Information processing system and information processing method

Abstract

To provide technology for allowing a user to browse information on a product and each element related to manufacturing of the product, and guaranteeing continuous authenticity in the browsing of the information.SOLUTION: An information processing system has a plurality of information processing terminals connected to each other through a communication network, and processes information about products. The information processing system comprises: first generation means for generating product certification information for certifying product information which contains one or more pieces of product element information indicating elements related to manufacturing of each of the products; first association means for associating a product ID, which is associated with the product information certified by the product certification information to identify each of the products, with a product identified by the product ID; first reception means for receiving an output request for the product information on the basis of the product ID; and first output means for outputting at least a part of the product information related to the output request.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing system and an information processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, with the growing awareness of environmental issues, the industrial sector has been implementing initiatives such as the CO2 emissions trading system, carbon footprint disclosure, and encouraging the use of clean energy. As a result, there is a need to understand the total energy consumption and clean energy usage ratio up to the manufacturing stage of each final product.

[0003] Here, in order to accurately calculate the total amount of energy used in the manufacture of each final product and the percentage of clean energy used in the manufacture of each final product, it is necessary to accurately grasp information on when, by what equipment, and how the final product was manufactured. Specifically, accurate information is required on the amount of energy used in the manufacture of the parts used in the final product (the percentage of clean energy in that amount; the same applies below), the amount of energy used in manufacturing the manufacturing equipment used to manufacture the product, and the amount of energy used in all the manufacturing equipment (i.e., the production line) that was in operation when the final product was manufactured.

[0004] However, if the basis for the information on energy usage is unclear, or if the information has been (or may be) tampered with, the reliability of the calculated energy usage amount is lost.

[0005] Regarding the resistance to tampering with information on distributed products and the convenience of checking the information, for example, a technology that uses a blockchain to manage meta-information related to product quality (e.g., Patent Document 1) and a technology that uses a blockchain technology to anonymously acquire product information from product labels (e.g., Patent Document 2) are known. It has also been known for some time that product quality can be guaranteed by having the product specifications certified by a certification body and then indicating that the specifications have been certified. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-113279 A [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 2021-528720 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, even with the above technology, it is not possible to grasp the total amount of energy used for each individual final product. This is a problem that arises regardless of whether the quality of the final product is guaranteed. For example, if a final product is manufactured in a factory that has multiple production lines with different energy efficiencies, the total amount of energy used will differ depending on which production line the final product was manufactured on. In other words, even if the factory in which the final product was manufactured and the manufacturing date and time are known, unless the production line in which each final product was manufactured (the combination of manufacturing equipment used in that line) is specified and the information is accurate, it is not possible to grasp accurate information on the amount of energy used in the manufacture of each final product.

[0008] In addition to the problem of grasping the amount of energy used, there are also needs such as the desire to limit the manufacturers of the manufacturing equipment and software used in the production of final products (for example, to require the use of manufacturing equipment and software from one of the companies in the company as a condition of production, to eliminate inferior products, etc.). There is a need to limit the size of products manufactured and the working conditions of the workers involved in the production of final products (to prevent the production of products under poor working conditions), but there is also the issue that it is not possible to verify whether such restrictions are being observed based on the quality of the final product.

[0009] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide technology that enables viewing of information about a product and each element related to the production of the product, while helping to ensure the authenticity of the information viewed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following configuration as an example. An information processing system having a plurality of information processing terminals connected to each other via a communication network, which processes information about a product, A first generating means for generating product certification information that certifies product information, the product certification information being information including one or more product element information indicating each element related to the production of each of the products; a first association means for associating a product ID, which is associated with the product information certified by the product certification information and identifies each of the products, with the product identified by the product ID; a first receiving means for receiving a first output request which is a request for outputting the product information based on the product ID; a first output means for outputting at least a part of the product information related to the first output request; The information processing system has the following features.

[0011] Note that the "product" referred to here includes both the final product that is delivered to the end user and intermediate products that are components of such a final product. Also, "each element related to the manufacturing of the product" includes various information. Specifically, it can include, for example, information on the manufacturing line related to the manufacturing of the product, information on the manufacturing date and time of the product, information on the manufacturer of the product, manufacturing equipment (including sensor devices, etc.) related to the manufacturing of the product, software related to the manufacturing of the product, operators who manufacture the product, materials used in the product, the amount of energy consumed in the manufacturing of the product, and CO2 emissions. Furthermore, it can include not only this information itself but also information to obtain this information (for example, IDs, codes, URL addresses, etc. linked to the contents of the information).

[0012] Additionally, "certifying product information" includes certifying the contents of the product information, the date and time of creation (date and time of update), the creator of the product information, etc. For example, when the above items are authenticated by a public certification body, they are certified. In this specification, the words "certification" and "authentication" both mean to guarantee the authenticity of an object, but "certification" is primarily used to mean a state, and "authentication" is primarily used to mean an action.

[0013] With the above configuration, it is possible to provide a system that enables users of an information processing network to which multiple terminals are connected to output (view) information on products and each element related to the manufacturing of the products, and also supports guaranteeing the authenticity of the information viewed. With this, for example, general consumers can view highly reliable product information (such as energy consumption and producers related to product manufacturing) that is also authenticated for the information on which it is based (and its changes) from their own terminals, and manufacturers, logistics companies, retailers, etc. can also obtain highly reliable product information from their own terminals.

[0014] The information processing system may process at least one of the product information, the product certification information, and the product ID using a distributed ledger system. With this configuration, the system can be highly resistant to information tampering.

[0015] The product information includes at least the consumption data related to the manufacture of the product as the product element data. The information may include information related to energy consumption. Here, the information related to energy consumption may be, for example, the amount of energy consumed, the amount of CO2 emissions, or some index calculated using these information. This allows the user to easily grasp information related to energy consumption, such as the total amount of energy consumed for the manufacture of the product and the amount of CO2 emissions.

[0016] The information processing system further includes a second generating unit configured to generate production line certification information that certifies production line information including one or more pieces of production element information indicating each element constituting a production line related to the production of the product; a second association means for associating a production line ID, which is associated with the production line information certified by the production line certification information and identifies each of the production lines, with the production line identified by the production line ID; a second receiving means for receiving a second output request, which is a request for outputting the production line information, based on the production line ID; a second output means for outputting at least a part of the production line information related to the second output request; and The product information may include at least the manufacturing line ID as the product element information.

[0017] Here, "each element constituting the production line" can include manufacturing equipment (including sensor devices, etc.) related to the production of the product, software related to the production of the product, information on the operators of the production line, the amount of energy consumed to produce one product, the type of energy used on the line, etc. Furthermore, this does not only refer to this information itself, but also information for acquiring this information (for example, an ID, code, URL address, etc. linked to the content of the information).

[0018] With this configuration, users can easily view reliable information on each element related to the product's production line. Furthermore, it is possible to build a system that allows users to refer to the contents of the production line information by using the production line ID corresponding to the production line information as a key, without including the production line information itself of the production line that produced the product as the content of the product information.

[0019] The production line information may also include, as the production element information, at least information related to the type of energy consumed in the production line. The "type of energy" here may be, for example, a distinction between specific power generation methods, or a simple distinction between clean energy and non-clean energy. If the production line is operated using multiple types of energy, information on the ratio of each type may be included. This allows users to easily understand whether a product has been manufactured using so-called clean energy, such as renewable energy.

[0020] The information processing system further includes a third generating means for generating manufacturing equipment certification information that certifies manufacturing equipment information including one or more pieces of specification information of each manufacturing equipment constituting the manufacturing line; a third association means for associating a manufacturing equipment ID for identifying each of the manufacturing equipment with the manufacturing equipment information certified by the manufacturing equipment certification information, and the manufacturing equipment identified by the manufacturing equipment ID; a third receiving means for receiving a third output request, which is a request for outputting the manufacturing equipment information, based on the manufacturing equipment ID; a third output means for outputting at least a part of the manufacturing equipment information related to the third output request; and The manufacturing line information may include at least the manufacturing device ID as the manufacturing element information.

[0021] Here, the "specifications of the manufacturing equipment" may include information related to the energy-saving performance of the manufacturing equipment, information about the parts used in the manufacturing equipment, information about the software implemented in the manufacturing equipment, information about the manufacturer of the manufacturing equipment, information about the manufacturing date and time of the manufacturing equipment, etc. Furthermore, in addition to this information itself, information for obtaining this information (for example, an ID, code, URL address, etc. linked to the content of the information) is also included.

[0022] This allows users to easily browse the information on the specifications of the manufacturing equipment for highly reliable products. Furthermore, it is possible to build a system that allows the contents of the manufacturing equipment information to be referenced using the manufacturing equipment ID corresponding to the manufacturing equipment information as a key, without including the manufacturing equipment information itself that the manufacturing line has as the content of the manufacturing line information.

