute for material x (step S128). Specifically, the substitution determination unit 170 sends a notification to the supplier device 20 corresponding to the alternative supplier, indicating that material x' will be supplied. Additionally, the substitution determination unit 170 sends a notification to the transportation company device 30 corresponding to the alternative transportation company, indicating that material x' will be transported from the alternative supplier. Thus, preparation for the shipment of material x' can be made at the alternative supplier. Furthermore, a vehicle for transporting material x' can be arranged at the alternative transportation company.

[0095] When product-related quality defects occur, the cause of the defects is often investigated at the manufacturer's location. However, in cases where the product is composed of multiple materials supplied from multiple suppliers, these materials may be involved in the quality defects. Therefore, to determine the cause of the defects, information from the manufacturer alone is insufficient, and sometimes material information managed by the suppliers is needed. On the other hand, the material information used to determine the cause of defects sometimes contains confidential information. Therefore, using supplier material information to determine the cause of defects is not easy.

[0096] In contrast, in Embodiment 1 described above, material information containing confidential information is stored in the storage unit 50 in advance. Furthermore, when the information management device 100 of Embodiment 1 receives a defect notification from the manufacturer, it grants the manufacturer access to at least a portion of the confidential information contained in the material information of the material related to the defect corresponding to the defect notification, stored in the storage unit 50. With this structure, in the absence of a defect, the confidentiality of the supplier's confidential information is maintained because access to the confidential information is not granted to the manufacturer. On the other hand, in the presence of a defect, the manufacturer can only access confidential information related to materials highly likely to have been involved in the defect. Therefore, it is possible to more actively encourage suppliers to store confidential information that can be used to determine the cause of the defect in the storage unit 50. Thus, the information management system 1 of Embodiment 1 can protect the supplier's confidential information and easily determine the cause of quality defects related to products made from materials supplied by the supplier.

[0097] Furthermore, this structure allows for joint investigations into the causes of product defects by both the manufacturer and the supplier. This makes it easier to determine the root cause of the defect.

[0098] Furthermore, the information management system 1 of Embodiment 1 described above is configured to grant access rights to the manufacturer in a manner that the scope of confidential information to which access rights are granted increases as the investigation into the cause of the defect progresses. With this structure, if the defect is identified at an early stage, the scope of confidential information to which access rights are granted to the manufacturer becomes smaller. On the other hand, there are also situations where a lot of information is needed to determine the cause of the defect; therefore, it is also necessary to expand the scope of confidential information to which access rights are granted to the manufacturer when the investigation into the cause of the defect has progressed considerably. Thus, a balance can be achieved between the protection of confidential information and the determination of the cause of the defect.

[0099] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1 described above, the confidential information is assigned a machine density indicating the level of confidentiality at the supplier's location. The information management system 1 of Embodiment 1 grants access to the first confidential information within the confidential information. Subsequently, if the cause of the defect at the manufacturer's location is not determined, the information management system 1 of Embodiment 1 grants access to the manufacturer to the second confidential information within the confidential information with a machine density higher than that of the first confidential information. With this structure, access to the manufacturer is granted for confidential information with low machine density at an early stage of investigating the cause of the defect. On the other hand, access to the manufacturer is granted for confidential information with high machine density only after the cause of the defect has become difficult to determine. Thus, a more reliable balance between protecting confidential information and determining the cause of the defect can be achieved.

[0100] (Implementation Method 2)

[0101] Next, Embodiment 2 will be described. In Embodiment 2, the scope of access permissions for confidential information differs from Embodiment 1 in that it is adjusted based on the urgency of identifying the cause of the defect. It should be noted that the structure of the information management system 1 in Embodiment 2 is also different from that in Embodiment 1. Figure 1 The structures shown are essentially the same, so the explanation is omitted.

[0102] Figure 6 This is a functional block diagram showing the structure of the information management system 1 of Embodiment 2. The information management device 100 of Embodiment 2 differs from the information management device 100 of Embodiment 1 in that it has an urgency acquisition unit 210. The other structures of the information management device 100 of Embodiment 2 are substantially the same as those of the information management device 100 of Embodiment 1, and therefore are omitted from the description.

[0103] In Implementation 2, the defect notification may also include urgency information to determine the urgency of identifying the cause of the defect. It should be noted that, generally, the higher the urgency of the defect, the sooner its cause needs to be determined. The urgency level can be set to several levels, such as "Low Urgency," "Medium Urgency," and "High Urgency." Alternatively, the urgency level can be represented by a numerical value, for example, 0 to 1. The urgency information included in the defect notification can represent the urgency level itself. In this case, the urgency information can be generated by the manager operating the product manufacturer device 10.

