Information processing device and information processing method

Abstract

To provide a technique which is effective in guaranteeing the appropriateness of information regarding traceability collected in a supply chain.SOLUTION: In an information processing device that executes information processing pertaining to a platform for collecting product information of a company included in a supply chain, a control unit acquires traceability-related information included in the product information of a product of interest which is a product of a company of interest. The control unit sets a reference value in accordance with the traceability-related information included in the product information of one or more reference products which are products of one or more companies included in the supply chain. The control unit outputs the appropriateness of the traceability-related information of the product of interest by using the set reference value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 19

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This disclosure relates to an information processing device and an information processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] Systems for sharing information among multiple companies that make up a supply chain are known. In this regard, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a system for sharing information among adjacent companies in a supply chain using a common platform. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-171146 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a technology that is effective in ensuring the accuracy of traceability information collected in the supply chain. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of this disclosure is, An information processing device that performs information processing related to a platform for collecting product information of companies included in a supply chain, To obtain traceability-related information contained in the product information of the target product, which is a product of the target company, Based on the traceability-related information contained in the product information of one or more reference products which are products of one or more companies included in the aforementioned supply chain, a standard value is set. Using the aforementioned reference value, the appropriateness of the traceability-related information for the target product is output, An information processing apparatus including a control unit configured to execute

[0006] One of other aspects of the present disclosure is An information processing method related to a platform for collecting product information of enterprises included in a supply chain, obtaining traceability-related information included in product information of a target product, which is a product of a target enterprise; setting a reference value according to traceability-related information included in product information of one or more reference products, which are products of one or more enterprises included in the supply chain; outputting the propriety of the traceability-related information of the target product using the reference value; An information processing method executed by a computer.

[0007] Also, one of other aspects of the present disclosure may be a program for causing a computer to execute the above information processing method, or a storage medium storing the program non-temporarily.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an effective technique for ensuring the propriety of information related to traceability collected in a supply chain.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009] [Figure 1] A diagram illustrating an example of a supply chain according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] A diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between products supplied by a supply chain. [Figure 3] A diagram showing an outline of processing performed between an enterprise terminal and a server device. [Figure 4] A hardware configuration diagram of a server device according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] A hardware configuration diagram of an enterprise terminal according to an embodiment. [Figure 6]Software configuration diagram of the server device according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] Software configuration diagram of the enterprise terminal according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] An example of product information generated by the product information generation unit. [Figure 9] An example of the screen output by the authority setting unit. [Figure 10] An example of the permission information generated by the authority setting unit based on the input information. [Figure 11] An example of the user interface including the list of products that are candidates for the linking destination. [Figure 12] A diagram showing an example of the flow of the process executed by the server device. [Figure 13] A diagram explaining the product tree and the amount of carbon dioxide emitted in each process. [Figure 14] An example of the screen outputting the product tree by an image. [Figure 15] An example of the product tree when the products without access authority are set as non-disclosed. [Figure 16] A sequence diagram explaining the processes performed by the server device and the enterprise terminal in the first to third phases. [Figure 17] A sequence diagram explaining the processes performed by the server device and the enterprise terminal in the fourth phase. [Figure 18] A diagram explaining an example of the procedure for determining the reference product in the embodiment. [Figure 19] A flowchart showing the process flow executed by the server device in the embodiment. [Figure 20] A diagram explaining an example of the procedure for determining the reference product in the modification example of the embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Carbon Footprint (CFP) is a system that displays the amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated throughout the entire lifecycle of a product, from raw material procurement to disposal and recycling, converted into CO2 equivalents. To implement CFP, traceability is crucial, which involves recording each supplier involved from raw material procurement to disposal and recycling, and making the history traceable.

[0011] The inventors of this invention have identified the following problems with the conventional system described above. Specifically, in order to ensure the traceability of information such as CFP, it is necessary to collect such information throughout the entire supply chain. However, the calculation method for CFP or the units of data used in the calculation may differ from company to company. In such cases, it becomes difficult to obtain an accurate integrated result of CFP throughout the entire supply chain. Furthermore, even if the calculation method for CFP or the units of data used in the calculation are appropriate, the CFP may become an undesirable value for the entire supply chain (for example, an excessive CFP) due to insufficient efforts by the company. Therefore, measures are needed to guarantee the appropriateness of the traceability information collected in the supply chain.

[0012] Furthermore, the above problem is not limited to situations where CFPs are collected. For example, this problem can occur in any situation where any information related to a product is collected, such as other traceability-related information (e.g., raw material recycling rates, due diligence information, etc.) or other product-related information (e.g., components, identification information, etc.).

[0013] Therefore, one aspect of the information processing device described herein is to acquire traceability-related information contained in the product information of the target product, which is a product of the target company, and the supply chain The system includes a control unit configured to set a reference value according to the traceability-related information contained in the product information of one or more reference products which are products of one or more companies included in the system, and to output the appropriateness of the traceability-related information of the target product using the reference value.

[0014] The information processing device relating to this disclosure performs information processing related to a platform for collecting product information from companies included in a supply chain. Such an information processing device may be a server for the platform. Alternatively, the information processing device may be a server independent of the platform, which provides product information acquired from companies included in the supply chain to the platform.

[0015] In the information processing device relating to this disclosure, the control unit acquires traceability-related information contained in the product information of the target product, which is a product of the target company. Traceability-related information is information necessary to ensure traceability. For example, traceability-related information may include greenhouse gas emissions, raw material recycling rates, or due diligence scores. In other examples, traceability-related information may include information necessary for calculating greenhouse gas emissions (CFP), raw material recycling rates, or due diligence scores. Product information including such traceability-related information is provided by the target company.

[0016] The control unit sets a reference value based on the traceability-related information contained in the product information of one or more reference products, which are products of one or more companies included in the supply chain. For example, the reference product may be a product of the same type as the target product among the products of the companies included in the supply chain. It is also possible that there is no product of the same type as the target product among the products of the companies included in the supply chain. In that case, the reference product may be a product of a company that belongs to the same hierarchical level as the target company in the supply chain.

[0017] Here, some companies included in the supply chain may be participating in the platform anonymously. Furthermore, some companies included in the supply chain may not be participating in the platform at all. Since separate measures may be required to ensure the authenticity of these companies, their products may be excluded from the list of reference products.

[0018] The control unit sets a reference value using the traceability-related information of one or more reference products described above. For example, the control unit may obtain the average or median value of the traceability-related information of one or more reference products and set the reference value according to the obtained average or median value. Setting a reference value according to the average or median value may include, for example, adding or multiplying the average or median value by a predetermined value. Setting a reference value according to the average or median value may also include setting an upper limit value by adding a predetermined value to the average or median value and setting a lower limit value by subtracting a predetermined value from the average or median value.

[0019] As an example, the specified values ​​described above may be set in a way that allows for verification of whether the traceability-related information for the target product has been calculated in an appropriate manner. As another example, the specified values ​​may be set in a way that allows for verification of whether the traceability-related information for the target product is undesirable for the entire supply chain (for example, an excessive CFP, an insufficient recycling rate, or an insufficient due diligence score).

[0020] Note that traceability-related information, such as greenhouse gas emissions, raw material recycling rates, or due diligence scores, may vary depending on the product type. For example, if the final product manufactured through the supply chain is a battery for automobiles, traceability information may be included in the battery. The following trends are observed in the CFP of the products being tested. Positive electrode > Cell > Negative electrode > Liquid

[0021] Therefore, if one or more reference products are of a different type than the target product, that is, if one or more reference products are products of companies belonging to the same hierarchical level as the target company in the supply chain, the reference value may be adjusted according to the type of reference product.

[0022] Once a reference value is set using the method described above, the control unit uses this reference value to output the appropriateness of the traceability-related information for the target product. For example, the control unit may compare the traceability-related information for the target product with the reference value to verify whether the traceability-related information for the target product was calculated in an appropriate manner, and / or whether the traceability-related information for the target product is an undesirable value for the entire supply chain, and output the verification result (appropriateness). Outputting the appropriateness may include, for example, transmitting the appropriateness to the target company's terminal.

[0023] The information processing device described herein makes it possible to guarantee the accuracy of traceability information collected in the supply chain.

[0024] The following describes specific embodiments of this disclosure with reference to the drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the hardware configurations, module configurations, functional configurations, etc., described in each embodiment are not intended to limit the technical scope of the disclosure to those configurations alone.

[0025] <Embodiment> The information processing system according to this embodiment is a system that provides information about products supplied by a supply chain that includes multiple companies. Product information is typically traceability information. The companies belonging to the supply chain may be determined as appropriate according to the attributes of the products, etc.

[0026] First, let's explain the structure of the supply chain. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a supply chain according to this embodiment. The supply chain shown in Figure 1 consists of an OEM company and multiple supplier companies. In the example in Figure 1, we assume a supply chain that manufactures automobiles themselves, batteries, and other automobile-related products. The OEM company assembles the final product. Multiple supplier companies (Companies A to C) supply parts, materials, assemblies, etc., for manufacturing the final product. Each of the multiple supplier companies manufactures one or more products and delivers them to a company located one level lower in the hierarchy. Multiple companies repeat this process until the final product is obtained at the final stage (i.e., the OEM company).