[0023] The manufacturing equipment information may include at least information related to the energy-saving performance of the manufacturing equipment as the specifications of the manufacturing equipment. Here, "energy-saving performance" may include the achievement rate of a predetermined standard, energy consumption efficiency (for example, the energy consumed in manufacturing one product, etc.). This allows the user to easily understand the degree of energy-saving performance of the manufacturing equipment used in the manufacture of the product, and further, the degree to which the product was manufactured with consideration given to energy conservation.

[0024] The information processing system further includes a control unit for controlling each manufacturing device constituting the manufacturing line, The control means may not operate each of the manufacturing equipment to be controlled if the specifications of the manufacturing equipment to be controlled do not match the contents certified by the manufacturing equipment certification information linked to the manufacturing equipment ID assigned to the manufacturing equipment, or if each element constituting the manufacturing line to which the manufacturing equipment to be controlled belongs does not match the contents certified by the manufacturing line certification information linked to the manufacturing line ID assigned to the manufacturing line.

[0025] According to this, if there is an unplanned specification change or replacement of a manufacturing device in the manufacturing line or manufacturing equipment, it is possible to prevent the product from being manufactured using a manufacturing line or manufacturing equipment different from the authenticated contents. In other words, it is possible to provide a system that not only provides resistance to tampering with the product information itself (by the certification information), but also prevents unintentional changes (tampering) to the contents guaranteed by the certification information.

[0026] The information processing system further includes a fourth reception means for receiving at least the update to the product information on the condition that an updater ID, which is associated with an authority to update the product information and individually identifies a user who performs the update, is input, The fourth accepting means may, when accepting the update, add an updater ID of a user who performed the update and a time of the update to the product information.

[0027] Here, "update" includes the simple addition of information. Furthermore, "authority to update" includes the content of information that can be updated and the determination of the time when updates can be made. With this configuration, users can update information according to their authority to update information, and when updates are made, a record of the information update is added to the product information, making it possible to realize a system that is highly resistant to tampering and is also convenient.

[0028] At least, a viewing authority for the product information is linked to the viewing authority of the product information and the user who views the information is individually identified. a fifth reception means for receiving an input of a user ID, When the fifth reception means receives input of the viewer ID, the first output means may output the product information that can be viewed with the viewing authority linked to the viewer ID.

[0029] Here, "viewing authority" includes the content of information that can be viewed and the time when it can be viewed. With this configuration, a user can easily view information that corresponds to the viewing authority of the information, while the information provider can decide to whom and what information to provide, thereby realizing a convenient system.

[0030] The present invention also provides a method for producing a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: An information processing method for processing information about a product, comprising: A first generation step of generating product certification information that certifies product information, the product certification information being information including one or more product element information indicating each element related to the production of each of the products; a first association step of associating a product ID, which is associated with the product information certified by the product certification information and identifies each of the products, with the product identified by the product ID; a first receiving step of receiving a first output request which is a request for outputting the product information based on the product ID; a first output step of outputting at least a part of the product information related to the first output request; The present invention can also be regarded as an information processing method having the above-mentioned features.

[0031] The information processing method further includes a second generation step of generating production line certification information that certifies production line information including one or more pieces of production element information indicating each element constituting a production line related to the production of the product; a second association step of associating a production line ID, which is associated with the production line information certified by the production line certification information and identifies each of the production lines, with the production line identified by the production line ID; a second receiving step of receiving a second output request, which is a request to output the production line information, based on the production line ID; a second output step of outputting at least a part of the production line information related to the second output request; and The product information may include at least the manufacturing line ID as the product element information.

[0032] The information processing method further includes a third generation step of generating manufacturing equipment certification information that certifies manufacturing equipment information including one or more pieces of specification information of each manufacturing equipment constituting the manufacturing line; a third association step of associating a manufacturing equipment ID, which is associated with the manufacturing equipment information certified by the manufacturing equipment certification information and identifies each of the manufacturing equipment, with the manufacturing equipment identified by the manufacturing equipment ID; a third receiving step of receiving a third output request, which is a request to output the manufacturing apparatus information, based on the manufacturing apparatus ID; a third output step of outputting at least a part of the manufacturing equipment information related to the third output request; and The manufacturing line information may include at least the manufacturing device ID as the manufacturing element information.

[0033] Furthermore, the present invention can also be understood as a program for causing a computer to execute each step of the above-described method, or a computer-readable recording medium on which such a program is non-transiently recorded.

[0034] The above configurations and processes can be combined with each other to constitute the present invention as long as no technical contradiction occurs. In this specification, the numbers such as "first...", "second..." etc. are used simply to distinguish from other elements and do not indicate any order or priority between elements. Each of the above invention-specific matters does not necessarily have to be realized as a separate configuration, and one configuration may serve as multiple invention-specific matters. Effect of the Invention

[0035] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technology that enables information on a product and each element related to the production of the product to be viewed, and also helps ensure the authenticity of the viewed information. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0036] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of an information processing system according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an outline of the hardware configuration of the authentication authority terminal according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of the functional configuration of the authentication authority terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of information stored in the storage unit of the authentication authority terminal according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] Fig. 5A is a first explanatory diagram showing an example of a database stored in a storage unit of the authentication authority terminal according to embodiment 1. Fig. 5B is a second explanatory diagram showing an example of a database stored in a storage unit of the authentication authority terminal according to embodiment 1. Fig. 5C is a third explanatory diagram showing an example of a database stored in a storage unit of the authentication authority terminal according to embodiment 1. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of the functional configuration of the product manufacturer terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents of a production line according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of the functional configuration of the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of the functional configuration of the update right holder terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of the functional configuration of the consumer terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an outline of the processing performed in the information processing system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the flow of information exchange and processing between the certification authority terminal and the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a first diagram showing the flow of information exchange and processing between the certification authority terminal and the product manufacturer terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an example of a flow of processes performed at the start-up of a manufacturing line in the information processing system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a second diagram showing the flow of information exchange and processing between the certification authority terminal and the product manufacturer terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the flow of information exchange and processing between the authentication authority terminal and the update authority terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the flow of information exchange and processing between the authentication authority terminal and the consumer terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a user ID input form generated by the information browsing request receiving unit in the first embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an ID input form used in the second modification of the first embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram illustrating an overview of an information processing system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of the functional configuration of the authentication authority terminal according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0037] <Application Examples> An application example of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The information processing system 1 according to this application example is an information processing system that aims to allow consumers to easily view collective information (hereinafter referred to as "product information") of various elements related to the manufacture of a product distributed in the market, and to guarantee the authenticity of the information related to the viewing. Examples of elements included in the product information include the total amount of energy consumed in the manufacture of the product, the amount of CO2 emissions, the type of energy used in the manufacture of the product, the raw materials of the product, and the source of the raw materials.

[0038] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information processing system 1 according to this application example. As shown in Fig. 1, the information processing system 1 according to this application example includes a consumer terminal 50 owned by a consumer (a person who purchases a product), a product manufacturer terminal 20 managed by a product manufacturer, and a certification authority terminal 10 managed by an organization that certifies product information (hereinafter referred to as a "certification authority"), and these are configured to be communicatively connected via a communication network N.

[0039] A product manufacturer generates product information for a product that the product manufacturer manufactures using product manufacturer terminal 20, and transmits this to certification agency terminal 10. The certification agency then authenticates the transmitted product information, generates certification information (hereinafter referred to as "product certification information") that certifies the authenticated product information using certification agency terminal 10, associates this with the authenticated product information, and registers the authenticated product information in a database (DB).

[0040] The certification authority further issues product identification information (hereinafter, the identification information will be referred to as "ID"), which is linked to the authenticated product information certified by the product certification information and identifies each product, via the certification authority terminal 10. The issued product ID is transmitted to the product manufacturer terminal 20 via the communication network N.

[0041] The product manufacturer performs a process of associating the product ID issued by the product manufacturer terminal 20 with each product, and the association of one product with the product ID and authenticated product information is completed. Specifically, the association with the product may be performed by stamping the product ID (for example, as a serial number) on the product, or by outputting a label with the product ID printed thereon (the label is affixed to the product). Also, information including the product ID may be encoded into a barcode or QR code (registered trademark), and the code may be attached to the product.

[0042] A consumer uses the product ID (or an encoded code thereof) attached to a product he or she has acquired as a key to make a request to view product information on the consumer terminal 50. Specifically, the consumer accesses a portal site provided by the certification body, inputs the product ID, decodes the code attached to the product, and transmits the request to view product information to the certification body terminal 10 via the communication network N.

[0043] When the certification authority terminal 10 receives a viewing request from the consumer terminal 50, it extracts at least a portion of the product information according to the consumer's viewing authority (e.g., the amount of CO2 emissions related to the production of the product, the raw materials of the product) from the DB and transmits it to the consumer terminal 50. Then, the consumer terminal 50, which has acquired the information via the communication network N, generates and outputs a product information viewing screen.

[0044] This allows consumers to easily view at least a portion of the product information of the product they have acquired. Furthermore, the product information is certified by a certification body, so the authenticity of the product information being viewed can be guaranteed.