[0104] Alternatively, the urgency information may not be the urgency itself, but rather include information necessary to calculate the urgency. This information can be generated by the manager operating the product manufacturing device 10. Alternatively, the product manufacturing device 10 may automatically generate such urgency information based on the production process that resulted in the defect. For example, the urgency information may indicate the number of products affected by the defect (such as the number of vehicles) and the product delivery date. Furthermore, the urgency information may also be the impact of the defect on the production line. The impact on the production line may, for example, indicate the extent to which the production line is not progressing due to the defect. Additionally, the impact on the production line may indicate the number of production processes that are stopped due to the defect. For example, if all production processes on the production line stop due to the defect, the impact on the production line is very large. On the other hand, if only the production process that resulted in the defect stops but other production lines can operate, the impact on the production line is small.

[0105] The urgency acquisition unit 210 acquires the urgency level of identifying the cause of the defect. If the urgency level is shown in the defect notification, the urgency acquisition unit 210 acquires the urgency level by extracting it from the defect notification. Alternatively, if the defect notification does not show the urgency level but includes information necessary to calculate the urgency level, the urgency acquisition unit 210 acquires the urgency level by calculating the urgency level using that information. Furthermore, if the defect notification does not contain urgency information, the urgency acquisition unit 210 may also extract the information necessary to calculate the urgency level from the product manufacturer information 60 stored in the storage unit 50 and calculate the urgency level.

[0106] The urgency acquisition unit 210 can calculate the urgency level using methods such as: The urgency level increases with the number of products affected by the defect. Alternatively, the urgency level increases with the earlier the delivery date of the affected products. Furthermore, the urgency level increases with the magnitude of production line disruptions. Alternatively, the urgency level acquisition unit 210 can also calculate the urgency level using a function (mathematical expression) f(x1, x2, x3) with variables including the number of affected products x1, the number of days until the delivery date of these products x2, and the number of production processes stopped x3. It should be noted that the calculated urgency level can be numerically represented or set progressively, such as "urgency: low," "urgency: medium," and "urgency: high."

[0107] Furthermore, in Embodiment 2, the access control unit 150 grants access permissions to the manufacturer in such a way that the higher the urgency of identifying the cause of the defect, the wider the range of confidential information for which access permissions are granted. For example, the higher the urgency of the defect, the higher the access permission control unit 150 will grant the manufacturer access permissions to confidential information with a higher machine density. In other words, the higher the urgency of the defect, the higher the access permission control unit 150 will grant the manufacturer access permissions to both confidential information with a higher machine density and confidential information with a lower machine density than the aforementioned confidential information.

[0108] For example, let's say: in Figure 2 In the example, material a was identified as a material with a high probability of being involved in the defect. In this case, if the urgency is "low", the access control unit 150 can grant access to the manufacturer to confidential information a1 (first confidential information). Alternatively, if the urgency is quantified as less than a predetermined threshold Uth1, the access control unit 150 can grant access to confidential information a1 to the manufacturer. That is, if the urgency is low, the access control unit 150 only grants access to confidential information with low machine density to the manufacturer. It should be noted that when machine density is quantified, if the urgency is "low" or less than the threshold Uth1, the access control unit 150 can grant access to confidential information with machine density less than the predetermined threshold Sth1 to the manufacturer.

[0109] Furthermore, when the urgency level is "medium," the access control unit 150 may grant the manufacturer access rights to confidential information a1 (first confidential information) and confidential information a2 (second confidential information). Alternatively, when the quantified urgency level is above threshold Uth1 and below threshold Uth2, the access control unit 150 may grant the manufacturer access rights to confidential information a1 and confidential information a2. Here, threshold Uth2 is a predetermined threshold, where Uth2 > Uth1. It should be noted that when the machine density is quantified, when the urgency level is "medium" or above threshold Uth1 and below threshold Uth2, the access control unit 150 may grant the manufacturer access rights to confidential information with a machine density of above threshold Sth1 and below threshold Sth2. Here, threshold Sth2 is a predetermined threshold, where Sth2 > Sth1.

[0110] Furthermore, when the urgency level is "high," the access control unit 150 can grant access permissions to the manufacturer for confidential information a1 (first confidential information), confidential information a2 (second confidential information), and confidential information a3 (third confidential information). Alternatively, when the quantified urgency level is at or above the threshold Uth2, the access control unit 150 can grant access permissions to confidential information a1, confidential information a2, and confidential information a3 to the manufacturer. In other words, when the urgency level is high, the access control unit 150 grants access permissions to all confidential information to the manufacturer at once. It should be noted that when the machine density is quantified, access permissions to all confidential information can be granted to the manufacturer regardless of the machine density.

[0111] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the information management method performed by the information management system 1 of embodiment 2. Figure 7 The processing is mainly performed by the information management device 100. The defect notification receiving unit 130 receives defect notifications from the product manufacturer device 10 in the same manner as the processing in S102 (step S202). The material determination unit 140 determines the material x related to the defect corresponding to the defect notification in the same manner as the processing in S104 (step S204).

[0112] The urgency acquisition unit 210 acquires the urgency level of the defect related to the defect notification (step S206). If the urgency level is "low" ("low" in step S208), the access control unit 150 grants the manufacturer related to the defect notification access to confidential information x1 (step S210). Specifically, the access control unit 150 grants the manufacturer access to the confidential information x1 with the lowest security level among the confidential information x related to material x. Afterwards, the processing flow can proceed to... Figure 4 The processing of S108. That is, if the cause of the defect cannot be identified, the manufacturer may be granted access to more confidential information.