[0027] In this embodiment, at each level of the supply chain, the side that supplies products is referred to as the upstream side, and the side that procures those products and manufactures new products is referred to as the downstream side. In this specification, companies located on the upstream side are referred to as upstream companies, and companies located on the downstream side are referred to as downstream companies. Furthermore, products manufactured by upstream companies are referred to as upstream products, and products manufactured by downstream companies are referred to as downstream products. Upstream products are encompassed within downstream products (i.e., upstream products are used in the manufacturing process of downstream products). Also in this embodiment, the levels included in the supply chain are referred to as Tiers. Tier 0 is the lowest level, where the final product is assembled (corresponding to OEM companies). As you progress through Tier 1, 2, and 3, you move towards the upstream side. Depending on the tier you focus on, downstream companies may be upstream. They can also change from being a downstream company to a downstream company. For example, company B, which is located in Tier 2, is a downstream company in relation to Tier 3, but an upstream company in relation to Tier 1. In this way, upstream companies and downstream companies The definition can change depending on the hierarchy.

[0028] Figure 2 illustrates the relationships between products supplied by a supply chain. Here, the supply relationships of the multiple products that make up the final product X are represented by a tree diagram. In this example, the final product X is manufactured by assembling products A1, B1, C1, D1, etc. Product A1 is manufactured by assembling products A11, A12, A13, etc. In this way, the relationships between the multiple products that make up the final product can be represented by a tree diagram in which each product is a node. Hereafter, a tree diagram relating to a specific final product will be referred to as a product tree.

[0029] The server device 1 according to this embodiment collects information about products manufactured by each company (hereinafter referred to as "product information") and information for linking the product information from terminals (corporate terminals 2) corresponding to each company, and generates a product tree based on these. The product information also includes traceability-related information (for example, information on greenhouse gas emissions), and by following the product tree, it is possible to track carbon footprints, etc. The traceability-related information may include any information that could be subject to ensuring traceability.

[0030] As shown in Figure 1, the information processing system according to this embodiment includes a server device 1 and a plurality of corporate terminals 2.

[0031] Enterprise terminal 2 is a terminal corresponding to each of the multiple companies that make up the supply chain. The number of terminals corresponding to each company may be arbitrary. In addition, the terminals corresponding to the target company may include terminals of companies that perform operations related to that target company (for example, a proxy company).

[0032] Server device 1 collects information for generating a product tree from each of the multiple corporate terminals 2, and generates the product tree based on the collected information. Furthermore, server device 1 can perform traceability-related processing (typically, processing to calculate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, etc.) based on the generated product tree. It can also transmit the results of the processing to the corporate terminals 2.

[0033] Next, we will explain the overview of the process by which server device 1 generates a product tree using Figure 3. Figure 3 is a diagram showing the overview of the process that takes place between enterprise terminal 2 and server device 1. In the example in Figure 3, it is assumed that there are downstream companies, company A and upstream companies, company B, at any given hierarchy. It is assumed that company B manufactures product B and delivers it to company A, and company A uses product B to manufacture product A. In other words, in the example in Figure 3, product B becomes a child node of product A in the product tree.

[0034] To generate a product tree, each company's corresponding company terminal 2 transmits information about the products it manufactures to the server device 1. In this example, company terminal 2 corresponding to company A transmits product information about product A (referred to as product information A) to the server device 1. Similarly, company terminal 2 corresponding to company B transmits product information about product B (referred to as product information B) to the server device 1. The product information for each company is stored in the server device 1.

[0035] The operation to link product information stored in server device 1 is performed by corporate terminal 2. In one example, a representative from a downstream company logs into server device 1 from corporate terminal 2 using the downstream company's account and selects the upstream product to which the downstream product (their own company's product) will be linked. In this way, the linking of product information is performed from downstream products to upstream products. Server device 1 links the product information based on the selection.

[0036] However, when selecting the product to link to, the options include including the supply chain. Disclosing all information about the products being manufactured would compromise the confidentiality of information about the companies in the supply chain and the products they manufacture. Furthermore, disclosing the entire product tree to a single supplier may not always be appropriate.

[0037] Therefore, in accordance with this embodiment, the server device 1 grants the downstream company access rights to the product information of the upstream product in advance, in response to a request from the upstream company. Then, the server device 1 allows the downstream company to access the information within the scope of the granted rights.

[0038] In the example shown in Figure 3, enterprise terminal 2, which corresponds to the upstream company B, sends a request (information) to server device 1 instructing it to "grant company A access rights to product information B." When server device 1 receives a linking request from enterprise terminal 2, which corresponds to company A, it provides only a list of product information for which company A has access rights, allowing company A to select it as the linking destination. Furthermore, when enterprise terminal 2, which corresponds to company A, requests to refer to the product tree, server device 1 provides enterprise terminal 2 with a product tree in which information other than that for which company A has access rights is kept secret. This makes it possible to keep information about unrelated companies and products secret.

[0039] [Hardware configuration] Next, the hardware configuration of each device constituting the system will be described. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of server device 1 according to this embodiment. Server device 1 is configured as a computer having a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a communication module 13, and an input / output device 14.

[0040] Server device 1 can be configured as a computer having a processor (CPU, GPU, etc.), main memory (RAM, ROM, etc.), and auxiliary storage (EPROM, hard disk drive, removable media, etc.). The auxiliary storage contains an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, etc., and by executing the programs stored therein, various functions (software modules) that match a predetermined purpose, as described later, can be realized. However, some or all of the functions may be realized as hardware modules by hardware circuits such as ASICs and FPGAs.

[0041] The control unit 11 is a computing unit that realizes various functions of the server device 1 by executing a predetermined program. The control unit 11 can be realized by a hardware processor such as a CPU. The control unit 11 may also be configured to include RAM, ROM (Read Only Memory), cache memory, etc.

[0042] The storage unit 12 stores information. The storage unit 12 is composed of a storage medium such as RAM, a magnetic disk, or flash memory. The storage unit 12 stores programs executed by the control unit 11, data used by those programs, and so on. In addition, a database is built in the storage unit 12, and this database stores product information collected from multiple corporate terminals 2, as well as account information related to the companies. Details of the storage unit 12 will be described later.

[0043] The communication module 13 is a communication interface for connecting the server device 1 to a network. The communication module 13 may be configured to include, for example, a network interface board, a wireless communication interface for wireless communication, etc. The server device 1 can communicate data with other computers (for example, each corporate terminal 2) via the communication module 13.

[0044] The input / output device 14 receives input operations performed by the operator and presents information to the operator. Specifically, the input / output device 14 includes devices for input such as a mouse and keyboard, and devices for output such as a display and speakers. The input / output device may be integrated with, for example, a touch panel display.

[0045] The specific hardware configuration of server device 1 can be appropriately omitted, replaced, and added depending on the embodiment. For example, the control unit 11 may include multiple hardware processors. The hardware processors may consist of microprocessors, FPGAs, GPUs, etc. The input / output device 14 may be omitted, or input / output devices other than those exemplified (e.g., optical drives) may be added. Also, server device 1 may consist of multiple computers. In this case, the hardware configurations of each computer may or may not be the same.

[0046] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the enterprise terminal 2 according to this embodiment. The enterprise terminal 2 is configured as a computer having a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a communication module 23, and an input / output device 24.

[0047] The enterprise terminal 2 can be configured as a computer having a processor (CPU, GPU, etc.), main memory (RAM, ROM, etc.), and auxiliary memory (EPROM, hard disk drive, removable media, etc.), similar to the server device 1. However, some or all of the functions (software modules) may be implemented as hardware modules by hardware circuits such as ASICs and FPGAs.

[0048] The control unit 21 is a computing unit that implements various functions (software modules) of the enterprise terminal 2 by executing a predetermined program. The control unit 11 can be implemented by a hardware processor such as a CPU. The control unit 21 may also be configured to include RAM, ROM (Read Only Memory), cache memory, etc.

[0049] The storage unit 22 stores information. The storage unit 22 is composed of storage media such as RAM, magnetic disks, and / or flash memory. The storage unit 22 stores programs executed by the control unit 21, data used by those programs, and so on.

[0050] The communication module 23 is a communication interface for connecting the enterprise terminal 2 to a network. The communication module 23 may be configured to include, for example, a network interface board, a wireless communication interface for wireless communication, etc. The enterprise terminal 2 can communicate data with other computers (for example, server device 1) via the communication module 23.

[0051] The input / output device 24 is a means of receiving input operations performed by the operator and presenting information to the operator. Specifically, the input / output device 24 includes devices for input such as a mouse and keyboard, and devices for output such as a display and speakers. The input / output device may be integrated with, for example, a touch panel display.

[0052] Furthermore, the specific hardware configuration of the enterprise terminal 2 can be modified as appropriate, depending on the embodiment, by omitting, substituting, or adding components, similar to the server device 1.

[0053] [Software Configuration] Next, the software configuration of each device constituting the system will be described. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the software configuration of the server device 1 according to this embodiment. The control unit 11 is composed of five software modules: an information collection unit 111, an authorization setting unit 112, a linking unit 113, an information provision unit 114, and a verification unit 115. Each software module may be implemented by the control unit 11 (CPU) executing a program stored in the storage unit 12. The information processing performed by the information collection unit 111, authorization setting unit 112, linking unit 113, information provision unit 114, and verification unit 115 described below is synonymous with the information processing performed by the control unit 11.

[0054] The information collection unit 111 is configured to receive product information transmitted from the corporate terminal 2 and to store the product information in the storage unit 12. The authorization setting unit 112 is configured to receive information (hereinafter referred to as authorization information) from the corporate terminal 2 for setting access permissions to the product information. Furthermore, the authorization setting unit 112 is configured to perform a process to set access permissions to the product information stored in the storage unit 12 based on the received information.

[0055] The linking unit 113 is configured to interact with the enterprise terminal 2 and obtain information from the enterprise terminal 2 for linking product information together. Furthermore, the linking unit 113 is configured to perform a process of writing information representing the linking relationship to the product information stored in the storage unit 12 based on the obtained information. The linking unit 113 is also configured to receive a request to add termination information and, in response, perform a process of adding termination information to the product information stored in the storage unit 12. A product tree is generated by reflecting the linking and termination additions. That is, generating a product tree is performed by saving the linking information and termination information in the storage unit 12. The linking unit 113 is configured to generate a product tree according to the results of the linking and termination additions.