[0045] <Embodiment 1> Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below. However, unless otherwise specified, the components and processes described in the following embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0046] (System Overview) The information processing system 1 according to the first embodiment is similar to the information processing system 1 according to the application example. That is, the information processing system 1 according to the present embodiment includes a certification authority terminal 10, a product manufacturer terminal 20, a manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30, an update authority terminal 40, and a consumer terminal 50, which are communicatively connected via a communication network N, as shown in FIG. The information processing system 1 according to the present embodiment also includes one or more control devices 22 that are communicatively connected to the product manufacturer terminal 20 and control the manufacturing equipment of the product. Note that there may be a plurality of each of the product manufacturer terminal 20, the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30, the update authority terminal 40, and the consumer terminal 50.

[0047] (Configuration of the certification authority terminal) First, the authentication authority terminal 10 will be described. For example, a general server computer can be adopted as the authentication authority terminal 10. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an outline of the hardware configuration of the authentication authority terminal 10. As described above, the authentication authority terminal 10 is an information processing terminal managed by the authentication authority, and includes as components a processor 91, a memory 92, an input interface (IF) 93, an output IF 94, and a communication IF 95, which are interconnected by a connection bus 90, as shown in Fig. 2.

[0048] The processor 91 may be any arbitrary arithmetic processing device, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a micro-processing unit (MPU), or a digital signal processor (DSP).

[0049] The memory 92 may be a flash memory or a RAM (Random Access Memory), though not shown. The memory 92 includes a main storage device such as a Solid State Drive (SSD) or a Read Only Memory (ROM), and an auxiliary storage device such as a Solid State Drive (EPROM), an Erasable Programmable ROM (EPROM), a flash memory, a USB memory, and a Secure Digital (SD) memory card. The memory 92 stores information such as programs executed by the processor 91, data processed by the processor 91, operation setting information, and various DBs described below. The programs stored in the memory 92 are executed by the processor 91, which controls each component of the authentication authority terminal 10, thereby realizing each functional unit that fulfills a predetermined purpose.

[0050] Examples of the input IF 93 include various input devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, a camera, and a microphone. Examples of the output IF 94 include a display, a speaker, and the like. Examples of the output device include various output devices such as a printer. A touch panel display can also be used as both the input IF 93 and the output IF. The communication IF 95 can have an appropriate configuration depending on the connection method (wired or wireless, connection standard, etc.) with the communication network N to be connected.

[0051] (Functional configuration of the certification authority terminal 10) Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing an outline of the functional configuration of the authentication authority terminal 10. As shown in Fig. 3, the authentication authority terminal 10 includes each of the functional units, an authentication request receiving unit 101, a proof information generating unit 102, an ID issuing unit 103, an information browsing request receiving unit 104, an information update receiving unit 105, an input unit 107, an output unit 108, a storage unit 109, and a communication unit 110.

[0052] The authentication request receiving unit 101 receives an authentication request for product information, collective information on manufacturing element information indicating each element constituting the product manufacturing line (hereinafter referred to as "manufacturing line information"), and information on the specifications of each manufacturing device installed in the manufacturing line (hereinafter referred to as "manufacturing equipment information"), as described below. Specifically, the authentication request is received by receiving the product information, manufacturing line information, and manufacturing equipment information related to the authentication request from the product manufacturer terminal 20 and the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30 via the communication network N.

[0053] The certification information generating unit 102 generates each piece of certification information, namely, product certification information that certifies product information related to the authentication, production line certification information that certifies production line information related to the authentication, and manufacturing equipment certification information that certifies manufacturing equipment information related to the authentication. That is, in this embodiment, the certification information generating unit 102 is configured to serve as the first generating means, second generating means, and third generating means according to the present invention. By generating the certification information, the contents and authenticity of the product information, production line information, and manufacturing equipment information are guaranteed by the certification organization.

[0054] The ID issuing unit 103 issues various IDs. Specifically, it issues IDs such as a user ID for individually identifying a user of the information processing system 1, a product ID for individually identifying a product, a manufacturing line ID for individually identifying a manufacturing line, and a manufacturing equipment ID for individually identifying a manufacturing equipment.

[0055] The user ID issued by the ID issuing unit 103 is associated with update authority (whether or not information can be updated, the scope of the update, and the time when the update can be performed) and viewing authority (the scope of information that can be viewed, and the time when the information can be viewed) for the product information, manufacturing line information, and manufacturing equipment information stored in the DB described below.

[0056] Moreover, the product ID issued by the ID issuing unit 103 is associated with product information certified by product certification information, and it is possible to access the corresponding product information based on the product ID. The same is true for the manufacturing line ID and manufacturing equipment ID, and authenticated manufacturing line information and manufacturing equipment information are associated with each other.

[0057] The information viewing request receiving unit 104 receives a request to view authenticated product information, manufacturing line information, and manufacturing equipment information. For example, the information viewing request receiving unit 104 receives a request to view each piece of information corresponding to a product ID, a manufacturing line ID, and a manufacturing equipment ID as keys from any of the terminals connected via the communication network N, and requests transmission of a user ID. Then, information according to the viewing authority set in the user ID is transmitted to the terminal that made the viewing request via a communication unit 110 described later. Specific processing at this time will be described later. In this embodiment, the information viewing request receiving unit 104 is configured to serve as a first receiving means, a second receiving means, a third receiving means, and a fifth receiving means according to the present invention.

[0058] The information update receiving unit 105 receives at least one of product information, manufacturing line information, and manufacturing equipment information. The information update receiving unit 105 receives an update request for each piece of information stored in the DB, on the condition that the user ID of a user having any one of the update authorities is input. The information update receiving unit 105 receives an update request for each piece of information corresponding to the product ID, the manufacturing line ID, and the manufacturing device ID from any one of the terminals connected via the communication network N, for example, using the product ID, the manufacturing line ID, and the manufacturing device ID as keys, and requests the transmission of the user ID. Then, an information update user interface (UI) according to the update authority set in the user ID is transmitted to the terminal that requested the update. When the information update is received via the information update UI, the information update receiving unit 105 updates the information in the DB, and adds the update date and time and the user ID of the person who performed the update to the DB. That is, in this embodiment, the information update receiving unit 105 corresponds to a fourth receiving means according to the present invention. Note that the "update" referred to here includes not only overwriting (rewriting) information, but also adding information.

[0059] The input unit 107 is realized by the above-mentioned input IF 93, and transmits various input signals inputted via various input devices to the processor 91. The output unit 108 is realized by the above-mentioned output IF 94, and outputs various information by an output device such as a display. The communication unit 110 is realized by the communication IF 95, and performs information communication with other terminals in the system via the communication network N.

[0060] The storage unit 109 is realized by the above-mentioned memory 92, and stores various kinds of information. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of information held by the storage unit 109. As shown in Fig. 4, the storage unit 109 stores various DBs such as an authenticated product information DB, an authenticated manufacturing line DB, an authenticated manufacturing equipment DB, a user ID DB, a product ID DB, a manufacturing line ID DB, and a manufacturing equipment ID DB.

[0061] The authenticated product information DB stores product information received from product manufacturer terminal 20 and for which certification information has been generated. An example of the authenticated product information DB is shown in Fig. 5A. As shown in Fig. 5A, the authenticated product information DB includes, for example, a product ID, the ID of the production line that produced the product, a manufacturer ID (information that identifies the product manufacturer), information on energy consumption related to the production of the product, information on the date of manufacture, and the like.

[0062] The authenticated manufacturing line DB stores manufacturing line information that is received from the product manufacturer terminal 20 and for which certification information has been generated. An example of the authenticated manufacturing line information DB is shown in Fig. 5B. As shown in Fig. 5B, the authenticated manufacturing line information DB includes, for example, a manufacturing line ID, an ID of a manufacturing device included in the manufacturing line, an ID of a control device that controls the manufacturing line, an ID that identifies an operator of the manufacturing line, information on the type of energy used in the manufacturing line, and the like.

[0063] The authenticated manufacturing equipment information DB stores manufacturing equipment information received from the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30 and for which certification information has been generated. An example of the authenticated manufacturing equipment information DB is shown in Fig. 5C. As shown in Fig. 5C, the authenticated manufacturing equipment information DB includes, for example, a manufacturing equipment ID, a type (model) of the manufacturing equipment, an ID of software implemented in the manufacturing equipment, the energy saving performance of the manufacturing equipment, a manufacturer ID (information for identifying the manufacturing equipment manufacturer), and the like.

[0064] The user IDDB, product IDDB, production line IDDB, and manufacturing equipment IDDB store information in which IDs issued by ID issuing unit 103 are paired with the corresponding users, products, production lines, and manufacturing equipment.

[0065] (Product manufacturer terminal) Next, the product manufacturer terminal 20 will be described. The product manufacturer terminal 20 is a terminal managed by the product manufacturer, and is connected to other terminals in the system via a communication network N as shown in FIG. 1, and is also connected to control devices 22a, 22b, . . . 22n provided in each of a plurality of manufacturing lines 21a, 21b, . . . 21n. Except when it is necessary to distinguish between the multiple production lines and control devices, they will simply be referred to as the production line 21, the control device 22, etc.