[0113] Additionally, if the urgency level is "medium" ("medium" in S208), the access control unit 150 grants the manufacturer related to the defect notification access to confidential information x1 and confidential information x2 (step S212). Specifically, the access control unit 150 grants the manufacturer access to the confidential information x1 with the lowest security density and the second lowest security density confidential information x2 related to the material x. Afterwards, the processing flow can proceed to... Figure 4 The processing of S112. That is, if the cause of the defect is not identified, the manufacturer may be granted access to more confidential information.

[0114] Furthermore, when the urgency level is "high" ("high" in S208), the access control unit 150 grants the manufacturer related to the defect notification access to confidential information x1, confidential information x2, and confidential information x3 (step S214). Specifically, the access control unit 150 grants the manufacturer access to the confidential information x with the lowest security density (x1), the second lowest security density (x2), and the second lowest security density (x3) (i.e., the highest security density) among the confidential information x related to the material x. In other words, the access control unit 150 grants the manufacturer access to all confidential information x (confidential information x1, confidential information x2, and confidential information x3) related to the material x.

[0115] As described above, the information management system 1 of Embodiment 2 is configured to grant access permissions to the manufacturer in such a way that the higher the urgency of determining the cause of the defect, the wider the scope of confidential information for which access permissions are granted. With this structure, if the urgency of determining the cause of the defect is low, the scope of confidential information for which access permissions are granted to the manufacturer becomes smaller. On the other hand, there are also situations where a lot of information is needed to determine the cause of the defect. Therefore, when the urgency of determining the cause of the defect is high, more information is needed from the beginning to investigate the cause of the defect in order to quickly determine the cause. Therefore, in this case, it is also necessary to expand the scope of confidential information for which access permissions are granted to the manufacturer. Thus, a balance can be achieved between the protection of confidential information and the determination of the cause of the defect.

[0116] Furthermore, in Embodiment 2, the information management system 1 is configured such that the higher the urgency of the defect, the more access rights are granted to the manufacturer for confidential information with a higher machine density and confidential information with a lower machine density. With this structure, when the urgency of determining the cause of the defect is low, access rights are granted to the manufacturer only for confidential information with a low machine density. On the other hand, when the urgency of determining the cause of the defect is high, access rights are granted to the manufacturer not only for confidential information with a low machine density but also for confidential information with a high machine density. This further enables a more reliable balance between protecting confidential information and determining the cause of the defect.

[0117] (Implementation Method 3)

[0118] Next, Embodiment 3 will be described. In Embodiment 3, the structure (data structure) of the material information stored in the storage unit 50 differs from that in the embodiments described above. It should be noted that the structure of the information management system 1 in Embodiment 3 is different from that in the embodiments described above. Figure 1 and Figure 3 The structures shown are essentially the same, therefore descriptions are omitted. It should be noted that in embodiment 3, Figure 3The investigation results shown in section 160 may also be missing.

[0119] Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating the material information 70 stored in the storage unit 50 of Embodiment 3. It should be noted that the product manufacturer information 60 and the shipping information 52 may be... Figure 2 The illustrated information is stored in the storage unit 50. In embodiment 3, the material information 70 is composed of a material table 72 set for each material. Figure 8 In the example, the material information 70 includes a table for material a, namely material table 72a, and a table for material b, namely material table 72b.

[0120] Material Table 72 consists of a company ID, public information, and confidential information for each company associated with the corresponding material. The company ID, for example, represents the identification information of the supplier providing the material corresponding to Material Table 72. Public information is information about the supplier providing the material corresponding to Material Table 72, which is always freely accessible. Public information may include required items and optional items. Required items are items that the supplier providing Material Information 70 must record. For example, required items could be the production date and material of the corresponding material. Optional items are items that the supplier providing Material Information 70 may record at their own discretion. For example, optional items could include promotional materials highlighting the superior performance of the corresponding material. Optional items are always publicly available and can therefore be used for marketing activities targeting manufacturers and others who are researching and purchasing the corresponding material.

[0121] Furthermore, in Implementation 3, the confidential information includes change point information representing the point of change. The change point corresponds to the changed state of the corresponding material when its production has changed from the state when the material was previously produced. It should be noted that the reference point for the change point, i.e., the state before the change (the state when the material was previously produced, the state before the change), can be a state in which no defects occurred with the material when it was produced in that state. Material Table 72 may also contain only change point information as confidential information. That is, it is also possible that confidential information is only stored for a certain material supplied by a certain supplier when a change point occurs.

[0122] Here, "change point" refers to, for example, a change in the material (raw material) or a change in the production process of the material. For instance, regarding a material supplied by a supplier, if the material was previously material A (e.g., aluminum) but at some point the material changes to material B (e.g., lead), the change point could be "material B". Similarly, regarding a material supplied by a supplier, if it was previously produced through production processes A, B, and C but at some point the production processes change to A and D, the change point could be "production process D".