[0056] The information provision unit 114 is configured to perform information processing related to the product tree and to output the results of the information processing. Outputting the results of the information processing may include providing information about the generated product tree to the enterprise terminal 2. In one example, the information provision unit 114 is configured to generate information about the product tree and to output information about the generated product tree.

[0057] Furthermore, the information provision unit 114 performs information processing to integrate traceability-related information based on the generated product tree. In one example, the information provision unit 114 repeatedly integrates traceability-related information by tracing the relationships between product information based on the product tree, thereby obtaining the result of integrating traceability-related information (for example, total CO2 emissions) that corresponds to all processes until the final product is manufactured.

[0058] The verification unit 115 is configured to verify the appropriateness of the traceability-related information contained in the collected product information and to output the verification results. Outputting the verification results may include the process of sending information regarding the verification results to the corporate terminal 2. For example, the verification unit 115 may send an alert to the corporate terminal 2 in response to obtaining a verification result that the traceability-related information is not appropriate. Details of the information processing related to the verification of the appropriateness of traceability-related information will be described later.

[0059] In this embodiment, the storage unit 12 is configured to include multiple logical storage areas. Each of the multiple storage areas can be configured with different access permissions, such as an area where access is granted to company A, an area where access is granted to company B, or an area where access is granted to both company A and B. The permission setting unit 112 sets access permissions by storing product information received from the company terminal 2 in the appropriate storage area. The specific processing method will be described later.

[0060] In addition, account information is stored in the memory unit 12. In this embodiment, each company's operator Interaction between Server Device 1 and Corporate Terminal 2 occurs when the user logs in to Server Device 1 via Corporate Terminal 2 using the corresponding corporate account. The account information is information about the account corresponding to each company that makes up the supply chain. Note that logging in using an account is one example of accessing Server Device 1 as the corresponding company. However, the method of accessing Server Device 1 is not limited to this example and may be appropriately selected depending on the embodiment.

[0061] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the software configuration of the enterprise terminal 2 according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the control unit 21 is configured with four software modules: a product information generation unit 211, an authorization setting unit 212, a linking request unit 213, and an information acquisition unit 214. Each software module may be implemented by the control unit 21 (CPU) executing a program stored in the storage unit 22. The information processing performed by the product information generation unit 211, authorization setting unit 212, linking request unit 213, and information acquisition unit 214 described below is synonymous with the information processing performed by the control unit 21.

[0062] The product information generation unit 211 is configured to generate information (product information) about the company's products corresponding to the company terminal 2. Figure 8 shows an example of product information generated by the product information generation unit 211. Product information may also be input via the device operator. In this embodiment, the product information consists of the following fields: company ID, company name, product ID, product name, and product type. The company ID and company name are the identifier and name of the company that manufactures the target product (i.e., the company using the company terminal 2). The product ID and product name are the identifier and name of the target product. The product type is the type of the target product (e.g., "positive electrode," "cell," "negative electrode," "liquid," etc.).

[0063] Furthermore, the product information is configured to include linking-related information. Linking-related information is information for identifying the upstream product that is linked to the target product. In this embodiment, the linking-related information includes the fields "upstream product information," "termination flag," and "linking completion flag."

[0064] The upstream product information field is configured to store information for identifying product information corresponding to upstream products associated with the target product (i.e., products used in the manufacturing process of the target product (products that constitute the target product)). The upstream product information field is used when the server device 1 links products together. Basically, at the stage when the product information is generated, the target product is not associated with an upstream product, so the upstream product information field does not need to store a value indicating an upstream product.

[0065] The termination flag field is configured to store a flag indicating whether the target product is a leaf node, i.e., the node located at the very top (end) of the product tree. In this embodiment, since multiple corporate terminals 2 transmit product information, this flag is used to determine whether further products are linked upstream of a product in the product tree, or whether no further linking occurs (i.e., whether the target product is located at the top). In other words, the termination flag field is used when the server device 1 confirms the linking of products. Basically, at the stage when product information is generated, the linking relationships of the target products are not yet determined, so the termination flag field may store "0 (not currently at the end)". Finally, in order to generate the product tree, the product information of each company stored in the server device 1 is set to one of the following states: "linking with upstream products has been performed" and "the termination flag is set to "1".

[0066] The linking completion flag field is configured to store a flag indicating whether or not the linking of the target product with the upstream product has been completed. In this embodiment, a product in the product tree may be linked to multiple upstream products. For example, if product A and product B are used as parts... This is the case when manufacturing product C. If the target product is located in an intermediate node rather than a leaf node, it is difficult to determine whether the linking is complete or whether another product will be linked based solely on the presence or absence of a linked product. If this cannot be determined, the product tree cannot be finalized. The linking completion flag is used to identify this. In other words, the linking completion flag is status information that indicates whether all linking is complete or not. The linking completion flag field is used by server device 1 when finalizing the linking of products. Basically, at the stage when product information is generated, the linking relationships of the target products are not yet finalized, so the linking completion field may contain "0 (there is a possibility of further linking)".

[0067] For product information located at leaf nodes, the termination flag can be used to determine whether the product information is finalized. For product information located at intermediate nodes, the linking completion flag can be used to determine whether the product information is finalized. The flag stored in the termination flag field (termination flag) is an example of "termination information".

[0068] Furthermore, the product information is configured to include traceability-related information. For example, the traceability-related information included in the product information may include the amount of material (e.g., upstream product) used per unit of product manufactured, information on the recycling rate of a given raw material, greenhouse gas emissions generated during the manufacturing of the product, due diligence-related information, or a combination thereof. The given raw material may be, for example, lithium, nickel, cobalt, lead, graphite, etc. The recycling rate may be expressed directly or indirectly, such as a combination of total usage and recycled material usage. These values ​​correspond to the processes involved in manufacturing the product in question.

[0069] In the example shown in Figure 8, the traceability-related information included in product information A includes the amount of upstream product used (amount of upstream product used per unit of product A manufactured) and the company's measured CFP value (amount of CO2 emitted during the manufacturing activities of product A). Note that the traceability-related information included in product information A does not include information about the processes leading up to the manufacture of the upstream product (for example, the amount of greenhouse gases emitted before the upstream product is manufactured).

[0070] Furthermore, traceability-related information may be appropriately selected depending on the embodiment. In one example, greenhouse gas emissions (CFP) may include Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions. Scope 1 may be direct greenhouse gas emissions by the company itself. Scope 2 may be indirect emissions resulting from the use of electricity, heat, and steam supplied by other companies. Scope 3 may be indirect emissions other than Scope 1 and Scope 3. In another example, due diligence-related information may include technical documentation showing the amount of raw materials contained in the product and whether the company is fulfilling its obligations for responsible mineral sourcing, such as that of a smelter, for products containing the target raw materials (e.g., cobalt, natural graphite, lithium, nickel, etc.). In yet another example, due diligence-related information may include a score indicating the degree to which the above obligations are being fulfilled.

[0071] The product information generation unit 211 is configured to acquire such information via the operator of the corporate terminal 2 and transmit it to the server device 1 at any time.

[0072] The authorization setting unit 212 is configured to specify which downstream companies are permitted to access product information sent from the corporate terminal 2 to the server device 1. Figure 9 is an example of a screen output by the authorization setting unit 212. As shown in Figure 9, the authorization setting unit 212 is configured to accept the specification of which downstream companies are permitted to access any of the company's own products. Figure 10 is an example of permission information generated by the authorization setting unit 212 based on the input information. Authorization setting unit 212 is configured to send permission information to server device 1 at any time. The permission information is an example of a "permission command". Access rights may be set on a per-product information basis, or on an item basis included in the product information ("permission items" in the diagram). This makes it possible to implement partial disclosure, for example, by disclosing the existence of a product but not disclosing specific information such as the materials used and the amount used.

[0073] The list of companies displayed on the screen in Figure 9 can be a list of companies with which the company has had past transactions. For this reason, the server device 1 may store data on past transactions (transaction data) for each company and generate a list of companies based on this transaction data. The transaction data may include, for example, the identifier of the target product, the identifier of the company that manufactured the product, and the transaction date.

[0074] The linking request unit 213 is configured to request the server device 1 to link the company's product information, which it has sent to the server device 1, with upstream products. In one example, the linking request unit 213 first sends the company's corporate ID and product ID to the server device 1 and requests the linking of product information corresponding to the product ID. In response, the server device 1 generates a user interface that includes a list of product information that the target company is permitted to access (i.e., candidate linking destinations) and provides the generated user interface to the corporate terminal 2. Figure 11 is an example of a user interface that includes a list of products that the target company is permitted to access.

[0075] The product list shown in Figure 11 can be a list of products with which the company has a history of transactions. Server device 1 may generate this list based on stored transaction data.

[0076] Next, the linking request unit 213 is configured to allow the operator to select the upstream product to be linked from the list. Furthermore, the linking request unit 213 is configured to send the identifier of the product to be linked (downstream product) and the identifier of the upstream product to be linked as a pair to the server device 1. The server device 1 can then link the product information accordingly.

[0077] If there is no upstream product associated with the target product, this can be explicitly indicated by checking the checkbox indicated by reference numeral 1001 in Figure 11. In this case, no linking of product information is performed, and the server device 1 sets the termination flag of the corresponding product information to "1". If an upstream product associated with the target product already exists, that is, if the node corresponding to the target product is not a leaf node, this check operation is prohibited.