[0066] The product manufacturer terminal 20 may use a general server computer or the like, similar to the certification authority terminal 10. That is, although not shown, similar to the certification authority terminal 10, the product manufacturer terminal 20 is provided with a processor, memory, input IF, output IF, communication IF, etc. as a hardware configuration.

[0067] Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing an outline of the functional configuration of product manufacturer terminal 20. As shown in Fig. 6, product manufacturer terminal 20 includes each of functional units, namely, product information generating unit 201, production line information generating unit 202, product ID matching unit 203, production line ID matching unit 204, information browsing request unit 205, information update request unit 206, input unit 207, output unit 208, storage unit 209, and communication unit 210.

[0068] The input unit 207, output unit 208, and communication unit 210 are similar to those of the certification agency terminal 10, and the memory unit 209 is also similar to the memory unit 109 of the certification agency terminal 10 except that it does not hold a database such as an authenticated product information DB, so descriptions of these will be omitted.

[0069] When a product manufacturer manufactures a new product, the product information generating unit 201 generates product information for that product. An example of the content of the product information has been described above, so a repeated description will be omitted. When the generated product information is to be certified by a certification body, the product manufacturer terminal 20 transmits the product information to the certification body terminal 10 via the communication unit 210.

[0070] When a product manufacturer constructs a new production line 21, the production line information generating unit 202 generates production line information of the production line. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of production elements included in the production line 21. As shown in FIG. 7, examples of production element information in the production line 21 include a plurality of production apparatuses 23a, 23b, . . . 23n related to the production of products, a plurality of sensor devices 24a, 24b, . . . 24n, a control device 22 that connects with these production apparatuses and sensor devices and controls the production apparatuses 23a, 23b, . . . 23n, and a line operator 25 of the production line 21. In the following, a plurality of production apparatuses and sensor devices will be simply referred to as the production apparatuses 23, the sensor devices 24, and the like, except when it is necessary to distinguish between them.

[0071] The control device 22 may be, for example, a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller). The control device 22 controls the manufacturing device 23, and as described later, collects information on each manufacturing element in the manufacturing line 21, and if the information does not match the information certified by the certification body, reports an error and performs processing to stop the manufacturing device 23 from operating.

[0072] In generating the manufacturing line information, if manufacturing equipment information including information on the specifications of the manufacturing equipment 23 included in the manufacturing line 21 is required, the necessary information is acquired via the communication unit 210, the input unit 207, etc. For example, if the manufacturing equipment 23 is a ready-made product manufactured by a manufacturing equipment manufacturer, the manufacturing equipment information may be acquired by inquiring about the manufacturing equipment information of the corresponding manufacturing equipment from the certification authority terminal 10 (or the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30) via the communication unit 210 using the manufacturing equipment ID as a key. Alternatively, if the manufacturing equipment 23 is unique to the product manufacturer, the manufacturing equipment information may be acquired by, for example, displaying a UI that prompts the user to input the manufacturing equipment information via the output unit 208 and accepting the input of information from the user via the input unit 207.

[0073] The product ID matching unit 203 performs a process of matching the product ID issued by the certification authority terminal 10 with each product identified by the product ID. 3 corresponds to a first associating means according to the present invention. Specifically, for example, the association of the product, the product ID, and the authenticated product information is completed by assigning a product ID to the product by stamping the product ID (or a code in which information including the product ID is encoded) on each product or outputting a label on which the product ID is printed. For this reason, when a product ID is actually assigned to a product, information to that effect may be transmitted to the authentication authority terminal 10 to update the information in the authenticated product information DB, thereby associating the product ID with the product.

[0074] The manufacturing line ID matching unit 204 performs a process of matching the manufacturing line ID issued by the authentication authority terminal 10 with each individual manufacturing line identified by the manufacturing line ID. That is, in this embodiment, the manufacturing line ID matching unit 204 corresponds to the second matching means according to the present invention. Specifically, for example, a product manufacturer assigns a manufacturing line ID to each individual manufacturing line, thereby completing the matching between the manufacturing line, the manufacturing line ID, and the authenticated manufacturing line information. Therefore, when a manufacturing line ID is actually assigned to a manufacturing line, information to that effect may be transmitted to the authentication authority terminal 10 to update the information in the authenticated product information DB, thereby matching the manufacturing line ID with the product.

[0075] The information viewing request unit 205 requests viewing of at least one of the product information, manufacturing line information, and manufacturing equipment information that has been authenticated by the authentication authority terminal 10 and is stored in the storage unit 109 of the authentication authority terminal 10 in association with the certification information. Specifically, an information viewing request is sent to the authentication authority terminal 10, and a request is made to view information associated with the product ID, manufacturing line ID, or manufacturing equipment ID using these IDs as a key through the reception process of the information viewing request reception unit 104. Note that by inputting a user ID (and a password corresponding thereto) when making the information viewing request, the information can be viewed within the scope of the authority associated with the user ID.

[0076] The information update request unit 206 performs processing for updating at least the information in either the authenticated product information DB or the authenticated manufacturing line information DB stored in the storage unit 109 of the authentication authority terminal 10. Specifically, for example, the information update request is sent to the authentication authority terminal 10 using a product ID or a manufacturing line ID as a key, and the information to be updated is registered by being provided with a UI for updating the information.

[0077] (Manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal) Next, a description will be given of the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30. The manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30 is a terminal managed by the manufacturing equipment manufacturer, and is communicatively connected to other terminals in the system via a communication network N as shown in FIG.

[0078] The manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30 can use a general server computer or the like, similar to the certification authority terminal 10. That is, although not shown, similar to the certification authority terminal 10, the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30 is provided with a processor, memory, input IF, output IF, communication IF, etc. as a hardware configuration.

[0079] Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing an outline of the functional configuration of manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30. As shown in Fig. 8, manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30 includes functional units, such as manufacturing equipment information generating unit 301, manufacturing equipment ID matching unit 302, information browsing request unit 303, information update request unit 304, input unit 307, output unit 308, storage unit 309, and communication unit 310.

[0080] The input unit 307, output unit 308, and communication unit 310 are similar to those of the certification authority terminal 10, and the memory unit 309 is also similar to the memory unit 109 of the certification authority terminal 10 except that it does not hold a database such as an authenticated product information DB, so descriptions of these will be omitted.

[0081] The manufacturing equipment information generating unit 301 generates information on the manufacturing equipment when a manufacturing equipment manufacturer manufactures a new manufacturing equipment. Manufacturing equipment information of the manufacturing equipment is generated. The manufacturing equipment information is a collection of information related to the specifications of the manufacturing equipment, and includes, for example, the type (model) of the manufacturing equipment, information related to the energy saving performance of the manufacturing equipment, information on the parts and raw materials used in the manufacturing equipment, information on the software implemented in the manufacturing equipment, information on the manufacturer of the manufacturing equipment, etc. When the generated manufacturing equipment information is to be certified by the certification body, the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30 transmits the manufacturing equipment information to the certification body terminal 10 via the communication unit 310.

[0082] The manufacturing equipment ID matching unit 302 performs a process of matching the manufacturing equipment ID issued by the certification authority terminal 10 with each manufacturing equipment identified by the manufacturing equipment ID. That is, in this embodiment, the manufacturing equipment ID matching unit 302 corresponds to a third matching means according to the present invention. Specifically, the manufacturing equipment ID is assigned to the manufacturing equipment by, for example, stamping the manufacturing equipment ID (or a code in which information including the manufacturing equipment ID is encoded) on each manufacturing equipment or outputting a label on which the manufacturing equipment ID is printed, thereby completing the association between the manufacturing equipment, the manufacturing equipment ID, and the authenticated manufacturing equipment information. For this reason, when the manufacturing equipment ID is actually assigned to the manufacturing equipment, information to that effect may be transmitted to the certification authority terminal 10 to update the information in the authenticated manufacturing equipment information DB, thereby matching the manufacturing equipment ID with the product.

[0083] The information viewing request unit 303 requests viewing of at least one of the product information, manufacturing line information, and manufacturing equipment information that has been authenticated by the authentication authority terminal 10 and is stored in the storage unit 109 of the authentication authority terminal 10 in association with the certification information. Specifically, an information viewing request is sent to the authentication authority terminal 10, and a request is made to view information associated with the product ID, manufacturing line ID, or manufacturing equipment ID using these IDs as a key through the reception process of the information viewing request reception unit 104. Note that by inputting a user ID (and a password corresponding thereto) when making the information viewing request, the information can be viewed within the scope of the authority associated with the user ID.

[0084] The information update request unit 304 performs processing for updating at least the information in the authenticated manufacturing equipment DB stored in the storage unit 109 of the certification authority terminal 10. Specifically, for example, the information update request is sent to the certification authority terminal 10 using the manufacturing equipment ID as a key, and a UI for updating the information is provided, thereby registering the information to be updated.