[0123] exist Figure 8 In the example, Material Table 72a contains identification information for supplier a1, which supplies material a, as publicly available information; mandatory item a1 and optional item a1; and change point information a11 and change point information a12, which are confidential information. Additionally, Material Table 72a contains identification information for supplier a2, which supplies material a, as publicly available information; mandatory item a2 and optional item a2; and change point information a21, which is confidential information. Here, for supplier a1, two change point information a11 and change point information a12 are stored as confidential information related to material a; in contrast, for supplier a2, one change point information a21 is stored as confidential information related to material a. That is, it can be seen that for supplier a1, two change points are generated for material a; and for supplier a2, one change point is generated for material a.

[0124] In addition, Figure 8 In the example, Material Table 72b contains identification information for supplier b1, which supplies material b, mandatory item b1 and optional item b1 (as publicly available information), and change point information b11 (as confidential information) for material b. Additionally, Material Table 72b contains identification information for supplier b2, which supplies material b, mandatory item b2 and optional item b2 (as publicly available information). Here, regarding supplier b1, one change point information b11 is stored as confidential information related to material b; in contrast, no change point information is stored for supplier b2. That is, it can be seen that one change point occurs for material b regarding supplier b1, while no change point occurs for material b regarding supplier b2.

[0125] It should be noted that the density of the change point information, which is confidential information, can be set in the same way as in Embodiment 1. Furthermore, the storage unit 50 can also store information related to the state before the change (information before the change) as confidential information. However, in the processing of the access control unit 150 described later, access rights to the information before the change can also be denied.

[0126] Additionally, Material Table 72 may also include information related to the manufacturers using the corresponding materials. For example, if manufacturer A uses material a, Material Table 72a may also include the company ID, public information, and confidential information for manufacturer A. In this case, the required public information items may be omitted. Furthermore, the optional public information items may include identification information of the suppliers from whom manufacturer A is receiving material a.

[0127] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating the information management method performed by the information management system 1 of embodiment 3. Figure 9 The processing is primarily performed by the information management device 100. The defect notification receiving unit 130 receives defect notifications from the product manufacturer device 10 in the same manner as the processing in S102 (step S302). The material determination unit 140, in the same manner as the processing in S104, determines the material x related to the defect corresponding to the defect notification (step S304). In this case, the material determination unit 140 also determines the supplier that supplied the material x as the material x related to the defect corresponding to the defect notification. Figure 8 In the example, if a defect occurs in material a supplied by supplier a1, the material determination unit 140 determines material a supplied by supplier a1 as material x.

[0128] Access control unit 150 grants the manufacturer associated with the defect notification access to the change point information x (step S306). For example, in Figure 8 In the example, if a defect occurs in material a supplied by supplier a1, the access control unit 150 will grant access to the manufacturer for change point information a11 and change point information a12. It should be noted that if change point information x is not stored for material x, the access control unit 150 may choose not to grant access to the manufacturer.

[0129] Furthermore, when setting an organic density for the change point information x as in Embodiment 2, the access control unit 150 can also perform operations on the change point information x. Figure 4 The processing in S106 to S114 is essentially the same. Furthermore, when the information management device 100 of Embodiment 3 has an urgency acquisition unit 210, the access control unit 150 can also perform [further processing] on the change point information x. Figure 7 The processes in S208 to S214 are essentially the same. These are also the same in Embodiment 4, which will be described later. In other words, the features of Embodiment 2 can be applied not only to Embodiment 3 but also to Embodiment 4.

[0130] In the information management system 1 of Embodiment 3, the confidential information includes change point information related to the point in time when the production of the corresponding material changed from the state when the material was previously produced. Furthermore, the information management system 1 of Embodiment 3 is configured to grant the manufacturer access to the change point information. Here, in the state when the material was previously produced (the state before the change), there is a high probability that no defects were produced with the material during production; therefore, even if the material was produced in that state, the probability of defects is low. On the other hand, when a change point occurs, there is a possibility that there are few instances of successfully producing the material in the state after the change without defects; therefore, there is a possibility of defects. Therefore, if a defect occurs with a certain material, the probability that the defect was caused by the change point is high. Therefore, by granting access to the change point information, it is easier to determine the cause of the defect.

[0131] Furthermore, the information management system 1 in Embodiment 3 is configured to grant access permissions to the manufacturer only for change point information that is highly likely to help determine the cause of the defect. With this structure, access permissions are not granted for confidential information other than change point information, thus enabling more reliable maintenance of the confidentiality of confidential information.

[0132] (Implementation Method 4)

[0133] Next, Embodiment 4 will be described. In Embodiment 4, the structure (data structure) of the material information stored in the storage unit 50 differs from that in the embodiments described above. It should be noted that the structure of the information management system 1 in Embodiment 4 is different from that in the embodiments described above. Figure 1 and Figure 3 The structures shown are essentially the same, therefore descriptions are omitted. It should be noted that in embodiment 4, Figure 3 The investigation results shown in section 160 may also be missing.

