Information processing system, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To provide a technique for allowing information on elements related to a product and distribution of the product to be browsed, and supporting assurance of authenticity of the information.SOLUTION: An information processing system comprises: storage means for storing product information that is an information group associated with a product ID for identifying each product, the information group including at least information pertaining to a production condition for the product; information update means for updating the product information corresponding to the product ID in accordance with the occurrence of a cause pertaining to production or distribution of the product by using information about the product ID and a user ID for identifying a user, and storing the information about the user ID used for the update in the storage means in association with the product information pertaining to the update; detection means for detecting processing of a first detection object or processing of a second detection object with respect to the product information; and warning means for executing a prescribed warning process when the processing of the first detection object with respect to the product information is detected or when the processing of the second detection object is not detected.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Consumers of products have a need to know detailed information about the products they have in their hands, such as what materials were used, how much or what type of energy was consumed to produce them, who produced them, when, and how they were transported, managed, sold, etc.

[0003] On the other hand, companies involved in the manufacturing and distribution of products also have needs to confirm that products are being manufactured, transported, managed, and sold "properly" (to eliminate any that are not in the hands of consumers), and to provide consumers with information that products are being manufactured and distributed properly.

[0004] To meet such needs, various means for achieving product traceability have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that uses blockchain technology to maintain anonymity and obtain various information about a product (enquiries and responses) via labels attached to the product. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2021-528720 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, such conventional technology has the problem that it does not guarantee the authenticity of the product information provided (i.e., while it guarantees that the information and its access history are tamper-resistant, the authenticity of the content and source of the original information is unknown.) Furthermore, even with the above technology, if inappropriate information, including fraud, is handled in any process from product manufacturing (including the planning and development stages) to distribution, the goal of delivering to consumers products (and the information supporting such products) that are guaranteed to have been properly developed, manufactured, transported, managed, and sold cannot be achieved.

[0007] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a technology that enables viewing of information about a product and each element related to the manufacturing and distribution of the product, and that can help ensure the authenticity of the information viewed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following configuration as an example. An information processing system for processing information about a product, the information processing system including one or more information processing devices, a storage means for storing product information, which is a group of information including at least information related to manufacturing conditions of the product, associated with a product ID that identifies each of the products; Using information on a user ID and the product ID that identifies a user involved in at least one of the manufacturing, distribution, and certification of the product, the product information corresponding to the product ID is updated in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event related to the manufacturing or distribution of the product, and information on the user ID used for the update is stored in the storage means in association with the product information related to the update. information updating means; A detection means for detecting one or more first detection target processes or one or more second detection target processes for the product information, which are predetermined for each of the product IDs; a warning unit that executes a predetermined warning process when the processing of the first detection target for the product information is detected or when the processing of the second detection target is not detected; The information processing system has the following features.

[0009] Note that "products" here include both final products delivered to end users and intermediate products that are components of such final products. Furthermore, "information related to the manufacturing conditions of the product" includes a variety of information. Specifically, it can include, for example, information about the manufacturing line involved in the manufacture of the product, information about the date and time of manufacture of the product, information about the product manufacturer, manufacturing equipment involved in the manufacture of the product, software involved in the manufacture of the product, operators who manufacture the product, materials used in the product, the amount of energy consumed in the manufacture of the product, and the amount of CO2 emissions. Furthermore, it does not only include this information itself, but also information used to obtain this information (for example, IDs, codes, URL addresses, etc. linked to the content of the information).

[0010] "Product information" also includes information added as the product is distributed. Specifically, it may include, for example, information related to the product's condition (e.g., inspection results, damage status), information related to the work performed on the product, information related to the product's location, information related to the time the information was added (updated), information related to the product's environment (e.g., temperature, humidity), CO2 emissions related to product distribution, information related to product distribution costs, and information indicating that the product has been delivered to the end consumer (reuse flag). In this specification, "manufacturing" refers to activities related to the value chain, including the engineering chain and supply chain, and includes product planning, design, and development, while "distribution" refers to activities related to the value chain, including the engineering chain and supply chain, such as product transportation, storage, sales, maintenance, disposal, and reuse. In this specification, "updating" includes not only overwriting information but also simple addition and new registration of information.

[0011] Furthermore, the "first detection target processing" may be, for example, improper processing of product information. Specifically, this includes information not being updated in a timely manner (this applies to both earlier and later than the specified timing), information being updated in a location outside the specified area, updating (adding) the work history for a series of work performed on a product in a different order from the specified order, duplicate registration of the same type of work for a series of work performed on a product (e.g., adding multiple pieces of information indicating delivery to a wholesaler for the same product ID), values ​​related to the environment in which the product is located at the time of information update (e.g., temperature, humidity) being outside the appropriate conditions, information being updated using a user ID that is not authorized to be involved in product distribution, etc. It also includes cases where the combination of the time and location at which an update is performed is inappropriate (e.g., when a product is transported, the location of the destination and the time of completion of transportation are within the required range, but it is estimated that transportation work that violates compliance has been performed based on the relative positions of the source and destination and the time required for transportation).

[0012] Furthermore, the "processing of the second detection target" can be an appropriate process for product information. Specifically, contrary to the above-mentioned example of the processing of the first detection target, it means that information is updated in a timely manner, that information is updated within a predetermined area, that a work history is updated (added) in a predetermined order and number of times for a series of work performed on a product, that values ​​(temperature, humidity, etc.) related to the environment where the product is located at the time of information update are within appropriate conditions, and that information about authorized work is updated using a previously authorized user ID.

[0013] In addition, the "predetermined warning process" in the above means sending information to a registered destination, issuing an alarm via the output means (display, speaker, etc.) of the terminal managed by the user, and That is, the "warning means" may be provided in the server device, or in the user terminal used by each user.

[0014] With the above configuration, incidents that occur during product distribution and user information related to those incidents are added to the product information, and inappropriate processing of product information (not limited to information tampering, but general processing that indicates undesirable product handling) is identified using either a blacklist or whitelist method. Furthermore, if inappropriate processing is performed, a warning is issued, allowing users who receive the warning to promptly investigate and / or take action on the affected product. This prevents improperly handled products from reaching end consumers.

[0015] Furthermore, the information update means may store information on the time of the update together with information on the user ID used for the update in the storage means in association with the product information related to the update. This allows the processing of the first detection target and the processing of the second detection target to include whether or not information has been updated at the appropriate time, and also allows the history of the product (product information) to be managed more clearly.

[0016] The warning means may also send warning information to users including at least one of a user identified by any of the user IDs stored when the product information is updated and a preset user. This allows the warning to be sent to appropriate users who should receive the warning, such as any user involved in the production, distribution, sale, etc. of the product (for example, a user on the upstream side of logistics, such as a product manufacturer), or a user in charge of product tracing or quality control.

[0017] The product information may also include certified manufacturing information, which is at least information related to the manufacturing of the product and has been certified by a certification body. Here, the information certified by the certification body includes information such as the manufacturing conditions of the product, the materials used in the product, the date and time when the product information was created (updated), and the creator (updator) of the product information. In this specification, the terms "certification" and "authentication" both mean guaranteeing the authenticity of an object, but "certification" is primarily used to mean a state, and "authentication" is primarily used to mean an action. This configuration can help ensure the original authenticity of product information handled in the system.