[0078] Furthermore, if no further linking is to be performed on the target product, this can be explicitly indicated by checking the checkbox indicated by reference numeral 1002 in Figure 11. In this case, the server device 1 will set the linking completion flag for the corresponding product information to "1". Note that if the termination flag is set to "1", the corresponding product information is considered the end and will be excluded from the linking process. In this case, the handling of the linking completion flag is optional. For example, if the termination flag is set to "1", the linking completion flag may also be set to "1". In another example, if the termination flag is set to "1", the linking completion flag may remain at "0" and be ignored.

[0079] Thus, the linking request unit 213 is configured to issue either (1) a request to link the target product with an upstream product, or (2) a request to assign a termination flag indicating that the target product is at the end of the supply chain. When declaring completion, the linking request may include a request to assign a linking completion flag indicating that no further linking will occur for the target product. This allows server device 1 to finalize the state of the product tree.

[0080] The information acquisition unit 214 is configured to request the server device 1 to provide a product tree and to output the information transmitted from the server device 1. In addition, at the OEM company's enterprise terminal 2, the information acquisition unit 214 is configured to request the server device 1 to provide the integrated results of traceability-related information (integrated results of traceability-related information corresponding to all processes until the final product is manufactured) and to output the integrated results provided by the server device 1.

[0081] [Details of the information processing that generates the product tree] Next, we will explain the specific processes performed by Server Device 1 and Enterprise Terminal 2 in generating the product tree. Figure 12 shows an example of the processing flow executed by Server Device 1 based on a request from Enterprise Terminal 2. The processing performed by server device 1 can be broadly divided into the following four phases. (1) The first phase involves receiving product information transmitted from the enterprise terminal 2 and storing the received product information. (2) The second phase involves receiving permission information transmitted from the corporate terminal 2 and setting access rights to product information according to the received permission information. (3) The third phase involves linking product information by interacting with the enterprise terminal 2. (4) A fourth phase in which information about the product tree is provided based on the results of the linking.

[0082] In the example in Figure 12, Company A is a downstream company and Company B is an upstream company. The product manufactured by Company A is called Product A, and the product manufactured by Company B is called Product B. The product information corresponding to Product A is called Product Information A, and the product information corresponding to Product B is called Product Information B.

[0083] In the first phase, the information collection unit 111 of the server device 1 acquires product information from the product information generation unit 211 of the corporate terminal 2. In the example in Figure 12, the server device 1 acquires product information A from corporate terminal 2 corresponding to company A and product information B from corporate terminal 2 corresponding to company B. The information collection unit 111 stores product information A in a storage area (hereinafter referred to as storage area A) to which access rights are granted only to company A. The information collection unit 111 also stores product information B in a storage area (hereinafter referred to as storage area B) to which access rights are granted only to company B. In this way, the information collection unit 111 stores product information transmitted from any company in a dedicated storage area to which access rights are granted only to that company.

[0084] In the second phase, the authorization setting unit 112 of the server device 1 receives authorization information from the authorization setting unit 212 of the corporate terminal 2, and sets access permissions for product information according to the received authorization information. As shown in Figure 10, the authorization information associates a product with a company that is permitted to access the product information of that product.

[0085] In the example shown in Figure 12, it is assumed that the authorization setting unit 112 has received authorization information granting access to product information B of the upstream company from company A, which is a downstream company. In this case, the authorization setting unit 112 copies product information B, which is stored in storage area B, to storage area AB, which is granted access rights to both companies A and B. As a result, product information B becomes accessible to both companies A and B. If access rights are not set for a specific item included in the product information, that item is excluded from being copied to storage area AB.

[0086] In the following explanation, a storage area to which access rights are granted only to a specific company will be referred to as "dedicated storage." A storage area referred to as a "memory area" and to which multiple companies are granted access rights is called a "shared storage area."

[0087] Thus, the copying of product information is performed by the server device 1 in response to receiving authorization information from the corporate terminal 2. In other words, the corporate terminal 2 transmits authorization information to the server device 1, thereby causing the server device 1 to copy the product information identified by that authorization information from the target company's dedicated storage area to a shared storage area accessible by downstream companies.

[0088] In the third phase, the linking unit 113 of the server device 1 receives a linking request from the linking request unit 213 of the corporate terminal 2, and links the product information based on the received linking request.

[0089] First, the linking unit 113 receives a linking request from the corporate terminal 2. The linking request is sent from the corporate terminal 2 of a downstream company. In the example in Figure 12, it is assumed that the corporate terminal 2 of company A sent the linking request. The linking request includes the company ID and the product ID of the target product. The linking unit 113 retrieves the product information stored in the memory area accessible from that company and generates a list of the retrieved product information. In the example in Figure 11, company A can access product information B stored in memory area AB. Therefore, product information B becomes selectable as the linking destination on the corporate terminal 2 of company A.

[0090] The linking request unit 213 of the enterprise terminal 2 presents a list to the operator and allows the operator to select the products to be linked. In this example, products A and B are the products to be linked to each other. For example, the operator inputs information indicating that product B is the upstream product for product A via the input / output device 24. The linking request unit 213 sends data (linking data) to link the upstream product (product B) and the downstream product (product A) to the linking unit 113.

[0091] As illustrated in Figure 8, the product information includes fields related to the linked product (linking-related information). Based on the aforementioned linking data, the linking unit 113 stores information corresponding to product information B (i.e., the upstream product) in the linking-related information of product information A. For example, the linking-related information may include an identifier for the upstream product, an identifier for the company that manufactures the upstream product, and so on.

[0092] Furthermore, the linking-related information may include pointers to the product information to which the linking is made. The pointers indicate the address of the product information corresponding to the upstream product. Through the process described above, a part of a tree structure is formed in which the product information of the downstream product is the parent node and the product information of the upstream product is the child node.

[0093] Furthermore, no further linking is performed at the end of the product tree. In this case, instead of sending linking data, the linking request unit 213 sends data indicating that the product is at the end of the tree. In the example in Figure 11, checking the checkbox indicated by reference numeral 1001 sends data indicating that the product is at the end of the tree. Upon receiving this data, the linking unit 113 sets the end flag field of the corresponding product information to "1".

[0094] Furthermore, if it is clear that no further linking will occur for the target product, the linking request unit 213 sends data to explicitly indicate this fact, including it in the linking data. In the example in Figure 11, checking the checkbox indicated by reference numeral 1002 sends data indicating that no further linking will occur for that product. The linking unit 113 Upon receiving the data, the corresponding product information linking completion flag field is set to "1". If the termination flag is set, both flags may be set to "1".

[0095] In other words, in the third phase, the linking request unit 213 is (A) "Request to specify the upstream product to which the linking is to be performed (including requests to set the linking completion flag)" (B) "Request to set the termination flag" One of the following is issued to Server Device 1. The product tree of the final product is completed when linking or termination flagging is completed for all companies belonging to the supply chain. The process of generating this product tree may be arbitrary. In one example, each company may execute the above third phase in a disorderly manner (referred to as the shotgun method). With this method, management of the execution of the third phase is unnecessary, and thus the processing load on Server Device 1 can be reduced. In another example, the above third phase may be executed sequentially from the upstream company (referred to as the bucket brigade method). In this case, the server device will execute the above third phase sequentially, starting from the upstream company. Later, you may allow linking or setting of termination flags in TierN. According to this method, the product The completion of the tree can be easily managed.

[0096] In the fourth phase, the information provision unit 114 of the server device 1 generates information about the product tree based on the stored product information and outputs the information about the product tree. Generating information about the product tree refers to the process of generating various information about the product (for example, an image representing the link relationships between products using a tree diagram) after links between nodes have been formed by linking the product information together. This process of generating information about the product tree is an example of information processing about the product tree. In order to generate information about the product tree, all linking of the product information must be completed, and the termination flag of all leaf nodes must be set to "1". The information provision unit 114 can appropriately generate the information when these conditions are met.

[0097] As described with reference to FIG. 2, the product tree in this embodiment represents the supply relationship between product information in the supply chain in a tree diagram. The information providing unit 114 can generate an image representing the tree diagram based on the product information. The generated product tree may be stored in the storage unit 12 of the server device 1.

[0098] In addition, when generating information regarding the product tree, the information providing unit 114 may integrate the traceability-related information defined in each product information and output the result.

[0099] Here, the integration of traceability-related information will be described using FIG. 13. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a plurality of products constituting the final product X and the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) discharged in each process of producing these plurality of products. For example, in the process of producing the product A12 in the figure, it is assumed that E A12 [g] of carbon dioxide is discharged. Also, it is assumed that the product is composed of three upstream products A121 to A123. Thus, the upstream products included in a certain product are also referred to as "included products". Here, the total amount of carbon dioxide discharged until a certain target product is produced can be obtained by repeating the process of passing on the CO2 emission amount associated with the upstream product to the downstream product between two adjacent hierarchical enterprises from the most upstream product, which is the leaf node, to the target product.

[0100] In the example of FIG. 13, when the target product is A12, by adding the CO2 emission amounts corresponding to the included products (upstream products A121 to A123) to the CO2 emission amount corresponding to the product A12, the total amount of carbon dioxide discharged until the product A12 is produced can be calculated. That is, the integrated CO2 emission amount for the product A12 is as follows. I A12 =E A12 +E A121 ×U A121 +E A122 ×U A122 +E A123 ×U A123 [g]

[0101] Here, E A121 , E A122 , E A123 These represent the CO2 emissions per unit quantity when producing products A121, A122, and A123, respectively. A121 , U A122 , U A123 These represent the amounts of products A121, A122, and A123 used in the production of product A12, respectively. This usage is an example of the amount of material used per unit of product production, as included in the traceability-related information mentioned above. The CO2 emissions of the final product (the product of the downstream company) can be obtained by sequentially performing the above calculation from the product of the upstream company to the final product.