[0085] (Update owner terminal) Next, the updating authority terminal 40 will be described. The updating authority terminal 40 is a terminal managed by a user who has been granted at least the authority to update the product information, and is communicatively connected to other terminals in the system via a communication network N as shown in FIG. 1. Here, the users who have been granted the authority to update the product information are, for example, businesses involved in the distribution of products, such as logistics companies, wholesalers, and retailers. Products reach consumers via each of these businesses, but during that time, the condition of the product may change or it may become necessary to add information on the location of the product. Therefore, the updating authority terminal 40 has a function of reflecting such information in the authenticated product information DB.

[0086] A general-purpose computer system can be used for the update authority terminal 40. That is, like the certification authority terminal 10, the hardware configuration includes a processor, a memory, an input IF, an output IF, a communication IF, etc., although not shown.

[0087] Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing an outline of the functional configuration of the update authority holder terminal 40. As shown in Fig. 9, the update authority holder terminal 40 includes the following functional units: an information viewing request unit 401, an information update request unit 402, an input unit 407, an output unit 408, a storage unit 409, and a communication unit 410.

[0088] The input unit 407, the output unit 408, and the communication unit 410 are the same as those of the certification authority terminal 10. The storage unit 409 is also similar to the storage unit 109 of the authentication authority terminal 10 except that it does not hold a DB such as an authenticated product information DB, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0089] The information viewing request unit 401 requests viewing of product information that has been authenticated at least by the authentication authority terminal 10 and is stored in the storage unit 109 of the authentication authority terminal 10 in association with the certification information. Specifically, an information viewing request is sent to the authentication authority terminal 10, and a request is made to view information associated with the product ID using the product ID as a key through the reception process of the information viewing request reception unit 104. Note that by inputting a user ID (and the corresponding password) when making the information viewing request, the information can be viewed within the scope of the authority associated with the user ID.

[0090] The information update request unit 402 performs processing for updating at least the information in the authenticated product information DB stored in the storage unit 109 of the authentication authority terminal 10. Specifically, for example, an information update request is sent to the authentication authority terminal 10 using a product ID as a key, and a UI for updating information is provided, thereby registering the information to be updated. For example, a transport company acting as a business entity granted the authority to update product information adds information such as the route and the amount of CO2 emissions during transport to the product information in the authenticated product information DB when transporting a product.

[0091] (Consumer Devices) Next, the consumer terminal 50 will be described. The consumer terminal 50 is a terminal possessed by a general consumer, and is communicatively connected to other terminals in the system via a communication network N as shown in FIG. 1. The consumer terminal 50 can be a general-purpose terminal, and in this embodiment, an example in which the consumer terminal 50 is a smartphone will be described. However, the consumer terminal 50 may be a mobile information terminal other than a smartphone, or may be a desktop computer or a smart display. In any case, the consumer terminal 50 also includes a processor, a memory, an input IF, an output IF, a communication IF, and the like as a hardware configuration.

[0092] Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing an outline of the functional configuration of the consumer terminal 50. As shown in Fig. 10, the consumer terminal 50 has the following functional units: an information browsing request unit 501, an input unit 507, an output unit 508, a storage unit 509, and a communication unit 510. The input unit 507, the output unit 508, and the communication unit 510 are the same as those in the certification authority terminal 10, and the storage unit 509 is also the same as the storage unit 109 in the certification authority terminal 10, except that it does not hold a DB such as an authenticated product information DB, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0093] The information viewing request unit 501 requests viewing of product information that has been authenticated at least by the authentication authority terminal 10 and is associated with the certification information and stored in the storage unit 109 of the authentication authority terminal 10. Specifically, an information viewing request is transmitted to the authentication authority terminal 10, and a request is made to view information associated with the product ID by using the product ID as a key through the reception process of the information viewing request reception unit 104.

[0094] By entering a user ID (and the corresponding password) when requesting to view information, the information can be viewed within the scope of the authority associated with the user ID. Note that general consumers who acquire products are not usually given user IDs, but even without a user ID, they can view basic information about the product.

[0095] For example, if information including a product ID is encoded and attached to a product, such as a QR code (registered trademark), the information including the product ID can be decoded by photographing it with a camera serving as the input unit 507 of the consumer terminal 50, and an information viewing request can be sent to the certification authority terminal 10 to obtain (a basic part of) the product information corresponding to the product ID, which can then be automatically displayed on a display serving as the output unit 508. According to the report, even an ordinary consumer who has no knowledge of how information processing system 1 works can view basic product information simply by scanning the code attached to the product with a camera, thereby increasing convenience for consumers.

[0096] (Information processing flow) Next, the flow of information processing performed in the information processing system 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 11 to FIG. 17. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an outline of the processing performed in the information processing system 1. As shown in FIG. 11, the information processing system 1 executes a step (S101) of authenticating manufacturing device information and performing a processing of manufacturing device ID association, a step (S102) of authenticating manufacturing line information and performing a processing of manufacturing line ID association, a step (S103) of operating a manufacturing line in a product manufacturer to manufacture a product, a step (S104) of authenticating product information and performing a processing of product ID association, a step (S105) of determining whether there is a request for updating information stored in the DB for the authentication authority terminal 10, a step (S106) of accepting the information update, a step (S107) of determining whether there is a request for browsing information stored in the DB for the authentication authority terminal 10, and a step (S108) of outputting information related to the browsing request. The flow of processing performed in each step will be described in more detail below.

[0097] FIG. 12 shows a subroutine of step S101 in the flowchart of FIG. 11, and is a diagram showing the flow of information exchange and processing between the certification authority terminal 10 and the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30. As shown in FIG. 12, when a manufacturing equipment manufacturer newly manufactures a manufacturing equipment, the manufacturing equipment information generating unit 301 of the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30 generates manufacturing equipment information (S201). Then, the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30 transmits an authentication request for the generated manufacturing equipment information to the certification authority terminal 10 via the communication unit 310 (S202). The certification authority terminal 10 receives the request in the authentication request receiving unit 101, and an operator on the certification authority side authenticates the manufacturing equipment information and registers it in the authenticated manufacturing equipment information DB (S203). Next, the certification authority terminal 10 generates manufacturing equipment certification information for authenticating the manufacturing equipment information related to the authentication request in the certification information generating unit 102 (S204), and the ID issuing unit 103 issues a manufacturing equipment ID associated with the manufacturing equipment certification information (S205). The issued manufacturing equipment ID is transmitted to the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30 via the communication unit 110 (S206), and the manufacturing equipment ID matching unit 302 of the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30 performs a process of matching the manufacturing equipment ID with the manufacturing equipment identified by the manufacturing equipment ID (S207). By executing the above series of processes, the subroutine of step S101 is temporarily terminated.

[0098] FIG. 13 shows a subroutine of step S102 in the flowchart of FIG. 11, and is a diagram showing the flow of information exchange and processing between the certification authority terminal 10 and the product manufacturer terminal 20. As shown in FIG. 13, when the product manufacturer installs a new production line, the production line information generating unit 202 of the product manufacturer terminal 20 generates production line information (S301). Then, the product manufacturer terminal 20 transmits an authentication request for the generated production line information to the certification authority terminal 10 via the communication unit 210 (S302). The certification authority terminal 10 receives the request at the authentication request receiving unit 101, and an operator on the certification authority side authenticates the production line information and registers it in the authenticated production line information DB (S303). Next, the certification authority terminal 10 generates production line certification information for authenticating the production line information related to the authentication request at the certification information generating unit 102 (S304), and the ID issuing unit 103 issues a production line ID associated with the production line certification information (S305). The issued production line ID is transmitted to the product manufacturer terminal 20 via the communication unit 110 (S306), and the production line ID matching unit 204 of the product manufacturer terminal 20 performs a process of matching the production line ID with the production line identified by the production line ID (S307). By executing the above series of processes, the subroutine of step S102 is temporarily terminated.

[0099] Fig. 14 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of step S103 in the flowchart of Fig. 11, which is an example of the flow of processing performed by the control device 22 when starting up the production line 21 (before the production line starts operating) at the product manufacturer. As shown in Fig. 14, the control device 22 acquires each manufacturing element information about the production line 21 that it controls (S401). Note that the manufacturing element information has already been explained, so a detailed explanation will be omitted here, but for example, the control device 22 acquires IDs for identifying the manufacturing equipment 23 and sensor devices 24 connected to itself, information (ID) of the line operator on the day, and the like via the communication IF and input IF.

[0100] Next, the control device 22 refers to the production line information related to the production line ID stored in the storage unit 109 of the certification authority terminal 10, using the production line ID of the production line 21 under its control as a key (S402). At this time, the control device 22 may access the certification authority terminal 10 via the product manufacturer terminal 20, or may directly inquire about information from the certification authority terminal 10. Also, in addition to the production line information, the control device 22 may refer to the production equipment information of each production equipment 23 included in the production line 21.

[0101] Next, the control device 22 judges whether the contents of each manufacturing element of the manufacturing line 21 acquired in step S401 match the contents of the manufacturing line information associated with the manufacturing line certification information (S403). If it is judged that the two pieces of information match, the control device 22 operates the manufacturing line 21 under its control (specifically, each manufacturing device 23 included in the manufacturing line 21) to manufacture the product (S406).