[0018] The predetermined event may include work performed on the product during the product distribution process, and the information update means may update the product information when the work is performed. The predetermined event may include detection of processing of the first detection target in the product information or non-detection of processing of the second detection target, and the information update means may update the product information when processing of the first detection target is detected or when processing of the second detection target is not detected. This allows various work performed during the product distribution process and handling that requires a warning during the product distribution process to be reflected in the product information in a timely manner.

[0019] The information processing system further includes a group ID validation unit that associates a group ID that identifies a group of a plurality of the products with the product ID of each of the products included in the group, The information update means may be configured to be able to collectively update the product information corresponding to each of the products included in the group using information on the group ID.

[0020] This configuration enables efficient management of product information for mass-produced products. Note that the group ID may be enabled (and disabled) based on the authority associated with the user ID.

[0021] The information processing system may further include an encoding unit that converts information including at least the product ID into a code, and one or more decoding units that decode the converted code and enable access to the product information corresponding to the product ID. The decoding unit may be a general-purpose device, or may be a dedicated device equipped with an environmental information sensor such as a temperature sensor. This makes it possible to automatically add environmental information about the product's location at the time the code is decoded to the product information.

[0022] In particular, for food and beverage related products, environmental factors such as temperature and humidity have a large impact on quality, so product manufacturers want to ensure strict management during the distribution process, but it is unclear from self-reporting by distributors whether they are accurately managing the environmental information in which the product is placed.In this regard, if environmental information such as temperature and humidity is automatically obtained using an environmental information sensor equipped in the decoding means and this automatically obtained environmental information is added to the product information, it is possible to prevent users from recording environmental information that is inaccurate.

[0023] The decoding means may also be integrated with a point-of-sale (POS) register managed by a retailer. With this configuration, the code can be read by the POS register when the product is sold, and consumer attribute information entered into the POS can be added to the product information.

[0024] Each decoding unit may be associated with a user ID, which makes it possible to add the ID of the user who performed the decoding to the product information when the code is decoded.

[0025] In addition, the user ID is assigned with authority to access each of the product information items, Each of the decryption means is associated with the user ID, The information update means may add, to the product information, predetermined information corresponding to the authority set for the corresponding user ID when the code is decoded by the decoding means.

[0026] Here, the authority to access the product information includes both the authority to view the product information and the authority to update the product information. The authority to view includes not only the content of the information that can be viewed, but also the time when the information can be viewed. Similarly, the authority to update includes not only the content of the information that can be updated, but also the time when the information can be updated.

[0027] With this configuration, users can easily view information according to their information viewing authority, while information providers can decide what information to provide to whom, thereby realizing a convenient system. Furthermore, users can update information according to their information update authority, and when an update is made, a record of that update is added to the product information, thereby realizing a convenient system that is highly resistant to tampering.

[0028] The code also includes information indicating the location of a first interface for accessing the product information corresponding to the product ID, The decoding means may be configured to be able to output the first interface by decoding information indicating the location of the first interface.

[0029] Furthermore, the first interface output by the decoding means includes a field for receiving input of the user ID, The decryption means may output a second interface according to the authority corresponding to the user ID whose input has been accepted.

[0030] According to this configuration, for example, it is possible to provide a convenient system in which the first interface is a display interface for limited product information for end consumers, and further viewing or updating of product information requires input of a user ID that has been set with authority to do so. However, by using a decryption means linked to the user ID, the first interface may be configured to display product information that corresponds to the viewing authority of the user ID.

[0031] Each means in the information processing system may be configured as a separate terminal connected via a network, and each means may exist in multiple locations. A user may manage only some of the means in the information processing system. The information processing system may process the product information using a distributed ledger system. Such a configuration provides a system with excellent resistance to information tampering.

[0032] The present invention can also be understood as an information processing method as follows: 1. An information processing method for processing information relating to a product, executed by one or more information processing devices, comprising: a storage step of storing product information, which is an information group including at least information related to manufacturing conditions of the product, associated with a product ID that identifies each of the products; an information update step of updating the product information corresponding to the product ID in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event related to the production or distribution of the product, using information on the product ID and a user ID that identifies a user related to at least one of the production, distribution, and certification of the product, and storing information on the user ID used for the update in association with the product information related to the update; a detection step of detecting one or more first detection target processes or one or more second detection target processes for the product information, which are predetermined for each of the product IDs; a warning step of executing a predetermined warning process when the processing of the first detection target for the product information is detected or when the processing of the second detection target is not detected; The information processing method includes:

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

[0034] The above-mentioned configurations and processes can be combined with each other to constitute the present invention as long as no technical contradictions arise. Furthermore, in this specification, numerals 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-specifying features does not necessarily have to be realized as a separate feature, and one feature may also serve as multiple invention-specifying features. [Effects of the Invention]

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

[0036] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an information processing system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an outline of the hardware configuration of the authentication authority terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 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. [Figure 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. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of the functional configuration of the manufacturer terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of the functional configuration of the distribution company terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of the functional configuration of the consumer terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an outline of the processing performed in the information processing system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a first diagram showing the exchange of information and the flow of processing between the authentication authority terminal and the manufacturer terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the flow of information exchange and processing between the authentication authority terminal and the distributor terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of a part of the processing performed in the authentication authority terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 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 14] FIG. 14 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 15] FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an ID input form used in the second modification of the first embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing an outline of the functional configuration of the manufacturer terminal in the third modification of the first embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing an outline of the functional configuration of a distribution company terminal in the third modification of the first embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating an overview of an information processing system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of the functional configuration of the authentication authority terminal according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] <Application example> 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 allows users (including end consumers) to easily view collective information (hereinafter referred to as "product information") of various elements related to the manufacture and distribution of products distributed in the market, and is also capable of detecting updates to product information that indicate improper handling of the product and alerting users to the presence of such information updates.

[0038] Product information in this system is a collection of a wide variety of information, and elements included in the product information include, for example, information related to the manufacturing of the product (product manufacturer, manufacturing date and time, manufacturing location, total amount of energy consumed, CO2 emissions, type of energy used in manufacturing the product, raw materials for the product, source of raw materials, etc.), information related to the distribution of the product (information on events related to the distribution of the product, such as transportation, storage, and sales, information indicating the location, time, and parties involved in the occurrence of the event, information on the condition of the product, such as the results of specified inspections and the state of damage, and information on the temperature and humidity of the product, etc. Examples of factors that can be considered include the environmental situation, CO2 emissions at each stage of distribution, etc.

[0039] Furthermore, when an event occurs related to the production or distribution of the corresponding product (including production, transportation, storage, sales, maintenance, disposal, reuse, etc.), the product information is updated accordingly. Specifically, for example, each business operator (i.e., a person involved in the production or distribution of a product) using the information processing system 1 is assigned a user ID, and when each business operator performs work related to the distribution of a product, information such as the work content, work location, and work time is added to the product information. Details of updating product information will be described later.

[0040] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall 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 purchaser of a product), a manufacturer terminal 20 managed by a product manufacturer (including a fabless manufacturer that only plans, designs, and develops), a certification authority terminal 10 managed by an organization that certifies product information (hereinafter referred to as a "certification authority"), and distributor terminals 40 (40a, 40b, 40c) managed by each entity involved in distribution, such as transportation, storage, wholesale, and retail of the product, and these are configured to be communicatively connected via a communication network N. Note that, hereinafter, the multiple distributor terminals 40a, 40b, 40c will be simply referred to as distributor terminal 40, etc., except when it is necessary to distinguish between them. The same applies to the other multiple components included in the system.