[0134] Figure 10 This is a diagram illustrating the material information 70 stored in the storage unit 50 of Embodiment 4. It should be noted that the product manufacturer information 60 and the shipping information 52 may be... Figure 2 The illustrated information is stored in the storage unit 50. In embodiment 4, the material information 70 is composed of a material table 74 set for each material. Figure 10In the example, material information 70 includes material tables 74a, 74b, 74c, 74d, 74e, and 74f. Material table 74a is related to material a. Material table 74b is related to material b. Material table 74c is related to material c. Material table 74d is related to material d. Material table 74e is related to material e. Material table 74f is related to material f.

[0135] Material Table 74 consists of a company ID, assembly destination information, and confidential information for each company associated with the corresponding material. It should be noted that Material Table 74 may also include the publicly available information described in Embodiment 3. Furthermore, the assembly destination information can correspond to the required items of the publicly available information in Embodiment 3. The company ID, for example, represents the identification information of the supplier providing the material corresponding to Material Table 74. The confidential information may also include change point information indicating change points, similar to that in Embodiment 3.

[0136] It should be noted that the density of change point information, which is confidential information, can be set in the same way as in Embodiment 1. Furthermore, the storage unit 50 can also store information related to the state before the change as confidential information. However, in the processing of the access control unit 150 described later, access permissions may not be granted for information related to the state before the change. It should also be noted that in Embodiment 4, the confidential information may not be change point information.

[0137] Assembly destination information indicates which material (unit item) the corresponding material supplied by the corresponding supplier will be assembled to. For example, if the assembly destination information for supplier a1 in Material Table 74a shows "Material x", then material a supplied by supplier a1 will be assembled to material x, which is a unit item. For example, material x could be a transmission drive axle used by manufacturer A. Additionally, if the corresponding material is a unit item, Material Table 74 may also include assembly source information indicating which material constitutes that unit item. It should be noted that assembly destination information can also indicate which company (manufacturer or supplier) produces the material indicated by the assembly destination information. In other words, assembly destination information can also indicate both the material and the company.

[0138] exist Figure 10In the example, Material Table 74a includes identification information for supplier a1 that supplies Material a and assembly destination information for Material a, indicating the assembly destination "Material x" of Material a supplied by supplier a1. It should be noted that no change point information related to Material a is stored for supplier a1. That is, no change point occurs for Material a for supplier a1. Additionally, Material Table 74a includes identification information for supplier a2 that supplies Material a, assembly destination information for Material a, indicating the assembly destination "Material y" of Material a supplied by supplier a2, and change point information a21 (which is confidential information). In Material Table 74a, Material a supplied by supplier a1 is assembled into Material x as a unit product, and Material a supplied by supplier a2 is assembled into Material y as a unit product.

[0139] In addition, Figure 10 In the example, Material Table 74b includes identification information for supplier b1, indicating the assembly destination "Material z" for Material b supplied by supplier b1, and change point information b11 (confidential information) for Material b. Additionally, Material Table 74b includes identification information for supplier b2, indicating the assembly destination "Material x" for Material b supplied by supplier b2. It should be noted that no change point information related to Material b is stored for supplier b2. That is, no change point occurs for Material b for supplier b2. In Material Table 74b, Material b supplied by supplier b1 is assembled into Material z (as a unit product), and Material b supplied by supplier b2 is assembled into Material x (as a unit product).

[0140] In addition, Figure 10 In the example, Material Table 74c includes identification information for supplier C1, which supplies Material C, and assembly destination information for Material C supplied by supplier C1, indicating the assembly destination "Material a". It should be noted that no change point information related to Material C is stored for supplier C1. That is, no change point occurs for Material C related to supplier C1. Additionally, Material Table 74c includes identification information for supplier C2, which supplies Material C, assembly destination information for Material C supplied by supplier C2, indicating the assembly destination "Material w", and change point information C21, which is confidential information. In Material Table 74c, Material C supplied by supplier C1 is assembled into Material a, which is a unit product, and Material C supplied by supplier C2 is assembled into Material w, which is also a unit product.

[0141] In addition, Figure 10In the example, Material Table 74d includes identification information for supplier d1, indicating the assembly destination "Material v" for Material d supplied by supplier d1, and change point information d11 (confidential information) for Material d. Additionally, Material Table 74d includes identification information for supplier d2, indicating the assembly destination "Material b" for Material d supplied by supplier d2. It should be noted that no change point information related to Material d is stored for supplier d2. That is, no change point occurs for Material d for supplier d2. In Material Table 74d, Material d supplied by supplier d1 is assembled into Material v (as a unit product), and Material d supplied by supplier d2 is assembled into Material b (as a unit product).