[0102] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S403 that the contents of both pieces of information do not match, the control device 22 reports error information (S404) and suspends operation of the production line 21. In this case, for example, the line operator 25 changes each production element of the production line 21 so that it matches the production line information associated with the production line certification information (S405), and then returns to step S401 to repeat the subsequent processes. In this way, the contents of each production element of the production line 21 match the contents of the production line information associated with the production line certification information, and the production line can be operated. By executing the above series of processes, the subroutine of step S103 is terminated.

[0103] FIG. 15 shows a subroutine of step S104 in the flowchart of FIG. 11, and is a diagram showing the flow of information exchange and processing between the certification authority terminal 10 and the product manufacturer terminal 20. As shown in FIG. 14, when a product manufacturer manufactures a new product, the product information generating unit 201 of the product manufacturer terminal 20 generates product information (S501). Then, the product manufacturer terminal 20 transmits an authentication request for the generated product information to the certification authority terminal 10 via the communication unit 210 (S502). The certification authority terminal 10 receives the request in the authentication request receiving unit 101, and an operator on the certification authority side authenticates the product information and registers it in the authenticated product information DB (S503). Next, the certification authority terminal 10 generates product certification information for authenticating the product information related to the certification request in the certification information generating unit 102 (S504), and the ID issuing unit 103 issues a product ID associated with the product certification information (S505). The issued product ID is transmitted to the product manufacturer terminal 20 via the communication unit 110 (S506), and the product ID matching unit 203 of the product manufacturer terminal 20 performs processing to match the product ID with the product identified by the product ID (S507). With the above series of processing executed, the subroutine of step S104 is temporarily terminated.

[0104] Returning to the process flow of FIG. 11, in step S105, the certification authority terminal 10 (specifically, the information update receiving unit 105) judges whether or not there is a request to update the certified product information, the certified manufacturing line information, and the certified manufacturing equipment information stored in the storage unit 109. The process flow when there is a request to update the information will be described below. FIG. 16 shows the process flow of the certification authority terminal 1 1 is a diagram showing the flow of information exchanged between the update authority terminal 40 and the update authority holder terminal 40, and the process flow.

[0105] Here, an example will be described in which a code containing decoded information including a product ID is attached to the product. When a business operator involved in the distribution of the product wishes to update product information, the code attached to the product is read by a code reading means (e.g., a camera) serving as the input unit 407 of the update authority terminal 40 (S601). The encoded information is then decoded by the information update request unit 402, and based on this, request information for a user ID input form is transmitted to the certification authority terminal 10 (S602). When the information update reception unit 105 of the certification authority terminal 10 receives the request for the input form, it generates a user ID input form corresponding to the product ID included in the code (S603) and transmits this to the update authority terminal 40 (S604). When the form is received, the input form for the user ID and password is displayed on the output unit 408 of the update authority terminal 40. When the user ID is input to the form via the input unit 407 of the update authority terminal 40 (S605), information on the user ID (and password) is transmitted to the certification authority terminal 10 via the communication unit 410 (S606). In the certification authority terminal 10 that has received the user ID, the information update reception unit 105 generates an input form for update information corresponding to the authority of the transmitted user ID (S607) and transmits the input form to the update authority terminal 40 (S608). In the update authority terminal 40 that has received the update information input form, the input form is displayed by the output unit 408. Then, when update information is input via the input unit 407 of the update authority terminal 40 (S609), the update information is transmitted to the certification authority terminal 10 via the communication unit 410 (S610). In the certification authority terminal 10 that has received the update information, the information update reception unit 105 updates the authenticated product information stored in the storage unit 109 (S611), and a series of processes related to the subroutine of step S106 is completed.

[0106] Although an example of information update processing performed by the update right holder terminal 40 (information update request unit 402) has been described here, similar processing can also be performed by the product manufacturer terminal 20 (information update request unit 206) and the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30 (information update request unit 304). Also, although product information has been described above as an example, similar processing can also be performed for manufacturing line information and manufacturing equipment information.

[0107] Returning to the flow of Figure 11, in step S107, the certification authority terminal 10 (specifically, the information viewing request receiving unit 104) determines whether there is a request to view the certified product information, certified manufacturing line information, and certified manufacturing equipment information stored in the memory unit 109. The following describes the process flow when there is a request to view information. Figure 17 is a diagram showing the exchange of information between the certification authority terminal 10 and the consumer terminal 50, and the process flow.

[0108] Here, an example will be described in which a code containing information including a product ID is attached to the product. When a consumer who has acquired a product wishes to view product information, the code attached to the product is read by a code reading means (e.g., a camera) as the input unit 507 of the consumer terminal 50 (S701). The information viewing request unit 501 then decodes the encoded information, and based on this, request information for a user ID input form is sent to the authentication authority terminal 10 (S702). When the information viewing request acceptance unit 104 of the authentication authority terminal 10 receives the request for the input form, it generates a user ID input form corresponding to the product ID included in the code (S703) and sends this to the consumer terminal 50 (S704). When the form is received, the output unit 508 of the consumer terminal 50 displays the input form for the user ID and password. FIG. 18 shows an example of the input form for the user ID and password.

[0109] When the user ID (and password) is input to the form via the input unit 507 of the consumer terminal 50 (S705), the user ID (and password) is transmitted via the communication unit 410. The information (word) is transmitted to the authentication authority terminal 10 (S706). In the authentication authority terminal 10 that has received the user ID, the information viewing request receiving unit 104 extracts product information corresponding to the authority of the transmitted user ID from the storage unit 109 (S707) and transmits the information to the consumer terminal 50 (S708). In the consumer terminal 50 that has received the product information, the output unit 508 displays a viewing screen for the product information (S709), and the series of processes related to the subroutine of step S108 is completed.

[0110] In the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment, even if the send button is pressed without inputting a user ID and password, information that can be viewed even by unauthorized users is displayed, as shown in Fig. 18. This allows even users without a user ID, such as general consumers, to view basic information among the product information.

[0111] In addition, here, an example of information browsing processing performed by the consumer terminal 50 (information browsing request unit 501 and output unit 508) has been described, but similar processing can also be performed by the product manufacturer terminal 20 (information browsing request unit 205 and output unit 208), the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30 (information browsing request unit 303 and output unit 308), and the update right holder terminal 40 (information browsing request unit 401 and output unit 408). In addition, although product information has been described as an example above, similar processing can also be performed for manufacturing line information and manufacturing equipment information. That is, in this embodiment, any of the output units 208, 308, 408, and 508 can correspond to the first output means, second output means, and third output means of the present invention depending on the terminal that made the output request and the content of the information related to the output request.

[0112] Returning to the explanation of the flow shown in Fig. 11, if the determination in step S107 is NO, or after completing the process of step S108, the authentication authority terminal 10 returns to step S105 and repeats the subsequent processes until a predetermined end condition is satisfied. However, the process flow explained so far is only an example, and a routine may be made that does not include some or all of the processes of steps S101, S102, S103, S105, S106, etc.

[0113] As described above, the information processing system 1 according to the present embodiment allows users of an information processing network to which multiple terminals are connected to output (view) information on a product and each element related to the manufacture of the product, and contributes to ensuring the continuous authenticity of the information related to the viewing. In other words, highly reliable information can be obtained not only about the authenticity of the provider and content of the information related to the viewing, but also about the authenticity of the provider and content of the information on which the information related to the viewing is based and referenced (and further, the basis and reference information going back from that information). According to this, for example, general consumers can view highly reliable product information (such as energy consumption and producers related to product manufacturing) whose basis information (and its transition) has also been authenticated from their own terminals, and manufacturers, logistics companies, retailers, etc. can obtain highly reliable product information from their own terminals.

[0114] Furthermore, as in this embodiment, when starting up the production line 21, the control device 22 checks whether the contents of each production element of the production line to which the production equipment under its control belongs are identical to the contents of the authenticated production line information, and if they are not identical, the production equipment is not operated, thereby preventing the production of products using a production line or production equipment different from the authenticated contents in the event of an unplanned specification change or replacement of a production device in the production line or production equipment. In other words, the system can be made to not only provide resistance to tampering with the product information itself (by the certification information), but also to prevent the contents guaranteed by the certification information from being unintentionally changed (tampered with).

[0115] Furthermore, in this embodiment, even if the production location is the same, production line information is generated and managed for each of the multiple production lines 21. With this, for example, even in the same factory, if there is a difference in the energy saving performance of the production equipment or a difference in the breakdown of the types of electricity used, even if the final products are of the same quality, the user can grasp the difference in the amount of energy consumed in the production process for each product.

[0116] Furthermore, by adding information about line operators as a manufacturing element contained in the production line information, it will be possible to determine whether products have been manufactured using illegal working conditions, such as forced labor or unfair child labor.