[0041] A product manufacturer generates product information for the product it manufactures using manufacturer terminal 20 and transmits this information to certification authority terminal 10. The certification authority then authenticates the transmitted product information, generates certification information (hereinafter referred to as "product certification information") that certifies the authenticated product information using certification authority terminal 10, associates this with the authenticated product information, and registers the authenticated product information in a database (DB).

[0042] The certification authority further issues product identification information (hereinafter, the identification information will be referred to as "ID") that is linked to the authenticated product information certified by the product certification information and that identifies each individual product, via the certification authority terminal 10. The issued product ID is transmitted to the manufacturer terminal 20 via the communication network N.

[0043] The product manufacturer performs a process of associating the product ID issued by manufacturer terminal 20 with each individual product, thereby completing the association of one product with the product ID and authenticated product information. Specifically, information including the product ID may be encoded into a barcode or QR code (registered trademark), and then associated with the product by attaching the code to the product.

[0044] Product manufacturers, distributors, and consumers make requests to view or update product information using the product ID (encoded code) attached to the product and their own user ID as keys. Specifically, they access a portal site provided by the certification authority, enter the product ID (and user ID), decode the code attached to the product, and then send a request to view or update product information to the certification authority terminal 10 via the communication network N.

[0045] When the authentication authority terminal 10 receives a viewing request from a terminal managed by each user, it extracts at least a portion of the product information (e.g., information regarding CO2 emissions related to the production of the product, raw materials for the product, and events that occurred during the distribution process of the product) from the DB according to the viewing authority linked to each user's user ID, and transmits it to the terminal (user) that made the viewing request.

[0046] Furthermore, when the certification authority terminal 10 receives an update request from the distributor terminal 40, it sends the updated (added) content of the product information, the time of the update request, and the location information of the product related to the update request (the time of the update request). The product information in the database is added with the following information: the location information of the device that made the update request, information about the environment in which the product related to the update request is located (environmental information about the device that made the update request), and the user ID used when making the update request.

[0047] If the product information has not been updated appropriately as described above, the authentication authority terminal 10 detects this and sends warning information to one of the users (for example, the product manufacturer). Specifically, the authentication authority terminal 10 detects, for example, that an information update that matches one or more inappropriate handling details (a so-called blacklist) has been performed with respect to the handling of the product information for each product ID, or that an information update that matches one or more appropriate handling details (a so-called whitelist) has not been performed in a timely manner, and sends warning information to the terminal of the user associated with the user ID that has been preset as the notification target.

[0048] According to the information processing system 1 relating to such an application example, a user who receives a warning can quickly take action such as tracing the target product or stopping distribution of the target product, thereby preventing improperly handled products from reaching the end consumer.

[0049] <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.

[0050] (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, as shown in FIG. 1 , the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment includes a certification authority terminal 10, a manufacturer terminal 20, distributor terminals 40 (40a, 40b, 40c), and a consumer terminal 50, which are communicatively connected via a communication network N. The information processing system 1 according to this embodiment also includes one or more control devices 22 that are communicatively connected to the manufacturer terminal 20 and control the product manufacturing equipment. Although not shown, the information processing system 1 may also include a plurality of each of the manufacturer terminals 20 and the consumer terminals 50.

[0051] (Configuration of the certification authority terminal) First, the certification authority terminal 10 will be described. The certification authority terminal 10 can be, for example, a general server computer. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an outline of the hardware configuration of the certification authority terminal 10. The certification authority terminal 10 is an information processing terminal managed by the certification authority as described above, 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.

[0052] The processor 91 may be any arithmetic processing device such as a central processing unit (CPU), a micro-processing unit (MPU), or a digital signal processor (DSP).

[0053] 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 memory (RAM) or a read-only memory (ROM), and an auxiliary storage device such as a solid-state drive (SSD), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), a flash memory, a USB memory, or 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 databases (described later). The control is executed by the server 91, which controls each component of the certification authority terminal 10, thereby realizing each functional unit that fulfills a predetermined purpose.

[0054] Examples of the input IF 93 include various input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, camera, and microphone. Examples of the output IF 94 include various output devices such as a display, speaker, and printer. A touch panel display can also be used as a configuration that serves both as the input IF 93 and the output IF. The communication IF 95 can be configured appropriately depending on the connection method with the communication network N to be connected (wired or wireless, connection standard, etc.).

[0055] (Functional configuration of certification authority terminal) 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 the following functional units: an authentication request receiving unit 101, a certification information generating unit 102, an ID issuing unit 103, an information viewing request receiving unit 104, an information update receiving unit 105, a detecting unit 106, an input unit 107, an output unit 108, a storage unit 109, a communication unit 110, and a warning processing unit 111.

[0056] The authentication request receiving unit 101 receives an authentication request for product information and user information related to users involved in the manufacture and distribution of the product. Specifically, the authentication request is received by receiving the product information and user information related to the authentication request from the manufacturer terminal 20 and the distributor terminal 40 via the communication network N.

[0057] The certification information generation unit 102 generates each piece of certification information: product certification information that certifies the product information related to authentication, and user certification information that certifies the user information related to authentication. The user information may include information for identifying the user, such as the user's name, address (location), and date of establishment, as well as information related to the user's evaluation (trustworthiness). When the certification information is generated by the authentication authority terminal 10, the content and authenticity of the product information and user information are authenticated by the authentication authority.

[0058] The ID issuing unit 103 issues various IDs. Specifically, it issues IDs such as a user ID that is associated with user certification information and individually identifies each user, and a product ID that is associated with product certification information and individually identifies the corresponding product. That is, the product ID issued by the ID issuing unit 103 is associated with product information certified by the product certification information, and it is possible to access the corresponding product information based on the product ID.

[0059] In addition, the user ID issued by the ID issuing unit 103 is associated with update authority (whether information can be updated, the scope of updates, and the time when updates can be made) and viewing authority (the scope of information that can be viewed, and the time when viewing can be made) for each product information stored in the DB described below.

[0060] The information viewing request receiving unit 104 receives a request to view authenticated product information and user information. For example, the information viewing request receiving unit 104 receives a request to view each piece of information corresponding to the product ID, using at least the product ID as a key, from any of the terminals connected via the communication network N. Then, the information corresponding to the viewing authority set for the user ID is transmitted to the terminal that made the viewing request via the communication unit 110 described below. Note that the user ID may be used as a key for the viewing request together with the product ID. In this case, the input (transmission) of the product ID and user ID may be requested simultaneously, or may be requested in stages.

[0061] The information update receiving unit 105 receives updates to the information stored in the DB, on the condition that the product ID and the user ID of the user who has the right to update the corresponding product information are input. The information update receiving unit 105 may receive an update request for each piece of information corresponding to a product ID from any of the terminals connected via the communication network N, for example, using the product ID as a key, and may also request transmission of a user ID. Then, an information update user interface (UI) corresponding to the update authority set for the user ID is sent to the terminal that made the update request. When an 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 time and the user ID of the person who made the update to the DB. Note that "update" here includes not only overwriting (rewriting) information, but also adding information.

[0062] When the information update receiving unit 105 receives one or more processes (handling) to be detected that are set in advance for handling the product information for each product ID, the detecting unit 106 detects this.

[0063] The processing of the predetermined detection target referred to here may be that the product information has been updated (or not) within a specified time, that it has been updated (or not) within a specified area, that the work history has been updated in a specified order and number of times (or that it has been updated in a different order or number of times), that the temperature of the environment in which the product is located at the time the information is updated is in accordance with the conditions (or is outside the conditions), that an update is made for authorized work using a previously authorized user ID (or that an update is made for an unauthorized user ID or unauthorized work), etc.