[0142] In addition, Figure 10 In the example, Material Table 74e includes identification information for supplier e1, indicating the assembly destination "Material a" for which Material e is supplied by supplier e1, and change point information e11, which is confidential information, regarding Material e. Additionally, Material Table 74e includes identification information for supplier e2, indicating the assembly destination "Material u" for which Material e is supplied by supplier e2, and change point information e21, which is confidential information, regarding Material e. In Material Table 74e, Material e supplied by supplier e1 is assembled into Material a, which is a unit product, and Material e supplied by supplier e2 is assembled into Material u, which is also a unit product.

[0143] In addition, Figure 10 In the example, Material Table 74f includes identification information for supplier f1, indicating the assembly destination "Material t" for Material f supplied by supplier f1, and change point information f11 (confidential information) related to Material f. Additionally, Material Table 74f includes identification information for supplier f2, indicating the assembly destination "Material d" for Material f supplied by supplier f2. It should be noted that no change point information related to Material f is stored for supplier f2. That is, no change point occurs for Material f for supplier f2. In Material Table 74f, Material f supplied by supplier f1 is assembled into Material t (as a unit item), and Material f supplied by supplier f2 is assembled into Material b (as a unit item).

[0144] As described above, the storage unit 50 of Embodiment 4 stores material information 70 in a manner that establishes a correspondence between the material and other materials assembled from it. In other words, the storage unit 50 of Embodiment 4 displays the correspondence between the material and other materials assembled from it. Furthermore, the material determination unit 140 of Embodiment 4 uses the material information 70 to determine the material related to the defect. Hereinafter, using... Figure 11 and Figure 12 To illustrate.

[0145] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating the information management method executed by the information management system 1 of Embodiment 4. Additionally, Figure 12 This is a diagram used to illustrate the material determination method of Embodiment 4. Figure 11 The processing is mainly performed by the information management device 100. The defect notification receiving unit 130 receives defect notifications from the product manufacturer device 10 in the same way as the processing in S102 (step S402).

[0146] The Material Determination Unit 140 determines whether the material (component) that caused the defect corresponding to the defect notification has been determined (step S404). Specifically, the Material Determination Unit 140 determines whether the material (component) that caused the defect in the defect notification has been determined. If the material (component) that caused the defect has been determined (yes in S404), the Access Control Unit 150 grants the manufacturer access to the confidential information (change point information) of the supplier that supplied the determined material (component) (step S406). It should be noted that if the supplier's change point information is not stored, access may not be granted to the manufacturer.

[0147] On the other hand, if the material (component) related to the defect is not determined (No in S404), the material determination unit 140 determines the unit article processed in the production process in which the defect occurred (step S410). Specifically, the production process in which the defect occurred is shown in the defect notification. Therefore, the material determination unit 140 determines the unit article processed in the production process shown in the defect notification. It should be noted that, as described above, the correspondence between the production process and the unit article processed in that production process can be uniquely determined. For example, this correspondence can be shown in the product manufacturer information 60 stored in the storage unit 50, and the material determination unit 140 can use the product manufacturer information 60 to determine the unit article corresponding to the production process.

[0148] The material determination unit 140 determines the supplier of materials constituting the unit item related to the defect based on the correspondence in the material information (step S412). Specifically, the material determination unit 140 determines the materials of the unit item identified in the process of S410, whose assembly destination information is displayed, in the material table 74 of the material information 70, and determines the supplier of that material. Moreover, if the determined material is a unit item composed of other materials, the material determination unit 140 determines the materials (unit items) whose assembly destination information is displayed in the material table 74, and determines the supplier of that material. The material determination unit 140 performs these processes down to the smallest component. In other words, the material determination unit 140 performs the above processes until the determined material is no longer a unit item. In further words, the material determination unit 140 performs the above processes until there are no other material tables 74 in which the determined material is displayed in the assembly destination information.

[0149] The material determination unit 140 identifies suppliers among the identified suppliers that have registered corresponding change point information (step S414). Specifically, the material determination unit 140 refers to the material table 74 related to the identified suppliers. Furthermore, the material determination unit 140 determines whether change point information related to the identified suppliers is stored (registered) in the material table 74. The material determination unit 140 identifies suppliers that have registered change point information.

[0150] Access control unit 150 grants the manufacturer associated with the defect notification access to the identified supplier change point information (step S416). In other words, in embodiment 4, access control unit 150 does not need to grant access to confidential information of suppliers whose change point information has not been registered.

[0151] use Figure 12 Let's illustrate with a specific example. Figure 10 In the example, let's say: Figure 12 As illustrated, a defect occurs in resource x, which is a unit product. In this case, the resource determination unit 140 determines resource x in the process of S410. Then, in the process of S412, the resource determination unit 140 determines the resource whose assembly destination information is represented as "resource x" in the resource table 74. In this case, as... Figure 12 As shown, since the assembly destination information of supplier a1 in material table 74a indicates "material x", the material determination unit 140 determines material a and determines the supplier a1 that supplies material a. Similarly, since the assembly destination information of supplier b2 in material table 74b indicates "material x", the material determination unit 140 determines material b and determines the supplier b2 that supplies material b.