[0102] The same applies if the target product is product A1. If the target product is A1, the total amount of carbon dioxide emitted during the manufacturing activities leading up to the production of product A1 can be calculated by integrating the CO2 emissions corresponding to product A1 with the CO2 emissions corresponding to the containing products, products A11, A12, A13, and A14.

[0103] The integrated value may be stored in the storage unit 12 in association with the product, or it may be included as part of the product information. That is, the product information corresponding to product A12 is E, which is the emission amount in the process alone. A12 And the combined emissions are I A12 It is also possible to retain both.

[0104] The traceability information after integration is reused when integrating downstream products. By performing this process at each level, starting from the upstream end, traceability information (e.g., cumulative CO2 emissions) is sequentially passed down downstream. Ultimately, by passing the traceability information all the way to the final product, it is possible to obtain traceability information (e.g., total CO2 emissions) corresponding to the entire period until the final product is produced.

[0105] Thus, when generating information about the product tree, the information provision unit 114 may repeatedly perform a process of sequentially integrating the traceability-related information defined for each product information from the upstream to the downstream. In the above example, carbon dioxide emissions were used as an example of the data to be integrated, but the traceability-related information to be integrated may also be the recycling rate for a given raw material, a due diligence score, etc. If the traceability-related information is numerical, the integration may be performed by numerical calculation, and if the traceability-related information is not numerical (for example, due diligence-related information), the integration may be simply information collection.

[0106] In another example, product information may include information indicating the location of traceability-related information for the corresponding product (hereinafter referred to as "location information," typically an address, pointer, etc.). In this case, the traceability-related information does not necessarily have to be included in the product information. Furthermore, the integration may involve collecting the location information included in the product information.

[0107] The information provision unit 114 may output the generated product tree in image format. It may also simultaneously output traceability-related information corresponding to any product.

[0108] Figure 14 shows an example of a screen displaying a product tree as an image. The screen includes an image showing the supply relationships of multiple products that make up the final product using a tree diagram. Furthermore, by selecting any product, users can view traceability-related information corresponding to that product, or the integrated result of traceability-related information covering the entire period until the product is produced (for example, the total value of carbon dioxide emissions from the upstream source). Such information can be output via the input / output device 14 of the server device 1 based on the operation of the server device 1 operator.

[0109] Furthermore, the information provision unit 114 may provide the generated product tree to the corporate terminal 2 (information acquisition unit 214) upon request from the said corporate terminal 2. However, it may not be appropriate to disclose the entire product tree to a specific company. Therefore, when the information provision unit 114 provides the product tree to a corporate terminal 2 corresponding to a certain company, it may perform a process to keep the portion that the company does not have access rights to confidential.

[0110] For example, in the example shown in Figure 13, suppose the information provision unit 114 receives a request for disclosure of the product tree from a company terminal 2 corresponding to a company that produces product A12. Here, suppose that company has been granted access rights only for products A121, A122, and A123. In other words, the company cannot access product information other than these three products and its downstream product A1. In this case, the information provision unit 114 provides the company terminal 2 with a product tree in which information about products for which it does not have access rights is not disclosed.

[0111] Figure 15 shows an example of a product tree when products for which access is not permitted are not disclosed. In this example, for products that are not disclosed, the product tree is displayed with detailed information (or even their existence) hidden.

[0112] In cases where a product's existence is publicly disclosed, but access permissions are denied to specific items within the corresponding product information, confidentiality measures will be applied only to those specific items, as shown by the dotted line in the diagram. The illustrated example indicates that the carbon dioxide emissions generated during the production of product A121 are not publicly disclosed.

[0113] On the other hand, even if there are products (or items) in the tree for which access permissions are not granted, the integration of traceability-related information, as described above, will proceed without being affected. For example, in the illustrated example, the carbon dioxide emissions for product A121 are not publicly available, but this does not affect the process of calculating the total carbon dioxide emissions for product A12.

[0114] [Processing flow] Next, we will explain the flow of processing performed by the server device 1 and the corporate terminal 2 when the corporate terminal 2 registers its own product information, referring to Figures 14 and 15. Figure 14 is a sequence diagram corresponding to the first to third phases described above.

[0115] In one example, the interaction between server device 1 and corporate terminal 2 begins when an operator from each company logs into server device 1 via corporate terminal 2 using the corresponding company's account. In this example, it is assumed that each company's operator logs into server device 1 using their own company's account.

[0116] First, in step S11, the product information generation unit 211 of the corporate terminal 2 acquires its own product information via the operator and transmits the acquired product information to the server device 1. The transmitted product information is received by the server device 1 (information collection unit 111) and stored in the storage unit 12 (step S12). At this time, the information collection unit 111 stores the product information in a storage area to which access rights are granted only to companies that produce the corresponding product.

[0117] Next, in step S13, the authorization setting unit 212 of the corporate terminal 2 receives input (authorization information) via the operator, specifying the downstream companies that are permitted to access the product information transmitted in step S11. In this step, a user interface as described with reference to Figure 9 may be provided, allowing the user to specify any combination of product and the downstream companies that are permitted to access the product information. The input authorization information is transmitted to the server device 1.

[0118] In step S14, the authorization setting unit 112 of the server device 1 grants access rights to the target product information based on the received authorization information. In this step, as explained with reference to Figure 12, the authorization setting unit 112 grants access rights to any product information to any company by copying the target product information to a shared storage area to which access rights have been granted to multiple companies. If there is no storage area with appropriate access rights, a new storage area may be created and access rights granted to the appropriate company.

[0119] Next, in step S15, the linking request unit 213 of the corporate terminal 2 sends data (linking request) to the server device 1 requesting that the product information sent to the server device 1 be linked to the upstream product. This linking request includes the company's corporate ID and the product ID of the target product.

[0120] In step S16, the server device 1 (linking unit 113) generates a list of product information that the target company is permitted to access, and provides the corporate terminal 2 with a user interface screen containing this list. In this step, the server device 1 may provide the corporate terminal 2 with a user interface as described with reference to Figure 11, allowing the user to specify any product and the upstream product associated with that product.

[0121] In step S17, the linking request unit 213 of the enterprise terminal 2 receives a specification from the operator regarding the combination of the target product and the upstream product associated with that product. The linking request unit 213 generates data (linking data) indicating the association between the upstream product and the downstream product, and sends the generated linking data to the server device 1.

[0122] In step S18, the linking unit 113 of the server device 1 updates the stored product information based on the linking data, reflecting the linking between the product information. The linking of product information may also be performed by storing information about the upstream product (identifier, pointer, etc.) in the linking-related information contained in the product information of the downstream product.

[0123] If no downstream companies exist, steps S13 to S14 may be omitted. Similarly, if no upstream companies exist (i.e., no linked product exists), instead of requesting the linking of product information, the process of setting the termination flag described above may be executed. In this case, steps S15 to S18 described above are omitted.

[0124] Figure 17 is a sequence diagram corresponding to the fourth phase described above. First, in step S21, the information acquisition unit 214 of the enterprise terminal 2 requests the server device 1 to provide a product tree. This request includes, for example, the identifier of the target product. The target product may be the final product or other products (intermediate products).

[0125] Upon receiving the request, the server device 1 (information provision unit 114) generates information about the product tree through the process described above (step S22). At this time, the information provision unit 114 performs a process to integrate the traceability-related information defined in each product information from the upstream to the downstream. The result of the integration may be reflected in each product information.

[0126] Next, in step S23, the server device 1 executes a process to conceal information for which access rights have not been granted, based on the access rights held by the target company. For example, if the existence of a company's product information is not publicly disclosed, the server device 1 may execute a process to conceal the existence of that product information. Also, if only specific items included in the product information are not publicly disclosed, the server device 1 may execute a process to conceal the contents of those items. This may be done. The information regarding the product tree, which has been anonymized, is provided to the enterprise terminal 2 (information acquisition unit 214) and output (step S24).

[0127] [Details of the information processing used to verify the accuracy of traceability-related information] Next, we will explain the specific details of the information processing used to verify the accuracy of traceability-related information included in the product information collected from each company. For example, the information processing to verify the accuracy of traceability-related information may be triggered when the product tree is generated. Note that the processing to verify the accuracy of traceability-related information may be arbitrarily decided after the product tree has been generated but before the information processing to integrate the traceability-related information is performed.

[0128] In the following, we will use CFP values ​​(CO2 emissions) as an example of traceability-related information to be verified. The verification of the appropriateness of CFP values ​​is performed for each product included in the product tree. For example, the verification of CFP values ​​may be performed sequentially from the top product in the product tree to the final product (Tier 0 product).

[0129] The verification unit 115 of server device 1 accesses a dedicated storage area to which access rights are granted only to the company that manufactures the product to be verified (target product), and retrieves the information (product type) registered in the "product type field" of the product information of the target product.

[0130] The verification unit 115 identifies all products registered in the product tree that includes the target product. The verification unit 115 accesses the product information in a dedicated storage area, which is only accessible to the companies that manufacture each of the identified products, and extracts all products whose "product type" matches the "product type" of the target product, as registered in the "product type field". The verification unit 115 determines the extracted products (products whose "product type" is the same as the target product) as reference products.

[0131] Figure 18 illustrates an example of the procedure for determining a reference product. In the example shown in Figure 18, product B1, which belongs to Tier 1, is the target product. The "product type" of target product B1 is the "positive electrode" of a battery. In this case, among the products registered in the product tree, the product whose "product type" matches that of target product B1 is product C1. Therefore, the verification unit 115 determines product C1 to be the reference product.