[0064] Note that the processing of the detection target by the detection unit 106 may be a so-called whitelist or a blacklist as long as it is capable of detecting the handling of products that are undesirable for the product manufacturer. However, in this embodiment, the processing of the detection target by the detection unit 106 will be described as indicating the handling of inappropriate products (a so-called blacklist).

[0065] When the detection unit 106 detects an update process of product information indicating inappropriate product handling (or when the detection unit 106 does not detect an update process of product information indicating appropriate product handling), the warning processing unit 111 performs processing to send warning information to that effect to a predetermined user via the communication unit 110 described below. The warning information may be, for example, a text message such as an e-mail, or may be voice communication using a telephone or the like.

[0066] Here, the predetermined user may be the product manufacturer, or may be the user involved in the update performed immediately before the update request for inappropriate product information detected by the detection unit 106. Alternatively, it may be all users who updated product information before the update request for inappropriate product information detected by the detection unit 106. As will be described later, when product information is updated, the user ID of the user who requested the update is stored so as to be identified, and therefore the destination of the warning information is specifically identified by the user ID. Alternatively, the predetermined user may be a user (e.g., an administrator) who is registered in advance regardless of individual product information.

[0067] The input unit 107 is realized by the above-mentioned input IF 93, and transmits various input signals input 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 via an output device such as a display. The communication unit 110 is realized by the communication IF 95, and communicates information with other terminals in the system via the communication network N.

[0068] The storage unit 109 is realized by the memory 92 and stores various types of information. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in the storage unit 109. As shown in FIG. 4, the storage unit 109 stores various information including product IDs, authenticated product information, user IDs, authenticated user information, and product information update history. At least part of this information is stored in a database (DB) depending on its content, and each database is managed as a relational database.

[0069] For example, the authenticated product information DB stores product information received from manufacturer terminal 20 and for which certification information has been generated. An example of the authenticated product information DB is shown in Fig. 5A. The authenticated product information DB stores, as a database, product information for each authenticated product, such as the product ID, manufacturer ID (user ID identifying the product manufacturer that manufactured the product), current status of the product (last updated content of the product information), user ID of the person who last updated the product information, last update time of the product information, location at the time of last update of the product information, and user ID of the destination of an alert by alert processing unit 111.

[0070] Note that each piece of product information in the authenticated product information DB may include information on the production line involved in the production of the product, information on the manufacturing equipment used in the production of the product, etc. Specifically, for example, the information on the production line may include a production line ID, IDs of the manufacturing equipment included in the production line, IDs of the control devices that control the production line, IDs that identify the operators of the production line, information on the type of energy used in the production line, etc. Furthermore, information on the manufacturing equipment may include, for example, a manufacturing equipment ID, type (model) of the manufacturing equipment, IDs of the software implemented in the manufacturing equipment, energy-saving performance of the manufacturing equipment, IDs that identify the manufacturer of the manufacturing equipment, etc.

[0071] The authenticated user information DB also stores user information received from the terminals managed by each user and from which authentication information has been generated. The contents of the user information are as described above, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0072] Furthermore, the product information history DB stores information related to updates (such as the content of the update, the time, and the person who updated) for each piece of product information associated with an individual product ID. Figure 5B shows an example of the product information history DB. As shown in Figure 5B, the product information history DB stores, as a database, information such as the time of occurrence, the user ID of the person who updated, information about the updated location, information related to the updated environment, and the amount of CO2 emitted from the previous update to the current update for each update-related content, such as the reason for the update occurring during the product manufacturing and distribution process.

[0073] In this case, "events occurring during the manufacturing and distribution of products" may include not only various operations performed on the product, but also the fact that an inappropriate update request for product information was made (or an appropriate update request was not made), and the fact that an alert was sent as a result. In this case, the person who updates the product information may be the certification body, or the user who made the inappropriate update request.

[0074] The product ID DB and user ID DB store information in pairs, each consisting of an ID issued by the ID issuing unit 103 and the corresponding product information and user information.

[0075] (Manufacturer terminal) Next, we will explain the manufacturer terminal 20. The manufacturer terminal 20 is a terminal managed by the product manufacturer, and is connected for communication with other terminals in the system via a communication network N as shown in Fig. 1. The manufacturer terminal 20 is also connected to a control device 22 provided in the product manufacturing line.

[0076] The manufacturer terminal 20 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 manufacturer terminal 20 comprises a processor, memory, input IF, output IF, communication IF, etc. The manufacturer terminal 20 can be composed of multiple devices connected by wire or wirelessly. The manufacturer terminal 20 also comprises, as one of its input IFs, a decoding means (e.g., a QR Code (registered trademark) reader) having an environmental sensor that measures the ambient temperature and humidity. The decoding means may be associated with the user ID of the product manufacturer, making it identifiable within the system.

[0077] Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing an outline of the functional configuration of manufacturer terminal 20. As shown in Fig. 6, manufacturer terminal 20 includes functional units such as product information generation unit 201, product ID association unit 202, information viewing request unit 203, information update request unit 204, input unit 207, output unit 208, storage unit 209, and communication unit 210.

[0078] The input unit 207, output unit 208, and communication unit 210 are the same as those in the certification authority terminal 10, and the memory unit 209 is also the same as the memory unit 109 in the certification authority terminal 10 except that it does not hold various databases such as an authenticated product information database, so explanations of these will be omitted.

[0079] When a product manufacturer manufactures a new product, product information generation unit 201 generates product information for the product. When the generated product information is to be certified by a certification body, manufacturer terminal 20 transmits the product information together with a certification request to certification body terminal 10 via communication unit 210.

[0080] The product ID associating unit 202 performs a process of associating a product ID issued by the authentication authority terminal 10 with each individual product identified by the product ID. Specifically, in this embodiment, a code is issued that encodes information for displaying a UI that requests viewing and updating of product information linked to the product ID. The product ID is assigned to each individual product by, for example, imprinting such a code on the product or outputting a label with the code printed on it and attaching it to the product, thereby completing the association between the product, product ID, and authenticated product information. Therefore, when a product ID is actually assigned to a product, information to that effect may be sent to the authentication authority terminal 10, which updates the information in the authenticated product information DB, thereby associating the product ID with the product.

[0081] The information viewing request unit 203 requests viewing of product information that has been authenticated by the authentication authority terminal 10 and that is associated with the certification information and stored in the storage unit 109 of the authentication authority terminal 10. Specifically, the information viewing request is sent to the authentication authority terminal 10, and the information viewing request receiving unit 104 receives a request to view the information associated with at least the product ID using this ID as a key through a reception process. Note that, when requesting to view information, by inputting a user ID (and a password corresponding thereto), it may be possible to view the information within the scope of the authority associated with the user ID.

[0082] The information update request unit 204 performs processing to update at least the information in the authenticated product information DB stored in the storage unit 109 of the authentication authority terminal 10. For example, the information update request unit 204 sends an information update request to the authentication authority terminal 10 using the product ID and user ID as keys, and registers the information to be updated by receiving a UI for updating the information.

[0083] The above-mentioned request to view and update product information may be transmitted to the certification authority terminal 10 together with the corresponding product ID by, for example, decoding a code attached to the product using a decoding means.