[0152] Next, the material determination unit 140 determines the material "material a" that has been determined and is displayed in the material list 74 of the assembly destination information. Preferably, the material determination unit 140 determines the material "material a" that is produced by the determined supplier a1 and is displayed in the material list 74 of the assembly destination information. Figure 12 As shown, since the assembly destination information of supplier c1 in material table 74c indicates "material a", the material determination unit 140 determines material c and determines the supplier c1 that supplies material c. Here, it is assumed that "material a" indicated by the assembly destination information of supplier c1 in material table 74c is produced by supplier a1. Furthermore, since the assembly destination information of supplier e1 in material table 74e indicates "material a", the material determination unit 140 determines material e and determines the supplier e1 that supplies material e. Here, it is assumed that "material a" indicated by the assembly destination information of supplier e1 in material table 74e is produced by supplier a1.

[0153] It should be noted that, in Figure 12 In the example, it is assumed that "material c" supplied by the determined supplier c1 does not appear in the material list 74 of the assembly destination information. Additionally, it is assumed that "material e" supplied by the determined supplier e1 does not appear in the material list 74 of the assembly destination information. Therefore, the material determination unit 140 determines that the determined "material c" and "material e" are the smallest components.

[0154] Additionally, the material determination unit 140 determines the material "material b" that is displayed in the material list 74 of the assembly destination information. Preferably, the material determination unit 140 determines the material "material b" produced by the determined supplier b2 that is displayed in the material list 74 of the assembly destination information. Figure 12 As shown, since the assembly destination information of supplier d2 in material table 74d indicates "material b", the material determination unit 140 determines material d and determines the supplier d2 that supplies material d. Here, it is assumed that "material b" indicated by the assembly destination information of supplier d2 in material table 74d is produced by supplier b2.

[0155] Additionally, the material determination unit 140 determines the material displayed in the material table 74 of the assembly destination information for the determined "material d". Preferably, the material determination unit 140 determines the material displayed in the material table 74 of the assembly destination information for "material d" produced by the determined supplier d2. For example... Figure 12 As shown, since the assembly destination information of supplier f2 in material table 74f indicates "material d", the material determination unit 140 determines material f and determines the supplier f2 that supplies material f. Here, it is assumed that "material d" indicated by the assembly destination information of supplier f2 in material table 74f is produced by supplier d2.

[0156] It should be noted that, in Figure 12 In the example, it is assumed that the "material f" supplied by the determined supplier f2 does not exist in the material table 74 represented by the assembly destination information. Therefore, the material determination unit 140 determines that the determined "material f" is the smallest component.

[0157] Next, in process S414, the material determination unit 140 determines whether change point information is registered in the corresponding material table 74 for each of the suppliers a1, b2, c1, d2, e1, and f2 identified above. Furthermore, the material determination unit 140 determines the suppliers for whom the corresponding change point information is registered. Specifically, regarding supplier a1, the material determination unit 140 determines that no change point information corresponding to supplier a1 is registered in the corresponding material table 74a. Therefore, the material determination unit 140 does not determine supplier a1.

[0158] Furthermore, regarding supplier b2, the material determination unit 140 determines that no change point information corresponding to supplier b2 is registered in the corresponding material table 74b. Therefore, the material determination unit 140 is uncertain about supplier b2. Similarly, regarding supplier c1, the material determination unit 140 determines that no change point information corresponding to supplier c1 is registered in the corresponding material table 74c. Therefore, the material determination unit 140 is uncertain about supplier c1. Finally, regarding supplier d2, the material determination unit 140 determines that no change point information corresponding to supplier d2 is registered in the corresponding material table 74d. Therefore, the material determination unit 140 is uncertain about supplier d2.

[0159] Furthermore, regarding supplier e1, the material determination unit 140 determines that change point information e11 corresponding to supplier e1 is registered in the corresponding material table 74e. Therefore, the material determination unit 140 determines supplier e1. Regarding supplier f2, the material determination unit 140 determines that change point information corresponding to supplier f2 is not registered in the corresponding material table 74f. Therefore, the material determination unit 140 does not determine supplier f2.

[0160] As described above, in process S414, the material determination unit 140 determines supplier e1 among suppliers a1, b2, c1, d2, e1, and f2. Then, in process S416, the access control unit 150 grants the manufacturer access rights to the change point information e11 of supplier e1.

[0161] As described above, in the information management system 1 of Embodiment 4, the storage unit 50 stores material information 70 in a manner that establishes a correspondence between the material and other materials assembled from the material. Furthermore, the information management system 1 of Embodiment 4 is configured to use the material information 70 to determine materials related to defects. With this structure, even if the material (component) that is the cause of the defect is not determined, materials (components) that may be the cause of the defect can be easily determined. That is, if the production process that is the cause of the defect is determined, the unit product processed in that production process can be determined, and the material (component) constituting the unit product can be determined based on the assembly destination information in the material table 74 of the material information 70. Therefore, materials (components) that may be the cause of the defect can be easily determined.