[0132] In the example shown in Figure 18, the reference product C1 belongs to the same tier (Tier 1) as the target product B1, but the target product and the reference product may belong to different tiers. However, as long as the "product type" matches the target product B1, the hierarchy to which the referenced product belongs can be any level within the product tree.

[0133] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 18, only one product, product C1, has a "product type" that matches that of target product B1 among the products registered in the product tree. However, it is also conceivable that there may be multiple products whose "product type" matches that of target product B1. In that case, the verification unit 115 determines all of the multiple products whose "product type" matches that of target product B1 as reference products.

[0134] However, among multiple products whose "product type" matches that of target product B1, the following may be excluded from the scope of reference products: products for which the validity of the "company-measured CFP value" has not yet been verified, products for which the validity of the "company-measured CFP value" has failed to be verified, products from companies participating in the platform anonymously, and products from companies included in the supply chain but not participating in the platform. This is because companies participating in the platform anonymously and companies not participating in the platform require separate information processing to ensure authenticity.

[0135] The verification unit 115 accesses a dedicated storage area to which only the company that manufactures the reference product (reference company) determined as described above has been granted access rights, and obtains the "company-measured CFP value" included in the product information of the reference product. If there are multiple reference products, the verification unit 115 obtains the "company-measured CFP value" for each of the multiple reference products.

[0136] The verification unit 115 sets a reference value based on the "in-house measured CFP value" of the reference product. In one example, the reference value may include a set of upper and lower reference values. In that case, the verification unit 115 may be configured to calculate the upper reference value by adding a predetermined value to the "in-house measured CFP value" of the reference product, and to calculate the lower reference value by subtracting a predetermined value from the "in-house measured CFP value" of the reference product. In another example, the reference value may include only either the upper reference value or the lower reference value.

[0137] Furthermore, if there are multiple reference products, the verification unit 115 may be configured to set a reference value by calculating the average or median of the "company-measured CFP values" of the multiple reference products, adding a predetermined value to the calculated average or median, and / or subtracting a predetermined value from the calculated average or median.

[0138] Here, the predetermined values ​​mentioned above are set to allow for the determination of whether the "in-house measured CFP value" of the target product is appropriate. "Appropriate" here means, for example, that the "in-house measured CFP value" of the target product is calculated using a calculation formula predetermined by the platform, that the units of data substituted into the calculation formula are predetermined by the platform, and / or that the "in-house measured CFP value" calculated using the calculation formula and data units predetermined by the platform is a value favorable to the entire supply chain.

[0139] As described above, once the reference values ​​are set, the verification unit 115 verifies the appropriateness of the "in-house measured CFP value" of the target product by comparing it with the reference values. In one example, the verification unit 115 may determine that the "in-house measured CFP value" of the target product is appropriate if it is below the upper reference value and above the lower reference value. In another example, the verification unit 115 may determine that the "in-house measured CFP value" of the target product is appropriate if it is below the upper reference value, or if it is above the lower reference value.

[0140] The verification unit 115 outputs the results of the verification described above. In one example, outputting the verification results may include sending the verification results from the server device 1 to the target company's corporate terminal 2. If the verification described above fails (i.e., the "company-measured CFP value" of the target product is determined to be incorrect), the verification unit 115 may output an alert in addition to the verification results. In one example, the alert may be information prompting the use of calculation formulas and data units predetermined by the platform. In another example, the alert may be information prompting corporate efforts to reduce the CFP value.

[0141] [Processing flow] Figure 19 is a flowchart showing the processing flow executed by server device 1 when verifying the accuracy of traceability-related information. For example, the processing flow shown in Figure 19 may be triggered when a product tree is generated.

[0142] The execution entity of the processing flow shown in Figure 19 is the processor of Server Device 1, but this explanation will be given using the software module of Server Device 1 as the execution entity. Furthermore, the processing flow shown in Figure 19 is executed sequentially for all products included in the generated product tree. In one example, the processing flow shown in Figure 19 proceeds from the topmost product in the generated product tree to the final product. This process can be repeated, with the target products being sequentially shifted towards each other.

[0143] In the processing flow shown in Figure 19, when a triggering event occurs (for example, the generation of a product tree), the verification unit 115 of the server device 1 acquires product information for the target product (step S101). Specifically, the verification unit 115 accesses the product information stored in a dedicated storage area to which only the target company that manufactures the target product has been granted access rights, and acquires the information registered in the "product type field". After completing the processing in step S101, the verification unit 115 executes the processing in step S102.

[0144] In step S102, the verification unit 115 determines the reference product based on the product tree containing the target product. Specifically, the verification unit 115 identifies all products registered in the product tree containing the target product. The verification unit 115 accesses the product information in a dedicated storage area, which is only accessible to the companies that manufacture each of the identified products, and extracts all products in which information matching the "product type" of the target product is registered in the "product type field". The verification unit 115 determines the extracted products to be the reference product.

[0145] Furthermore, if the products extracted above include products for which the appropriateness of the "company-measured CFP value" has not yet been verified, products for which the appropriateness of the "company-measured CFP value" has failed to be verified, products from companies participating in the platform anonymously, or products from companies included in the supply chain but not participating in the platform, the verification unit 115 excludes those products to determine the reference products. After completing the process in step S102, the verification unit 115 executes the process in step S103.

[0146] In step S103, the verification unit 115 accesses a dedicated storage area to which only the company that manufactures the reference product determined in step S102 (the reference company) has been granted access rights, and retrieves the information (company-measured CFP value) registered in the "company-measured CFP value field" of the product information of the reference product. If there are multiple products determined to be reference products in step S102, the verification unit 115 retrieves the "company-measured CFP value" for each of the multiple reference products. After the verification unit 115 has finished executing the process in step S103, it executes the process in step S104.

[0147] In step S104, the verification unit 115 sets a reference value based on the "in-house measured CFP value" of the reference product obtained in step S103. In one example, the verification unit 115 calculates an upper limit reference value by adding a predetermined value to the "in-house measured CFP value" of the reference product, and calculates a lower limit reference value by subtracting a predetermined value from the "in-house measured CFP value" of the reference product.

[0148] If multiple products are determined as reference products in step S102, the verification unit 115 calculates the average or median value of the "in-house measured CFP values" of the multiple reference products. Subsequently, the verification unit 115 sets the upper and lower limit reference values ​​by adding a predetermined value to the calculated average or median value and subtracting a predetermined value from the calculated average or median value. After completing the process in step S104, the verification unit 115 executes the process in step S105.

[0149] In step S105, the verification unit 115 accesses a dedicated storage area to which only the target company has been granted access rights, and retrieves the information (company-measured CFP value) registered in the "company-measured CFP value field" of the product information of the target product. After completing the process in step S105, the verification unit 115 executes the process in step S106.

[0150] In step S106, the verification unit 115 checks the "company-measured CFP value" of the target product and step The appropriateness of the "in-house measured CFP value" of the target product is verified by comparing it with the reference value set in S104. In one example, the verification unit 115 determines whether the "in-house measured CFP value" of the target product is below the upper reference value and above the lower reference value. After the verification unit 115 has finished executing the process in step S106, it executes the process in step S107.

[0151] In step S107, the verification unit 115 determines whether it has successfully verified the "company-measured CFP value" of the target product. If, in step S106, it was determined that the "company-measured CFP value" of the target product is below the upper limit and above the lower limit, the verification unit 115 determines that the verification was successful (positive determination in step S107). If, in step S106, it was determined that the "company-measured CFP value" of the target product is greater than the upper limit or less than the lower limit, the verification unit 115 determines that the verification failed (negative determination in step S107).

[0152] If a positive determination is made in step S107, the verification unit 115 executes the process in step S108. In step S108, the verification unit 115 outputs the verification result (a verification result stating that the "company-measured CFP value" of the target product is appropriate). As an example, the verification unit 115 may output the verification result through the input / output device 14 of the server device 1 and transmit the verification result to the target company's corporate terminal 2 through the communication module 13 of the server device 1.

[0153] Furthermore, if a negative determination is made in step S107, the verification unit 115 executes the process in step S109. In step S109, the verification unit 115 outputs the verification result (a verification result indicating that the "company-measured CFP value" of the target product is not appropriate). As an example, the verification unit 115 may output the verification result through the input / output device 14 of the server device 1 and transmit the verification result and alerts to the target company's corporate terminal 2 through the communication module 13 of the server device 1. The alerts may be information that encourages the use of calculation formulas and data units predetermined by the platform. Alternatively, the alerts may be information that encourages corporate efforts to reduce the CFP value.

[0154] When the verification unit 115 finishes executing the process in step S108 or step S109, it terminates the execution of the processing flow in Figure 19. After that, the verification unit 115 may shift the target product to another product registered in the product tree and repeatedly execute the processing flow in Figure 19.

[0155] As described above, in this embodiment, in a system that collects product information from corporate terminals 2 of companies belonging to the supply chain and generates a product tree, the appropriateness of the traceability-related information is verified by comparing the traceability-related information included in the product information of the target product with a reference value. At that time, since the reference value is determined using the traceability-related information of products of the same type as the target product among the products included in the product tree, it is possible to verify whether the traceability-related information of the target product was calculated using appropriate calculation formulas and data units, and / or whether the traceability-related information of the target product is undesirable for the entire supply chain.

[0156] Furthermore, in this embodiment, among products of the same type as the target product, products for which the appropriateness of the "company-measured CFP value" has not yet been verified, products for which the appropriateness of the "company-measured CFP value" has failed to be verified, products of companies participating in the platform anonymously, and products of companies included in the supply chain but not participating in the platform are excluded from the scope of reference products, thus enabling the setting of more suitable standard values. As a result, it becomes possible to verify with greater accuracy whether the traceability-related information of the target product has been calculated using appropriate calculation formulas and data units, and / or whether the traceability-related information of the target product is undesirable for the entire supply chain.