[0084] (Distribution company terminal) Next, the distributor terminal 40 will be described. The distributor terminal 40 updates product information. It is a terminal that is authorized and managed by at least a user involved in the distribution of a product, and is connected to other terminals in the system via a communication network N as shown in Figure 1. Here, users involved in the distribution of products include, for example, logistics companies (transporters, warehouse operators), wholesalers, and retailers.

[0085] After production, the product passes through these distributors before reaching the consumer, and by adding details of each operation performed on the product along the way (time, place, handler, etc.) to the product information, it becomes possible to easily check the current status of the product and the history of how it has been handled. The distributor terminal 40 has the function of updating this information in the authenticated product information DB.

[0086] The distributor terminal 40 may be a general-purpose computer system. Although not shown, the hardware configuration of the distributor terminal 40, similar to the certification authority terminal 10, includes a processor, memory, input IF, output IF, and communication IF. The distributor terminal 40 may be configured with multiple devices connected by wire or wirelessly. Similarly to the manufacturer terminal 20, the distributor terminal 40 may include, as one of its input IFs, a decryption means having an environmental sensor that measures the ambient temperature and humidity. The decryption means may be associated with the user ID of each distributor, making it identifiable within the system.

[0087] Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing an outline of the functional configuration of distributor terminal 40. As shown in Fig. 7, distributor terminal 40 includes the following functional units: information view request unit 401, information update request unit 402, input unit 407, output unit 408, storage unit 409, and communication unit 410.

[0088] The input unit 407, output unit 408, and communication unit 410 are the same as those in the certification authority terminal 10, and the memory unit 409 is also the same as the memory unit 109 in the certification authority terminal 10 except that it does not hold a database such as an authenticated product information database, so explanations of these will be omitted.

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

[0090] The information update request unit 402 performs processing to update at least the information in the authenticated product information DB stored in the storage unit 109 of the authentication authority terminal 10. For example, the information update request is sent to the authentication authority terminal 10 using the product ID and user ID as keys, and a UI for updating information is provided, thereby registering the information to be updated. For example, a transporter acting as a business authorized to update product information adds, when transporting a product, information such as the fact of acceptance of transportation, the time of acceptance, the location of acceptance, the fact of transportation completion, the time of completion, the transportation route, and the amount of CO2 emissions during transportation to the product information in the authenticated product information DB.

[0091] The above-mentioned request to view and update product information may be transmitted to the certification authority terminal 10 together with the corresponding product ID by, for example, decoding a code attached to the product using a decoding means.

[0092] As described above, the decoding means is equipped with an environmental sensor, and stores the temperature information when the product code is read, and transmits it to the authentication authority terminal 10 together with the time information and location information when the code is decoded. Note that the location information may be obtained from a communication point. Alternatively, the GPS coordinates may be obtained from a GPS (Global Positioning System) transmitter provided separately in the decoding means.

[0093] By transmitting such information relating to the time, location, and environment at the time of the product information update request to the certification authority terminal 10 along with the update request, the detection unit 106 of the certification authority terminal 10 becomes able to detect whether or not a product information update process that meets the specified conditions regarding time, location, and environment is being carried out.

[0094] (Consumer Devices) Next, the consumer terminal 50 will be described. The consumer terminal 50 is a terminal carried by a general consumer, and is communicatively connected to other terminals in the system via a communication network N as shown in FIG. 1. A general-purpose terminal can be used as the consumer terminal 50, 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 has a processor, memory, input IF, output IF, communication IF, etc. as its hardware configuration.

[0095] Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing an outline of the functional configuration of the consumer terminal 50. As shown in Fig. 8, 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, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0096] The information viewing request unit 501 requests viewing of product information that has been authenticated at least by the authentication authority terminal 10 and that is associated with the certification information and stored in the storage unit 109 of the authentication authority terminal 10. Specifically, the information viewing request is sent to the authentication authority terminal 10, and the information viewing request receiving unit 104 performs a reception process to request viewing of the information associated with the product ID using the product ID as a key.

[0097] When requesting to view information, by entering a user ID (and the corresponding password), the information can be viewed within the scope of the authority associated with the user ID. Note that general consumers who have acquired a product are not usually given a user ID, but they can view basic information about the product even without a user ID.

[0098] For example, if information including a product ID is coded as in a QR code (registered trademark) and attached to a product, the consumer terminal 50 may be configured to automatically capture an image of the code with a camera serving as the input unit 507, decode the information including the product ID, send an information viewing request to the authentication authority terminal 10, obtain (a basic part of) the product information corresponding to the product ID, and display this on a display serving as the output unit 508. With this mechanism, even an ordinary consumer who has no knowledge of the mechanism of the information processing system 1 can view basic product information simply by scanning the code attached to the product with a camera, thereby improving consumer convenience.

[0099] (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. 9 to Fig. 13. Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing an outline of the processing performed in the information processing system 1. As shown in Fig. 9, the information processing system 1 includes a step (S101) in which a product manufacturer manufactures a product, a step (S102) in which product information is authenticated and a product ID is associated with the product, and a step (S103) in which information stored in the DB is sent to the authentication authority terminal 10. The authentication authority terminal 10 executes the following steps: a step (S103) of determining whether there is a request to update information, a step (S104) of accepting the information update, a step (S105) of determining whether the accepted information update matches a predetermined detection target and, if so, issuing a warning to a predetermined user, a step (S106) of determining whether there is a request to view information stored in the DB, and a step (S107) of outputting information related to the view request. The flow of processing performed at each step will be explained in more detail below.

[0100] 10 shows a subroutine of step S102 in the flowchart of FIG. 9, illustrating the exchange of information and the processing flow between the authentication authority terminal 10 and the manufacturer terminal 20. As shown in FIG. 10, when a product manufacturer manufactures a new product, the product information generation unit 201 of the manufacturer terminal 20 generates product information (S201). The manufacturer terminal 20 then transmits an authentication request for the generated product information to the authentication authority terminal 10 via the communication unit 210 (S202). The authentication authority terminal 10 receives the request at the authentication request reception unit 101, and a person in charge at the authentication authority authenticates the product information, and the product information is registered (stored) in the authenticated product information DB (S203). Next, the authentication authority terminal 10 generates product certification information at the certification information generation unit 102 that certifies the product information related to the authentication request (S204), and the ID issuance unit 103 issues a product ID associated with the product certification information (S205). The issued product ID is transmitted to the manufacturer terminal 20 via the communication unit 110 (S206), and the product ID associating unit 202 of the manufacturer terminal 20 performs processing to associate the product ID with the product identified by the product ID (S207). After the above series of processing is executed, the subroutine of step S102 is temporarily terminated.

[0101] Returning to the explanation of the process flow in Fig. 9, in step S103, the authentication authority terminal 10 (specifically, the information update receiving unit 105) determines whether or not there is a request to update the product information stored in the storage unit 109 (authenticated product information DB). If the information update receiving unit 105 determines that there is a request for update, it executes a process to receive the update (S104).

[0102] The following describes the process flow when it is determined in step S103 that there is a request for information update. Fig. 11 is a diagram showing the exchange of information and the process flow between the certification authority terminal 10 and the distributor terminal 40.

[0103] As described above, in this embodiment, a product is affixed with a code (e.g., a QR code (registered trademark)) in which information including a product ID is encoded. When a business operator involved in the distribution of the product wishes to update the product information, the code affixed to the product is read using decoding means (e.g., a QR code (registered trademark) reader) serving as the input unit 407 of the distributor terminal 40 (S301). 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 authentication authority terminal 10 (S302). As described above, the decoding means of the distributor terminal 40 has an environmental sensor, and when the code is read in step S301, information on the temperature and humidity of the environment in which the product is placed is stored in the memory unit 409 of the distributor terminal 40.