[0117] (Variation 1) In the above-mentioned first embodiment, the authenticated product information, manufacturing line information, and manufacturing equipment information (i.e., associated with certification information) are configured to be stored as a DB in the storage unit 109 of the certification agency terminal 10, but this is not necessarily the case. For example, the product information and manufacturing line information associated with the certification information in the certification agency terminal 10 may be configured to be stored as a DB in the storage unit 209 of the product manufacturer terminal 20. Similarly, the manufacturing equipment information associated with the certification information in the certification agency terminal 10 may be configured as a DB in the storage unit 309 of the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30.

[0118] In such a case, when a request to view or update information is received from each terminal, the certification authority terminal 10 may act as an intermediary to enable access to the corresponding product information, production line information, and manufacturing equipment information using the product ID, production line ID, and manufacturing equipment ID as keys.

[0119] (Variation 2) In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which an encoded code containing product ID information is attached to a product, and an input form for viewing or updating product information is accessed by reading the code, but information can be viewed or updated in other ways as well. For example, a common input form for ID input may be published on the Internet in advance, and information according to authority and / or an information update form may be displayed by accepting an ID input from the input form. An example of such a common ID input form is shown in FIG. 19.

[0120] (Variation 3) In the above embodiment, the information viewing request accepting unit 104 is configured to function as the first accepting means, the second accepting means, the third accepting means, and the fifth accepting means, but the authentication authority terminal 11 may be configured to include accepting units corresponding to the first accepting means, the second accepting means, the third accepting means, and the fifth accepting means, respectively. The information viewing request accepting unit 104 may accept output requests related to a plurality of pieces of information (simultaneously), or may accept output requests related to each piece of information individually. Similarly, the certification information generating unit 102 is not limited to a configuration in which it functions as the first generating means, the second generating means, and the third generating means, but may be configured to include individual generating units corresponding to each of these means.

[0121] <Embodiment 2> Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 20 and 21. Fig. 20 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information processing system 2 according to this embodiment. In the following, the same configurations and processes as those of the information processing system 1 of embodiment 1 are designated by the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations will be omitted. As shown in Fig. 20, in the information processing system 2 according to this embodiment, compared to the information processing system 1 of embodiment 1, the certification authority terminal 11, the product manufacturer terminal 20, the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30, and the update authority terminal 40 are connected to the blockchain network BCN. The difference is that the consumer terminal 50 and the authentication authority terminal 11 are connected via a general-purpose communication network N.

[0122] In the information processing system 2 of this embodiment, a blockchain system, which is one of the distributed ledger technologies, is used to manage product IDs, product information, product certification information, manufacturing line IDs, manufacturing line information, manufacturing line certification information, manufacturing equipment IDs, manufacturing equipment information, and manufacturing equipment certification information.

[0123] A blockchain system is a system that has multiple node devices connected to a blockchain network where information is managed peer-to-peer (P2P), and the multiple node devices distribute and share (hold and manage) various types of information. Since the blockchain system is a publicly known technology, a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0124] In this embodiment, the certification authority terminal 11, the product manufacturer terminal 20, the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30, and the update authority terminal 40 each correspond to a node device of the blockchain network BCN. In addition, other information processing terminals may be included as node devices. In the information processing system 2 according to this embodiment, the certification authority terminal 11 does not have a database, and various information such as product information, manufacturing line information, and manufacturing equipment information is distributed and stored in each terminal (memory unit) as a node device. Specifically, for example, the product information according to this embodiment is held in the form of a block that stores a timestamp when the content is generated (or updated) in each node device, a hash value determined by a hash function according to the content of the information and indicating the content of the previous block, the content of the product information, and product certification information that certifies the product information (at the time of generation). Note that the product information held in the block may be a key (e.g., an ID) linked to the main body of the information in which each product element information is separately held.

[0125] Each block is created in sequence, linked to the block created immediately before. That is, when product information is updated, a new block is created linked to the previous block, containing a timestamp at that time, a hash value of the information before the update, the updated product information, and product certification information.

[0126] Because such a blockchain is created in each node device, when any information is updated, the fact and appropriateness of the update are always visible to participants in the system.

[0127] FIG. 21 shows a functional block diagram of the authentication authority terminal 11 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 21, in this embodiment, the authentication authority terminal 11 has almost the same functional units as the authentication authority terminal 10 according to the first embodiment, but does not have an information update reception unit 105. In the information processing system 2 according to this embodiment, the product manufacturer terminal 20, the manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 30, and the update authority terminal 40 can update and view information by directly reading and updating information from the blockchain network BCN. That is, in this embodiment, each node device constituting the blockchain network BCN corresponds to the first reception means, the second reception means, the third reception means, the fourth reception means, and the fifth reception means according to the present invention.

[0128] On the other hand, the consumer terminal 50 that does not generate or update information processed by the information processing system 2 is separated from the blockchain network BCN, and is provided with information managed by the blockchain network BCN via the certification authority terminal 11. The flow of an information viewing request in this case is almost the same as in the case of embodiment 1, and differs only in that the certification authority terminal 11 does not extract the information related to the request from a database in its own memory unit, but obtains it from the blockchain network BCN and provides it to the consumer terminal 50.

[0129] According to the information processing system 2 of this embodiment, by using a block chain system, a stable system that is resistant to system downtime can be constructed since a database is not required. In addition, if there is an unauthorized update (tampering) of information, the fact can be easily detected, so the system has high resistance to tampering.

[0130] <Other> The above examples are merely illustrative of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above specific forms. The present invention allows various modifications and combinations within the scope of its technical concept. For example, in the above embodiment, the control device 22 may be directly connected to the communication network N (or the block chain network BCN) without going through the product manufacturer terminal 20.

[0131] In the above-mentioned embodiment 1, the product ID for identifying each product is issued individually in response to a request for authentication of each product information, but it can be naturally assumed that a plurality (a large number) of products with the same product information to be certified are manufactured. In such a case, it is inefficient to perform authentication and issue a product ID for each piece of product information one by one. For this reason, the authentication authority terminal may issue a plurality of product IDs corresponding to one piece of product information to be certified for product information with the same content, and transmit these to the product manufacturer terminal in advance. According to this, when a product related to the same product information is manufactured, it is not necessary to request the issuance of a product ID each time, and a system with excellent convenience can be obtained. However, in this case, if a product manufacturer misuses a product ID, the reliability of the system is greatly damaged, so a mechanism for ensuring reliability is required, such as targeting only reliable product manufacturers (by being certified as a reliable manufacturer, for example).

[0132] The information processing system may also be configured such that the product manufacturer terminal has an ID issuing unit for the product, and the certification authority terminal has a product ID matching unit. That is, the product manufacturer assigns an ID (such as a serial number) for each product to the product involved in the manufacturing (at this stage, the product and ID do not correspond to the product certification information), and then the certification authority authenticates the product information in response to a request from the product manufacturer terminal, and the certification authority terminal generates the product certification information and matches it with the (declared) product ID. The same applies to the manufacturing line ID and manufacturing equipment ID.

[0133] <Appendix 1> An information processing system (1, 2) having a plurality of information processing terminals connected to each other by a communication network, for processing information regarding a product, A first generating means (102) for generating product certification information for certifying product information, the product certification information being information including one or more product element information indicating each element related to the production of each of the products; a first association means (203) for associating a product ID, which is associated with the product information certified by the product certification information and identifies each of the products, with the product identified by the product ID; a first receiving means (104) for receiving a first output request, which is a request for outputting the product information based on the product ID; a first output means (108, 208, 308, 408, 508) for outputting at least a part of the product information related to the output request; An information processing system having the above configuration.

[0134] <Appendix 2> At least one of the product information, the product certification information, and the product ID is processed in a distributed ledger manner; 2. An information processing system according to claim 1,

[0135] <Appendix 3> The product information includes, as the product element information, at least information related to energy consumption in the manufacture of the product. 3. An information processing system according to claim 1 or 2.

[0136] <Appendix 4> a second generating means (102) for generating production line certification information for certifying production line information including one or more pieces of production element information indicating each element constituting a production line related to the production of the product; a second association means (204) for associating a production line ID, which is associated with the production line information certified by the production line certification information and identifies each of the production lines, with the production line identified by the production line ID; a second receiving means (104) for receiving a second output request, which is a request for outputting the production line information, based on the production line ID; a second output means (108, 208, 308, 408, 508) for outputting at least a part of the manufacturing line information related to the output request; and The product information includes at least the manufacturing line ID as the product element information. 4. An information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

[0137] <Appendix 5> The production line information includes, as the production element information, at least information related to the type of energy consumed in the production line. 5. An information processing system according to claim 4.

[0138] <Appendix 6> a third generating means (102) for generating manufacturing equipment certification information for certifying manufacturing equipment information including one or more pieces of specification information of each manufacturing equipment constituting the manufacturing line; a third association means (302) for associating a manufacturing equipment ID for identifying each of the manufacturing equipment with the manufacturing equipment information certified by the manufacturing equipment certification information, with the manufacturing equipment identified by the manufacturing equipment ID; a third receiving means (104) for receiving a third output request, which is a request for outputting the manufacturing equipment information, based on the manufacturing equipment ID; a third output means (108, 208, 308, 408, 508) for outputting at least a part of the manufacturing equipment information related to the output request; and The manufacturing line information includes at least the manufacturing equipment ID as the manufacturing element information. 6. The information processing system according to claim 4 or 5.