[0157] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the traceability-related information of the target product is determined to be inappropriate (verification fails), an alert is sent to the target company, prompting them to recalculate the "internal measured CFP value" using an appropriate method, and / or to encourage the company to make efforts to reduce the "internal measured CFP value."

[0158] Therefore, according to this embodiment, it becomes possible to guarantee the accuracy of traceability-related information for products supplied by the supply chain.

[0159] (Modified version of the embodiment) In the above embodiment, an example was described in which a product of the same type as the target product is determined as the reference product. In this modified example, an example is described in which a product of a different type from the target product is determined as the reference product.

[0160] Figure 20 illustrates an example of the procedure for determining the reference product in this modified example. In the example shown in Figure 20, product D1, which belongs to Tier 1, is the target product. The "product type" of target product D1 " is the "negative electrode" of the battery. Also, assume that there are no products registered in the product tree whose "product type" matches that of target product D1.

[0161] If there is no product in the product tree that matches the target product D1 in terms of "product type", the verification unit 115 will check for other products belonging to the same tier (Tier 1) as the target product D1 (Figure A reference product is selected from among products A1, B1, C1, and E1 of the 20 products. In this case, multiple products from other products belonging to Tier 1 may be selected as reference products, but the "product type" of the multiple reference products must be the same.

[0162] In the example shown in Figure 18, among other products belonging to Tier 1, the "product type" is the "positive electrode" of a battery. The products that fit this description are product B1 and product C1, so these two products B1 and C1 can be determined as reference products. On the other hand, the only product whose "product type" is a battery "cell" is product A1, so when determining a product whose "product type" is a "cell" as a reference product, the target is only product A1. Similarly, when determining a product whose "product type" is a battery "negative electrode" as a reference product, the target is only product E1.

[0163] Among products belonging to the same hierarchical level as the target product, the company may arbitrarily select which "product type" of product to designate as the reference product. For example, the selection may be made based on the "product type" of the remaining products after excluding products for which the validity of the "company-measured CFP value" has not yet been verified, products for which the validity of the "company-measured CFP value" has failed to be verified, products from companies participating in the platform anonymously, and products from companies included in the supply chain that are not participating in the platform.

[0164] As described above, once the reference product is determined, the verification unit 115 sets a reference value using the "company-measured CFP value" of the reference product. In this modified example, first, similar to the above embodiment, the reference value is calculated by adding and / or subtracting a predetermined value to the "company-measured CFP value (average or median)" of the reference product. Subsequently, the calculated reference value is corrected according to the "product type" of the reference product. This is because the CFP value per unit quantity of product manufactured tends to follow the following trends depending on the product type. Positive electrode > Cell > Negative electrode > Liquid

[0165] Therefore, in this modified example, the verification unit 115 corrects the reference value calculated above according to the above trend and the "product type" of the reference product. In the example shown in Figure 20, the "product type" of the target product D1 is "negative electrode," and the "product type" of the reference product is "positive electrode." Based on the above trend, the CFP value when a unit amount of "positive electrode" is wasted is the CFP value per unit amount of "negative electrode" This becomes greater than the CFP value at the time of manufacture. Therefore, if the "product type" of the target product D1 is "negative electrode" and the "product type" of the reference product is "positive electrode", the verification unit 115 corrects the reference value calculated above to the negative side.

[0166] Furthermore, if the CFP value per unit quantity produced for the reference product's "product type" is lower than that of the target product's "product type," the calculated baseline value should be adjusted upwards. The amount of adjustment for the baseline value may be set appropriately according to the above trend.

[0167] As described above, once the reference value is corrected, the verification unit 115 uses the corrected reference value to verify the appropriateness of the "company-measured CFP value" of the target product and outputs the verification result.

[0168] According to this modified version, even if the product tree containing the target product does not include any other product with the same "product type" as the target product, the appropriateness of the "company-measured CFP value" of the target product can be verified with high accuracy.

[0169] <Other Embodiments> The embodiments described above are merely examples, and this disclosure may be modified as appropriate without departing from its essence. For example, the configurations and processes described in this disclosure can be freely combined and implemented as long as no technical inconsistencies arise.

[0170] Furthermore, in the description of the embodiment, the server device 1 stores product information in a database, but product information may be stored by means other than a database.

[0171] Furthermore, while the description of the embodiment illustrates a configuration in which the server device 1 completes the product tree by executing the first to fourth phases, the role of the server device 1 may be distributed among multiple corporate terminals 2. For example, product information may be stored in a distributed database using a blockchain platform. In this case, the product information database may be composed of multiple corporate terminals 2. In this case, smart contracts may be used to execute the processing of each of the aforementioned phases. For example, the processing in the second phase may be triggered when an account of a certain company writes permission information to the database. Alternatively, the processing in the third phase may be triggered when an account of a certain company writes a linking request to the database.

[0172] Furthermore, although the description of the embodiment separates the phase in which the server device 1 receives product information about upstream products and the phase in which the server device 1 receives authorization information corresponding to said product information, both may be received simultaneously. Similarly, although the description of the embodiment separates the phase in which the server device 1 receives product information about downstream products and the phase in which the server device 1 receives a linking request corresponding to said product information, both may be received simultaneously.

[0173] Furthermore, although the embodiment is described in which the platform is provided by server device 1, it is not limited to this, and for example, server device 1 may be a server independent of the platform and provide information obtained from enterprise terminal 2 to the platform.

[0174] Furthermore, while the description of the embodiment illustrates a configuration in which each product's information is stored in the storage unit of the server device 1, it may also be stored in a distributed manner across multiple corporate terminals 2. In that case, the dedicated storage area may be located only within the corporate terminal 2 of the corresponding company. Also, the shared storage area may be distributed across multiple corporate terminals 2 involved in the sharing. In another example, metadata of the product information (for example, information to identify the product) is held by the server device 1, and each company's product The information may be stored on each company's corporate terminal 2.

[0175] Furthermore, while the description of the embodiment included an example of granting access to arbitrary product information to adjacent companies in the supply chain, companies that are not adjacent in the supply chain may also share product information. For example, if information sharing between companies is necessary for purposes such as legal compliance, companies that do not have a direct business relationship may share specific product information. Even in this case, as in the first embodiment, a shared storage area with access rights granted to each company is provided, and the necessary data is copied there. This shared storage area can be generated based on the permission of the company whose product information is being referenced. Private keys may be used for access control of the dedicated storage area and the shared storage area. In this case, electronic authentication of access control may be performed using a public key authentication infrastructure. If a blockchain infrastructure is used for each storage area, this access control may be executed by smart contracts.

[0176] Furthermore, in the description of the embodiment, the second phase was initiated by sending permission information from the upstream company's terminal 2 to the server device 1, but the second phase may also be initiated from the downstream company's terminal 2. In this case, information requesting the granting of access rights to the upstream product (permission request) may be sent from the downstream company's terminal 2 to the server device 1, and the upstream company's terminal 2 may generate permission information in response. Moreover, the downstream company's terminal 2 may send the permission request and the linking data to the server device 1 simultaneously. If the product to be linked can be identified by the downstream company (by part number, etc.), the downstream company may also send the linking data prior to granting access rights.

[0177] Furthermore, the setting of access rights to the storage area may be implemented by the operating system of server device 1, or by other authentication methods. For example, public-key cryptography can be used. Also, when implementing the system using a blockchain platform, access rights may be granted using electronic keys.

[0178] Furthermore, although the description of the embodiment separates the phase in which the server device 1 receives product information about upstream products and the phase in which the server device 1 receives authorization information corresponding to said product information, both may be received simultaneously. Similarly, although the description of the embodiment separates the phase in which the server device 1 receives product information about downstream products and the phase in which the server device 1 receives a linking request corresponding to said product information, both may be received simultaneously.

[0179] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the multiple companies included in the supply chain were described as companies that manufacture products. However, the companies included in the supply chain do not necessarily have to be companies that manufacture products. For example, companies that transport, import, store, or wholesale products may also be included in the companies that make up the supply chain. For example, some of the multiple companies may be companies that do not perform the manufacturing process, such as trading companies, sales agents, or import agents, and may receive products from companies located one level up (upstream companies) and deliver products to companies located one level down (downstream companies).

[0180] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a supply chain for products related to automobiles was assumed, and OEM manufacturers were described as the lowest-level companies, while companies supplying parts, materials, assemblies, etc., were described as suppliers. However, the companies belonging to the supply chain are not necessarily limited to these. The companies at each stage may be determined as appropriate depending on the product, etc. Also, the manufacturing activities carried out by each company until the final product is obtained may be determined as appropriate depending on the embodiment, and may include, for example, all activities that can be carried out until the final product is obtained, such as excavation, processing, assembly, transportation, and storage. The products are not limited to those related to automobiles, etc. The appropriate form may be selected depending on the circumstances. For example, the product may be a battery used for purposes other than automobiles.

[0181] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the server device 1 is configured to perform the information processing of the first to fourth phases described above. However, the configuration of the server device 1 is not limited to this example. In another example, at least one of the information processing of the first to fourth phases described above may be omitted in the server device 1. The server device 1 may be configured to perform any other information processing.

[0182] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, access control for each company is achieved by providing dedicated storage areas and shared storage areas. However, the method of achieving access control is not limited to this example. Any method may be used for access control. In another example, the shared storage area provided between companies sharing information in the above embodiment may be omitted. In this case, the company requesting the information (Company 1) may issue a key (without permission to view) indicating write rights to its dedicated storage area to the requesting company (Company 2). Company 2 may use the key issued to Company 1 to write the target data to Company 1's dedicated storage area. With this configuration, information sharing is possible without providing a shared storage area (although one may be provided if necessary), making storage area management easier.