[0104] When the information update receiving unit 105 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 (S303) and transmits this to the distributor terminal 40 (S304). When the form is received, an input form for the user ID and password is displayed on the output unit 408 of the distributor terminal 40. When the user ID is input into the form via the input unit 407 of the distributor terminal 40 (S305), information on the user ID (and password) is transmitted to the authentication authority terminal 10 via the communication unit 410 (S306).

[0105] In the authentication authority terminal 10 that has received the user ID, the information update receiving unit 105 generates an input form for updated information corresponding to the authority of the transmitted user ID (S307) and transmits the input form to the distributor terminal 40 (S308). In the distributor terminal 40 that has received the updated information input form, the input form is displayed by the output unit 408. Then, when updated information is input via the input unit 407 of the distributor terminal 40 (S309), the updated information is transmitted to the authentication authority terminal 10 via the communication unit 410 (S310). Note that the information transmitted to the authentication authority terminal 10 may include not only the information input in step S309 but also information on the temperature and humidity of the environment in which the product is placed.

[0106] In the authentication authority terminal 10 that has received the update information, the information update receiving unit 105 updates the authenticated product information stored in the memory unit 109 (S311), and the series of processes related to the subroutine of step S104 is completed.

[0107] Here, we have explained an example of information update processing performed by the distributor terminal 40 (information update request unit 402), but similar processing can also be performed by the manufacturer terminal 20 (information update request unit 206).

[0108] After step S104, the authentication authority terminal 10 (specifically, the detection unit 106 and the warning processing unit 111) performs detection processing and warning processing (step S105). Specifically, the processing of step S105 will be described with reference to FIG. 12. The detection unit 106 determines whether the update received in step S104 matches a predetermined detection target processing indicating that the product has been improperly handled (S401). The content of the processing that the detection unit 106 detects has already been described, so a detailed description will be omitted. Here, if the detection unit 106 determines that the information update received in step S104 does not match the predetermined detection target, the warning processing unit 111 transmits warning information to a predetermined warning target user (S402), and the subroutine ends. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S401 that the information update received in step S104 does not match the predetermined detection target, the subroutine ends without proceeding to step S402.

[0109] 9, the authentication authority terminal 10 (specifically, the information viewing request receiving unit 104) determines whether or not there is a request to view the authenticated product information stored in the storage unit 109 (S106). If the information viewing request receiving unit 104 determines that there is a request to view the authenticated product information, it performs processing to output information related to the viewing request (S107).

[0110] The following describes the processing flow when there is a request to view information. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the exchange of information and the processing flow between the authentication authority terminal 10 and the consumer terminal 50. When a consumer who has acquired a product wishes to view product information, the code attached to the product is read using a code reading means (e.g., a camera) serving as the input unit 507 of the consumer terminal 50 (S501). The encoded information is then decoded by the information viewing request unit 501, and based on this, request information for a user ID input form is sent to the authentication authority terminal 10 (S502). When the information viewing request receiving 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 (S503) and sends it to the consumer terminal 50 (S504). When the form is received, the output unit 508 of the consumer terminal 50 displays the user ID and password input form. FIG. 14 shows an example of the user ID and password input form.

[0111] When the user ID (and password) is input into the form via the input unit 507 of the consumer terminal 50 (S505), the information on the user ID (and password) is transmitted to the authentication authority terminal 10 via the communication unit 410 (S506). In the consumer terminal 10, the information viewing request receiving unit 104 extracts the product information corresponding to the authority of the transmitted user ID from the storage unit 109 (S507), and transmits the information to the consumer terminal 50 (S508). In the consumer terminal 50 that has received the product information, the output unit 508 displays a viewing screen for the product information (S509), and the series of processes related to the subroutine of step S107 is completed.

[0112] 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 persons is displayed, as shown in Fig. 14. This allows even users without a user ID, such as general consumers, to view basic information within the product information.

[0113] Furthermore, although an example of information viewing processing performed by the consumer terminal 50 (information viewing request unit 501 and output unit 508) has been described here, similar processing can also be performed by the manufacturer terminal 20 (information viewing request unit 205 and output unit 208) and the distributor terminal 40 (information viewing request unit 401 and output unit 408).

[0114] 9, if the determination in step S106 is NO, or after the processing in step S107 is completed, the process returns to S103, and the subsequent processing is repeated until a predetermined termination condition is met. However, the processing flow described up to this point is an example, and a routine may be formed that does not include some of the processing in steps S105, S106, etc.

[0115] (Effects of this embodiment) According to the information processing system 1 of this embodiment, events that occur during product distribution and user information related to those events are added to the product information, making it possible to identify inappropriate processing of product information (not limited to information tampering, but general processing indicating undesirable product handling). Furthermore, if inappropriate processing is performed, warning information is sent to any user involved in the production or distribution of the product (for example, a user upstream in the logistics chain, such as a product manufacturer), allowing the user who receives the warning to take prompt action. This makes it possible to prevent inappropriately handled products from reaching the end consumer.

[0116] Furthermore, because product information is stored in the database after being certified by a certification body, it is possible to help guarantee the original authenticity of the product information handled in the system. Furthermore, by limiting updates to certified product information to appending information and recording various information such as the content of the update and the person who made the update, it is possible to create an information processing system with excellent resistance to tampering.

[0117] Furthermore, if there is an update to the product information that indicates handling of the product in a way that warrants a warning, information to that effect will be added to the product information, allowing users to understand information about the product's distribution and the fact that handling that warrants a warning has occurred during the product's distribution process. Therefore, even if a user who receives a warning does not take any particular action, users downstream in the distribution chain (including end consumers) can make decisions about how to handle the product based on that information.

[0118] Furthermore, as described above, the decoding means in the manufacturer terminal 20 and the distributor terminal 40 are equipped with an environmental sensor, so that the temperature and humidity at the time the code is decoded can be automatically obtained, and by adding these values ​​when updating the product information, it is possible to prevent users from adding incorrect temperature and humidity values ​​to the product information. This type of configuration is particularly useful when the product is one that is greatly affected by the environment, such as food and beverage products. It is suitable.

[0119] Furthermore, for each user (including the end consumer) in the product distribution process, the scope of product information that can be viewed and updated can be determined, and by associating this authority with each user ID, users can easily view information that corresponds to their product information viewing authority, while information providers can decide what information to provide to whom, thereby realizing a convenient system. Furthermore, users can update information according to their information update authority, and when an update is made, a record of that update is added to the product information, thereby realizing a convenient system that is highly resistant to tampering.

[0120] (Variation 1) In the above-described first embodiment, the authenticated product information (i.e., associated with the certification information) is configured to be stored as a DB in the storage unit 109 of the certification authority terminal 10, but this configuration is not necessarily required. For example, the product information associated with the certification information in the certification authority terminal 10 may be configured to be stored as a DB in the storage unit 209 of the manufacturer terminal 20.

[0121] In such a case, when a request to view or update information is received from each terminal, the certification authority terminal 10 may be configured to act as an intermediary so that the corresponding product information can be accessed using the product ID as a key.