[0139] <Appendix 7> The manufacturing equipment information includes at least information related to the energy saving performance of the manufacturing equipment as a specification of the manufacturing equipment. 7. An information processing system according to claim 6,

[0140] <Appendix 8> The manufacturing method further includes a control means (22) for controlling each manufacturing device constituting the manufacturing line, The control means controls the manufacturing apparatus I to which the specifications of the manufacturing apparatus to be controlled are assigned. If the contents do not match those certified by the manufacturing equipment certification information linked to D, or if each element constituting the manufacturing line to which the manufacturing equipment to be controlled belongs does not match those certified by the manufacturing line certification information linked to the manufacturing line ID assigned to the manufacturing line, do not operate each of the manufacturing equipment to be controlled. 8. An information processing system according to claim 6 or 7.

[0141] <Appendix 9> a fourth reception means (105) for receiving at least the update to the product information on the condition that an updater ID, which is associated with an authority to update the product information and individually identifies a user who performs the update, is input; the fourth accepting means, when accepting the update, adds to the product information an updater ID of the user who performed the update and an update time. 9. An information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

[0142] <Appendix 10> and a fifth reception means (104) for receiving an input of a viewer ID that is associated with the viewing authority of the product information and that individually identifies a user who views the product information, When the fifth reception means receives the input of the viewer ID, the first output means outputs the product information that can be viewed with the viewing authority associated with the viewer ID. 10. An information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

[0143] <Appendix 11> An information processing method for processing information about a product, comprising: A first generation step (S503) of generating product certification information that certifies product information, which is information including one or more product element information indicating each element related to the production of each of the products; a first association step (S507) of associating a product ID, which is associated with the product information certified by the product certification information and identifies each of the products, with the product identified by the product ID; a first receiving step (S703, S707) of receiving a first output request which is a request for outputting the product information based on the product ID; a first output step (S709) of outputting at least a part of the product information related to the output request; An information processing method comprising the steps of:

[0144] <Appendix 12> A second generation step (S304) of generating production line certification information for certifying production line information including one or more pieces of production element information indicating each element constituting a production line related to the production of the product; a second association step (S307) of associating a production line ID, which is associated with the production line information certified by the production line certification information and identifies each of the production lines, with the production line identified by the production line ID; a second receiving step (S108) of receiving a second output request, which is a request to output the manufacturing line information, based on the manufacturing line ID; a second output step (S108) of outputting at least a part of the manufacturing line information related to the output request; and The product information includes at least the manufacturing line ID as the product element information. 12. An information processing method according to claim 11,

[0145] <Appendix 13> A third generation step (S204) of generating manufacturing equipment certification information that certifies the manufacturing equipment information including one or more pieces of specification information of each manufacturing equipment constituting the manufacturing line; a third association step (S207) of associating a manufacturing equipment ID, which is associated with the manufacturing equipment information certified by the manufacturing equipment certification information and identifies each of the manufacturing equipment, with the manufacturing equipment identified by the manufacturing equipment ID; a third receiving step (S108) of receiving a third output request, which is a request to output the manufacturing apparatus information, based on the manufacturing apparatus ID; a third output step (S108) of outputting at least a part of the manufacturing apparatus information related to the output request; and The manufacturing line information includes at least the manufacturing equipment ID as the manufacturing element information. 13. The information processing method according to claim 12, [Explanation of symbols]

[0146] 1, 2 Information Processing System 10, 11: Certification authority terminal 20 Product manufacturer terminal 21, 21a, 21b, 21n... Production lines 22, 22a, 22b, 22n...Control device 23, 23a, 23b, 23n...manufacturing equipment 24, 24a, 24b, 24n... Sensor device 25 Line Operator 30 Manufacturing equipment manufacturer terminal 40. Update authority terminal 50 Consumer terminals 90···Bus 91. Processor 92. Memory 93 Input / Output IF 94 Communication Interface N: Communication network BCN··Blockchain Network

Claims

1. An information processing system having a plurality of information processing terminals connected to each other via a communication network, which processes information about a product, a first generating means for generating product certification information that certifies product information, the product certification information being information including one or more product element information indicating each element related to the production of each of the products; a first association means for associating a product ID, which is associated with the product information certified by the product certification information and identifies each of the products, with the product identified by the product ID; a first receiving means for receiving a first output request which is a request for outputting the product information based on the product ID; a first output means for outputting at least a part of the product information related to the first output request; An information processing system having the above configuration.

2. At least one of the product information, the product certification information, and the product ID is processed in a distributed ledger manner; 2. The information processing system according to claim 1 .

3. The product information includes, as the product element information, at least information regarding energy consumption related to the production of the product.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1 .

4. a second generating means for generating production line certification information for certifying production line information including one or more pieces of production element information indicating each element constituting a production line related to the production of the product; a second association means for associating a production line ID, which is associated with the production line information certified by the production line certification information and identifies each of the production lines, with the production line identified by the production line ID; a second receiving means for receiving a second output request, which is a request for outputting the production line information, based on the production line ID; a second output means for outputting at least a part of the production line information related to the second output request; and The product information includes at least the manufacturing line ID as the product element information.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1 .

5. The production line information includes, as the production element information, at least information related to the type of energy consumed in the production line.

5. The information processing system according to claim 4.

6. a third generating means for generating manufacturing equipment certification information that certifies manufacturing equipment information including one or more pieces of specification information of each manufacturing equipment constituting the manufacturing line; a third association means for associating a manufacturing apparatus ID, which is associated with the manufacturing apparatus information certified by the manufacturing apparatus certification information and identifies each of the manufacturing apparatuses, with the manufacturing apparatus identified by the manufacturing apparatus ID; a third receiving means for receiving a third output request, which is a request for outputting the manufacturing apparatus information, based on the manufacturing apparatus ID; a third output means for outputting at least a part of the manufacturing equipment information related to the third output request; and The manufacturing line information includes at least the manufacturing equipment ID as the manufacturing element information.

5. The information processing system according to claim 4.

7. The manufacturing equipment information includes at least information related to the energy saving performance of the manufacturing equipment as a specification of the manufacturing equipment.

7. The information processing system according to claim 6.

8. The manufacturing method further includes a control unit for controlling each manufacturing device constituting the manufacturing line, the control means does not operate each of the manufacturing devices to be controlled when the specifications of the manufacturing devices to be controlled do not match the contents certified by the manufacturing device certification information linked to the manufacturing device ID assigned to the manufacturing devices, or when each element constituting the manufacturing line to which the manufacturing devices to be controlled belong does not match the contents certified by the manufacturing line certification information linked to the manufacturing line ID assigned to the manufacturing line.

7. The information processing system according to claim 6.

9. a fourth reception means for receiving at least the update to the product information on the condition that an updater ID, which is associated with an authority to update the product information and individually identifies a user who performs the update, is input, the fourth reception means, when receiving the update, adds to the product information an updater ID of a user who performed the update and a time of the update.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1 .

10. a fifth reception means for receiving an input of a viewer ID that is associated with at least the viewing authority of the product information and individually identifies a user who performs viewing, When the fifth reception means receives an input of the viewer ID, the first output means outputs the product information that can be viewed with the viewing authority associated with the viewer ID.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1 .

11. An information processing method for processing information about a product, comprising: A first generation step of generating product certification information that certifies product information, the product certification information being information including one or more product element information indicating each element related to the production of each of the products; a first association step of associating a product ID, which is associated with the product information certified by the product certification information and identifies each of the products, with the product identified by the product ID; a first receiving step of receiving a first output request which is a request for outputting the product information based on the product ID; a first output step of outputting at least a part of the product information related to the first output request; An information processing method comprising the steps of:

12. a second generation step of generating production line certification information that certifies production line information including one or more pieces of production element information indicating each element constituting a production line related to the production of the product; a second association step of associating a production line ID, which is associated with the production line information certified by the production line certification information and identifies each of the production lines, with the production line identified by the production line ID; a second receiving step of receiving a second output request, which is a request to output the production line information, based on the production line ID; a second output stage for outputting at least a part of the manufacturing line information related to the second output request; Top and and The product information includes at least the manufacturing line ID as the product element information.

12. The information processing method according to claim 11.

13. a third generation step of generating manufacturing equipment certification information that certifies the manufacturing equipment information including one or more pieces of specification information of each manufacturing equipment constituting the manufacturing line; a third association step of associating a manufacturing equipment ID, which is associated with the manufacturing equipment information certified by the manufacturing equipment certification information and identifies each of the manufacturing equipment, with the manufacturing equipment identified by the manufacturing equipment ID; a third receiving step of receiving a third output request, which is a request to output the manufacturing apparatus information, based on the manufacturing apparatus ID; a third output step of outputting at least a part of the manufacturing equipment information related to the third output request; and The manufacturing line information includes at least the manufacturing equipment ID as the manufacturing element information.

13. The information processing method according to claim 12.

Images