[0162] (Modified Example)

[0163] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be appropriately modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the various embodiments described above can be applied to each other. For example, the features of embodiment 4 can also be applied to embodiment 1. In this case, in Figure 10 The confidential information stored in the illustrated Materials Table 74 may not be change point information. In this case, certain information must be stored in the confidential information column corresponding to all company IDs in Materials Table 74.

[0164] Furthermore, the order of the steps in the flowchart above can be appropriately changed. Additionally, more than one step in the flowchart can be omitted. For example, in... Figure 5 In the flowchart shown, the process in S128 can also be omitted. Additionally, in Figure 7 In the flowchart shown, the number of processes S210 to S214 is 3 based on the number of urgency levels (3), but is not limited to this. The number of processes S210 to S214 can be appropriately changed according to the number of urgency levels. For example, if the number of urgency levels is 4, then the number of processes S210 to S214 can also be set to 4.

[0165] Furthermore, in Embodiments 1 and 2 described above, the access control unit 150 grants access permissions to confidential information to the manufacturer in a step-by-step manner based on machine density, but is not limited to this structure. The access control unit 150 may also grant access permissions to all confidential information to the manufacturer at once, regardless of machine density. However, by granting access permissions to confidential information to the manufacturer in a step-by-step manner based on machine density, confidential information can be appropriately protected.

[0166] Furthermore, in Embodiments 1 and 2 described above, the level of access granted corresponds to the density of confidential information, but is not limited to this structure. For example, the level of access granted may also correspond to the date and time when the confidential information was generated. In this case, in Embodiment 2, the access control unit 150 may grant access only to new confidential information when the urgency is low, and grant access to both new and old confidential information when the urgency is high. Additionally, when the features of Embodiment 2 are applied to Embodiment 3, the access control unit 150 may grant access only to change point information when the urgency is low, and grant access to both change point information and information before the change when the urgency is high.

[0167] Furthermore, in the examples above, programs can be stored and supplied to the computer using various types of non-transitory computer-readable media. Non-transitory computer-readable media include various types of tangible storage media. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include magnetic recording media (e.g., floppy disks, magnetic tapes, hard disks), optical-magnetic recording media (e.g., optical discs), CD-ROMs, CD-Rs, CD-R / Ws, and semiconductor memories (e.g., mask ROMs, PROMs (Programmable ROMs), EPROMs (Erasable PROMs), flash ROMs, and RAM). Additionally, programs can also be supplied to the computer using various types of transient computer-readable media. Examples of transient computer-readable media include electrical signals, optical signals, and electromagnetic waves. Transient computer-readable media can supply programs to the computer via wired or wireless communication paths such as wires and optical fibers.

Claims

1. An information management system, comprising: The storage unit stores at least one material information related to the materials supplied to the manufacturer from one or more suppliers that constitute the materials produced by the manufacturer; and The access control unit, upon receiving a defect notification from the manufacturer indicating a quality defect related to the product, controls the granting of access permissions to the manufacturer in a manner that includes access to at least a portion of confidential information contained in the material information of the material related to the defect, stored in the storage unit. The access control unit grants access permissions to the manufacturer in such a way that the higher the urgency of finding the cause of the defect, the wider the range of confidential information to which the access permission is granted.

2. The information management system according to claim 1, The confidential information is configured with a density indicating the level of confidentiality at the supplier's location. The higher the urgency of the defect, the more access control unit will grant the manufacturer access rights to confidential information with a higher machine density and confidential information with a lower machine density.

3. The information management system according to claim 1 or 2, The access control unit grants access to the manufacturer in such a manner that the scope of confidential information to which access is granted increases as the investigation into the cause of the defect progresses.

4. The information management system according to claim 3, The confidential information is configured with a density indicating the level of confidentiality at the supplier's location. If the cause of the defect is not identified at the manufacturer after the access control unit grants access to the manufacturer to the second confidential information in the confidential information, which has a higher machine density than the first confidential information, then the access control unit will grant access to the manufacturer to the second confidential information in the confidential information.

5. The information management system according to claim 1 or 2, The confidential information includes change point information related to the point in time when the production of the corresponding material changed from its previous state. The access control unit will grant the manufacturer access rights to the change point information.

6. The information management system according to claim 1 or 2, The storage unit stores the material information in a manner that establishes a correspondence between the material and other materials assembled from the material. The information management system further includes a material determination unit that uses the material information stored in the storage unit to determine the material related to the defect.

7. An information management method, The storage department shall store material information related to the materials that constitute the materials supplied to the manufacturer from at least one supplier. Upon receiving a defect notification from the manufacturer indicating a quality defect related to the product, control is exercised in a manner that grants access permissions to the manufacturer. This access permission includes access to at least a portion of confidential information contained in the material information of the material related to the defect, stored in the storage unit. Access to the manufacturer is granted in such a manner that the greater the urgency of determining the cause of the defect, the wider the scope of confidential information to which access is granted.

Images