[0122] (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 reading this code provides access to an input form for viewing or updating product information. However, information can also be viewed or updated in other ways. For example, a common input form for ID input may be published online in advance, and by accepting an ID input from this input form, product information and / or an update form may be displayed according to authorization. An example of such a common ID input form is shown in FIG. 15.

[0123] (Variation 3) In addition, when the products related to the product information handled by the information processing system 1 are so-called mass-produced products, it is convenient to pack multiple products and manage the location and other conditions of each package (or a group of multiple packages) during the distribution process. This modified example is configured to enable management of product information in such group units.

[0124] Fig. 16 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of manufacturer terminal 21 according to this modification, and Fig. 17 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of distributor terminal 41 according to this modification. Note that, since most of the configuration of the information processing system according to this modification is similar to that of information processing system 1 of embodiment 1, the same reference numerals are used for the same configurations and processes as those of embodiment 1, and repeated explanations will be omitted.

[0125] As shown in Fig. 16, manufacturer terminal 21 according to this modification is similar to manufacturer terminal 20 according to embodiment 1, except that it includes a group ID request unit 211 and a group ID processing unit 212 as functional components. Also, as shown in Fig. 17, distributor terminal 41 is similar to distributor terminal 40 according to embodiment 1, except that it includes a group ID request unit 411 and a group ID processing unit 412 as functional components.

[0126] The group ID request unit 211 and the group ID request unit 411 are and requests the issuance of a group ID to collectively identify (manage) multiple product groups with the same content.

[0127] In the authentication authority terminal 10 that has received the request for issuing a group ID, the ID issuing unit 103 issues a group ID. The issued group ID is stored in the storage unit 109 and managed as part of a relational database as a group ID DB.

[0128] The group ID processing unit 212 of the manufacturer terminal 21 and the group ID processing unit 412 of the distributor terminal 41 perform processing to associate the product IDs of the products to be managed using the issued group ID with the group ID. For example, one group ID may be assigned to multiple products stored in one storage container (such as a cardboard box) for management, or a group ID may be assigned to each pallet that stores multiple such storage containers. The association information is sent to the authentication authority terminal 10 and is reflected in the product ID DB and group ID DB of the storage unit 109.

[0129] After the product ID and group ID are associated in this manner, the information update receiving unit 105 of the authentication authority terminal 10 receives a request to update product information by group ID and collectively updates the product information of multiple products associated with the group ID.

[0130] The authority to set (associate) a group ID and to cancel it may be assigned in association with a user ID. The authority can be assigned by a user upstream in the product distribution process (e.g., a product manufacturer).

[0131] According to this modified example, when handling a large number of identical products at the same time, it is possible to update and manage information on a group basis without updating individual product information, making it an extremely convenient system.

[0132] <Embodiment 2> Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 18 and 19. Figure 18 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of an information processing system 2 according to this embodiment. Hereinafter, the same configurations and processes as those of the information processing system 1 of embodiment 1 will be designated by the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations will be omitted. As shown in Figure 18, the information processing system 2 according to this embodiment differs from the information processing system 1 of embodiment 1 in that the certification authority terminal 11, the manufacturer terminal 20, and the distributor terminal 40 are connected to a blockchain network BCN, and the consumer terminal 50 and the certification authority terminal 11 are connected via a general-purpose communication network N.

[0133] The information processing system 2 of this embodiment uses a blockchain system, which is one type of distributed ledger technology, to manage product IDs, product information, product certification information, user information, and user IDs.

[0134] 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. Note that blockchain systems are a well-known technology, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0135] In this embodiment, the certification authority terminal 11, the manufacturer terminal 20, and the distributor terminal 40 each correspond to a node device of the blockchain network BCN. In addition, other information processing terminals may also 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 and user information is stored in a distributed manner in the storage units of the terminals serving as node devices. 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 information in which each product element information is separately held.

[0136] Each block is created sequentially, 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. Because such a blockchain is created in each node device, when information is updated, the fact and content of the update are always visible to system participants.

[0137] Fig. 19 shows a functional block diagram of the certification authority terminal 11 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 19, the certification authority terminal 11 according to this embodiment has functional units that are almost the same as those of the certification authority terminal 10 according to the first embodiment, but does not have an information update receiving unit 105. This is because, in the information processing system 2 according to this embodiment, information can be updated and viewed from the manufacturer terminal 20 and the distributor terminal 40 by reading and updating information directly from the blockchain network BCN.

[0138] On the other hand, the consumer terminal 50, which does not generate or update the information processed by the information processing system 2, is separated from the blockchain network BCN, and is configured to receive information managed by the blockchain network BCN via the certification authority terminal 11. The flow of the information viewing request in this case is almost the same as in the first embodiment, but differs from the first embodiment in that the certification authority terminal 11 does not extract the information related to the viewing 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.

[0139] In addition, when there is an update to product information in the blockchain network BCN, the detection unit 106 of the certification authority terminal 11 detects this by detecting a change in the value of the data in the blockchain, and by obtaining the contents of the product information related to the update, determines whether the product information update process is a process to be detected.

[0140] According to the information processing system 2 of this embodiment, by using a blockchain system, a stable system that is resistant to system downtime can be constructed because a database is not required. Furthermore, if there is any unauthorized update (tampering) of information, this fact can be easily detected, making the system highly resistant to tampering.

[0141] <Other> The above examples are merely illustrative of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. Various modifications and combinations of the present invention are possible within the scope of the technical concept thereof. For example, in the above embodiment, the detection unit 106 detects a product information update process indicating improper (undesirable) product handling. Conversely, the detection unit 106 may detect a product information update process indicating proper product handling. In this case, if the detection unit 106 does not detect a product information update process indicating proper product handling, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be achieved by having the warning processing unit 111 perform a warning process.

[0142] In the above embodiment, the warning processing unit 111 is a functional unit of the authentication authority terminal 10. However, the warning processing unit 111 may be provided in a terminal managed by any (or all) other users. In this case, the warning processing may be such that an alarm is issued in the form of text, images, sound, etc. via an output means of a terminal managed by the user who is to receive the warning. Also, even when the warning processing unit 111 is in the authentication authority terminal 10, the warning processing may be such that a command signal for issuing an alarm is sent from an output means of a terminal managed by the user.

[0143] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, product IDs identifying individual products are issued individually in response to a request for authentication of each product information. However, it is naturally conceivable that multiple (numerous) products with the same product information to be certified will be manufactured. In such a case, it would be inefficient to perform authentication and issue a product ID for each individual product information. Therefore, for product information with the same content to be certified, the authentication authority terminal may issue multiple product IDs associated with the single product information to be certified and transmit these to the manufacturer terminal in advance. This eliminates the need to request the issuance of a product ID each time a product with the same product information is manufactured, resulting in a highly convenient system. However, in this case, if a product manufacturer misuses a product ID, the reliability of the system will be significantly damaged. Therefore, a mechanism to ensure reliability, such as targeting only reputable product manufacturers, is required.

[0144] The information processing system may also be configured so that the manufacturer terminal has an ID issuing unit for the product and the certification authority terminal has a product ID associating unit. That is, the product manufacturer assigns an ID (such as a serial number) for each product to the product (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 manufacturer terminal, and the certification authority terminal generates the product certification information and associates it with the (declared) product ID.

[0145] <Appendix 1> An information processing system (1) that processes information about a product, including one or more information processing devices, a storage means (109) for storing product information, which is a group of information including at least information related to the manufacturing conditions of the product, associated with a product ID that identifies each of the products; an information update means (105) that uses information on a user ID that identifies a user involved in at least one of the manufacturing, distribution, and certification of the product and the product ID to update the product information corresponding to the product ID in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event related to the manufacturing or distribution of the product, and stores the information on the user ID used for the update in the storage means in association with the product information related to the update; a detection means (106) for detecting one or more first detection target processes or one or more second detection target processes for the product information, which are predetermined for each of the product IDs; a warning means (111) that executes a predetermined warning process when the processing of the first detection target for the product information is detected or when the processing of the second detection target is not detected; An information processing system having:

[0146] <Appendix 2> the information update means causes the storage means to store information on the user ID used for the update and information on the time of the update in association with the product information related to the update. 2. An information processing system according to claim 1,

[0147] <Appendix 3> The warning means may be configured to notify the user of any of the user IDs stored when the product information is updated. and transmitting warning information to users including at least one of the users identified by the above or a predetermined user. 3. The information processing system according to claim 1 or 2.

[0148] <Appendix 4> The product information includes at least information related to the manufacture of the product, which is certified manufacturing information certified by a certification body. 4. An information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

[0149] <Appendix 5> The specified event includes work performed on the product during the distribution process of the product, the information update means updates the product information when the processing of the first detection target is detected or when the processing of the second detection target is not detected. 5. An information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

[0150] <Appendix 6> the predetermined reason includes that the processing of the first detection target for the product information has been detected or that the processing of the second detection target has not been detected; the information update means updates the product information when the processing of the first detection target is detected or when the processing of the second detection target is not detected. 6. An information processing system according to any one of appendices 1 to 5.

[0151] <Appendix 7> The system further includes a group ID validation means (212, 412) for associating a group ID for identifying a group consisting of a plurality of the products with the product ID of each of the products included in the group, the information update means is configured to be able to collectively update the product information corresponding to each of the products included in the group by using the group ID information. 7. An information processing system according to any one of appendices 1 to 6.

[0152] <Appendix 8> an encoding means (202) for converting information including at least the product ID into a code; and one or more decoding means (207, 407) for decoding the information converted into the code and enabling access to the product information corresponding to the product ID. 8. An information processing system according to any one of appendices 1 to 7.

[0153] <Appendix 9> The user ID has authority to access each of the product information items, Each of the decryption means is associated with the user ID, the information update means, when the code is decoded by the decoding means, adds to the product information predetermined information corresponding to the authority set for the corresponding user ID. 9. An information processing system according to claim 8,

[0154] <Appendix 10> the code includes information indicating the location of a first interface for accessing the product information corresponding to the product ID; the decoding means is configured to be able to output the first interface by decoding information indicating the location of the first interface. 10. The information processing system according to claim 8 or 9.

[0155] <Appendix 11> the first interface output by the decoding means includes a field for receiving input of the user ID; The decryption means outputs a second interface according to the authority corresponding to the user ID whose input has been accepted. 11. The information processing system according to claim 10,

[0156] <Appendix 12> 1. An information processing method for processing information relating to a product, executed by one or more information processing devices, comprising: a storage step (S203) of storing product information, which is an information group including at least information related to manufacturing conditions of the product, associated with a product ID that identifies each of the products; an information updating step (S104) of updating the product information corresponding to the product ID in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event related to the production or distribution of the product, using information on a user ID that identifies a user related to at least one of the production, distribution, and certification of the product, and storing information on the user ID used for the update in association with the product information related to the update; A detection step (S401) of detecting one or more first detection target processes or one or more second detection target processes for the product information, which are predetermined for each of the product IDs; a warning step (S402) of executing a predetermined warning process when the processing of the first detection target for the product information is detected or when the processing of the second detection target is not detected; An information processing method comprising:

[0157] <Appendix 13> A program for causing an information processing device to execute each step of the information processing method described in Supplementary Note 12. [Explanation of symbols]

[0158] 1, 2 Information Processing System 10, 11...Certification authority terminal 20, 21... Manufacturer terminal 22. Control device 40, 40a, 40b, 40c, 41... Distribution company terminal 50 Consumer Devices 90 Bus 91 Processor 92...Memory 93 Input IF 94 Output IF 95···Communication Interface N···Communication Network BCN···Blockchain Network

Claims

1. An information processing system for processing information about a product, the information processing system including one or more information processing devices, a storage means for storing product information, which is a group of information including at least information relating to manufacturing conditions of the product, associated with a product ID that identifies each of the products; an information updating means for updating the product information corresponding to the product ID in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event related to the production or distribution of the product, using information on the product ID and a user ID that identifies a user related to at least one of the production, distribution, and certification of the product, and for storing the information on the user ID used for the update in the storage means in association with the product information related to the update; a detection means for detecting one or more first detection target processes or one or more second detection target processes for the product information, which are predetermined for each of the product IDs; a warning unit that executes a predetermined warning process when the processing of the first detection target for the product information is detected or when the processing of the second detection target is not detected; An information processing system having:

2. the information update means stores, in the storage means, information on the user ID used for the update and information on the time of the update in association with the product information related to the update.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein:

3. The warning means transmitting warning information to users including at least one of a user identified by any of the user IDs stored when the product information is updated and a preset user; 2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein:

4. The product information includes at least information related to the manufacture of the product, which is certified manufacturing information certified by a certification body.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein:

5. The specified event includes work performed on the product during the distribution process of the product, the information update means updates the product information when the work is performed.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein:

6. the predetermined reason includes that the processing of the first detection target for the product information has been detected or that the processing of the second detection target has not been detected; the information update means updates the product information when the processing of the first detection target is detected or when the processing of the second detection target is not detected.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein:

7. The system further includes a group ID validation means for associating a group ID for identifying a group of a plurality of the products with the product ID of each of the products included in the group, the information update means is configured to be able to collectively update the product information corresponding to each of the products included in the group by using the group ID information.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein:

8. encoding means for converting information including at least the product ID into a code; and one or more decoding means for decoding the encoded information to enable access to the product information corresponding to the product ID.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein:

9. The user ID has authority to access each of the product information items, Each of the decryption means is associated with the user ID, the information update means, when the code is decoded by the decoding means, adds predetermined information corresponding to the authority set for the corresponding user ID to the product information.

9. The information processing system according to claim 8, wherein:

10. the code includes information indicating the location of a first interface for accessing the product information corresponding to the product ID; the decoding means is configured to be able to output the first interface by decoding information indicating the location of the first interface.

9. The information processing system according to claim 8, wherein:

11. the first interface output by the decoding means includes a field for receiving input of the user ID; the decryption means outputs a second interface according to the authority corresponding to the user ID whose input has been accepted.

10. The information processing system according to claim 9.

12. 1. An information processing method for processing information relating to a product, executed by one or more information processing devices, comprising: a storage step of storing product information, which is an information group including at least information related to manufacturing conditions of the product, associated with a product ID that identifies each of the products; an information update step of updating the product information corresponding to the product ID in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event related to the production or distribution of the product, using information on the product ID and a user ID that identifies a user related to at least one of the production, distribution, and certification of the product, and storing information on the user ID used for the update in association with the product information related to the update; a detection step of detecting one or more first detection target processes or one or more second detection target processes for the product information, which are predetermined for each of the product IDs; a warning step of executing a predetermined warning process when the processing of the first detection target for the product information is detected or when the processing of the second detection target is not detected; An information processing method comprising:

13. A program for causing an information processing device to execute each step of the information processing method according to claim 12.

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