[0183] Furthermore, in the description of the embodiment, an example was given in which the upstream company grants the downstream company access rights to product information (second phase), followed by the downstream company requesting the server device 1 to link the product information together (third phase). However, these processes may be executed sequentially based on requests from the downstream company.

[0184] Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments, it was assumed that upstream companies and downstream companies are different companies, that is, that upstream products and downstream products are manufactured by different companies. However, in the above embodiments, the upstream company can be in the position of an upstream company, and the downstream company can be in the position of a downstream company. Companies other than the upstream and downstream companies can be in the position of both upstream and downstream companies. Therefore, in the second phase described above, each company's enterprise terminal 2 may send an authorization command to the server device 1, designating itself as an upstream company, which includes specifying its downstream companies that are permitted to access product information relating to its own products. Its own products are an example of the target company's first target products, and the product information relating to its own products is an example of first product information relating to the first target products. Accordingly, the server device 1 may perform the above access permission setting. Furthermore, in the third phase described above, each company's enterprise terminal 2 may send an authorization request or termination flag setting request to the server device 1, designating itself as a downstream company, which includes selecting product information to link to product information relating to its own products from among the product information that it has been permitted to access from its upstream company. In this scenario, the user's own product is an example of the target company's second target product, and the product information relating to the user's own product is an example of the second product information relating to the second target product. Accordingly, server device 1 may perform linking or termination flag processing. Note that the first target product (the target of access permission) and the second target product (the target of linking or termination flag assignment) may be the same or different. If the first and second target products are the same, the first product information and the second product information may be the same; if the first and second target products are different, the first product information and the second product information may be different.

[0185] Furthermore, the above embodiment shows an example of how to calculate CO2 emissions (CFP value). The CFP value may be calculated using the following formula. Tier N-1 CFP value = Tier N-1's own measured CFP value + Σ k (Company k (Tier N) CFP value × amount used in Tier N-1 u k ) Here, "Tier N-1 CFP value" is calculated by comparing the CFP value of the upstream company (company k (Tier N)) with the company's own CFP value. The results of integrating the P-value are shown. The CFP values ​​measured by the company represent the CFP values ​​included in the product information of each company. If Tier N is the upstream company, "Tier N's ​​CFP value" is the CFP value included in the product information of that company; otherwise, "Tier N's ​​CFP value" is the result of integrating the CFP value of the further upstream company (Tier N+1) with the CFP value included in the product information of that company. By setting Tier N as the upstream company (end company) and repeating the calculation until N=1, the Tier 0 product The CFP value of the product (=final product) can be obtained.

[0186] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the server device 1 may perform calculations of the recycling rate and due diligence (score) together with or instead of calculating the CO2 emissions (CFP value). The recycling rate may be calculated using the following formula. "(Recycling rate for Tier N-1 products for the target substance) = {(Total amount used in Tier N-1) × (Recycling rate in Tier N-1) + Σ k (Total usage at company k (Tier N) × Recycling rate at company k (Tier N) × Usage at Tier N-1 u) k )}÷{Total usage in Tier N-1 + Σ k ( Total usage at company k (Tier N) × Usage at Tier N-1 u k )} = {Amount of recycled materials used in Tier N-1} +Σk(amount of recycled material used at company k (Tier N) × amount used at Tier N-1 u k )}÷{Total in Tier N-1 Total usage + Σk(total usage at company k (Tier N) × usage at Tier N-1 u) k )}" The recycled material utilization amount indicates the amount of recycled material used for the target substance. Similar to the CFP value, the recycling rate in the final product for the target substance can be calculated by calculating it sequentially from the upstream company (end company). Furthermore, the due diligence score (DD score) can be integrated using the same calculation method as the CFP value and recycling rate described above. For example, by replacing the above CFP value with the DD score and calculating it sequentially from the upstream company (end company), the DD score (integrated result) for the final product can be obtained.

[0187] In the above embodiment, "company-measured CFP value" was used as an example of traceability-related information subject to verification of appropriateness. However, the server device 1 may verify the appropriateness of the recycling rate and due diligence (score) together with or instead of verifying the appropriateness of the "company-measured CFP value". In that case, the server device 1 may set a standard value based on the recycling rate and due diligence (DD information) included in the product information of the reference product, and use the set standard value to verify the appropriateness of the recycling rate and due diligence (DD information) included in the product information of the target product. This makes it possible to verify whether the recycling rate and due diligence are favorable for the entire supply chain.

[0188] Furthermore, while the above embodiments and modifications describe an example where product information including the "company-measured CFP value" of the target product is provided by the target company, the target company may also provide product information including the data necessary for calculating the "company-measured CFP value" of the target product. In that case, the server device 1 may use the data included in the product information to calculate the "company-measured CFP value." The server device 1 may then verify the appropriateness of the "company-measured CFP value" using the procedure described in the above embodiments and modifications. Such verification can verify whether the units of the data necessary for calculating the "company-measured CFP value" are appropriate, and whether the "company-measured CFP value" of the target product is undesirable for the entire supply chain.

[0189] In the above embodiment, each company (Tier N-1) excluding the upstream company has its own traceability Instead of storing related information in a shared storage area between itself and its downstream companies, the integrated results of each company (CFP value for Tier N-1, recycling rate of Tier N-1 products for the target substance) may be stored in a shared storage area between each company and its downstream companies (Tier N-2). This allows each company to... It is possible to obtain traceability-related information (integrated results) for the final product without disclosing the traceability-related information of the business itself.

[0190] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, it is assumed that each company places an order for a certain material with one company. However, in the above embodiment, the ordering format of each company is not limited to this example. At least some of the companies belonging to the supply chain may order from multiple upstream companies for the same product and selectively use the obtained upstream products for their own products. For example, in the example in Figure 2 above, Tier 1 product A1 may selectively use Tier 2 products A11_1, A11_2, or A11_3. In this case, the server device 1 will determine the pattern used. A linking relationship may be maintained for each unit. In the example above, server device 1 is linked to product A1 of Tier 1. Therefore, Pattern 1 is "Tier 2 product A11_1, ...", and Pattern 2 is "product A11_2, ...". And linking information may be stored as in Pattern 3 "Product A11_3, ...". The server device 1 may perform the above-mentioned calculation (integration) of traceability-related information for each pattern. In this case, in one example, the server device 1 may output the calculation results for each pattern. In another example, the server device 1 may calculate statistical quantities such as the maximum value, minimum value, mean, variance, standard deviation, and median from the calculation results and output the calculated statistical quantities.

[0191] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the traceability-related information (in particular, CFP values) may consist of primary data or secondary data (inventory data). Primary data are measured values, and secondary data are reference values ​​used when measured values ​​are not available. In this case, the calculation (integration) of the traceability-related information may include calculating the primary data ratio of the traceability-related information obtained for the final product. The primary data ratio may be calculated by a simple ratio calculation, or it may be calculated by a weighting calculation in which the CFP value in the calculation formula for the CFP value is replaced with the primary data ratio of each company and calculated sequentially from the upstream company.

[0192] Furthermore, a process described as being performed by a single device may be divided and executed by multiple devices. Conversely, a process described as being performed by different devices may be executed by a single device. In a computer system, the hardware configuration (server configuration) by which each function is implemented can be flexibly changed.

[0193] The present disclosure can also be realized by supplying a computer program implementing the functions described in the embodiments above to a computer, and having one or more processors in the computer read and execute the program. Such a computer program may be provided to the computer by a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium that can be connected to the computer's system bus, or it may be provided to the computer via a network. Non-temporary computer-readable storage mediums include, for example, any type of disk such as magnetic disks (floppy disks, hard disk drives (HDDs), etc.), optical disks (CD-ROMs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), EPROM, EEPROM, magnetic cards, flash memory, optical cards, and any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0194] 1 Server device 11 Control Unit 111 Information Gathering Department 112 Permissions Setting Section 113 String attachment part 114 Information Provision Department 115 Verification Department 12 Storage section 13. Communication Module 14 Input / Output Devices 2. Enterprise terminals 21 Control Unit 22 Memory section 23 Communication Module 24 Input / Output Devices

Claims

1. An information processing device that performs information processing related to a platform for collecting product information of companies included in a supply chain, To obtain traceability-related information contained in the product information of the target product, which is a product of the target company, If there are no products of the same type as the target product among the products of one or more companies included in the supply chain, then products of one or more companies belonging to the same hierarchical level as the target product in the supply chain and being of the same type as each other are extracted. One or more reference products are determined by excluding products from companies participating anonymously on the platform from the products of the one or more companies extracted. Based on the traceability-related information contained in the product information of the one or more reference products that have been determined, a standard value including an upper limit standard value and a lower limit standard value shall be set. The process involves comparing the aforementioned reference value with the traceability-related information of the target product to determine whether the traceability-related information of the target product is less than or equal to the upper limit reference value and greater than or equal to the lower limit reference value. In response to the determination that the traceability-related information of the target product is below the upper limit standard value and above the lower limit standard value, the system outputs a verification result indicating that the traceability-related information of the target product is appropriate. In response to the determination that the traceability-related information of the target product is greater than the upper limit threshold, or that the traceability-related information of the target product is less than the lower limit threshold, the system outputs a verification result and an alert indicating that the traceability-related information of the target product is not appropriate. A control unit configured to perform the following actions: Information processing device.

2. The control unit determines the one or more reference products by further excluding products from companies that are included in the supply chain but do not participate in the platform from the extracted products of the one or more companies. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. Setting the aforementioned reference value is related to the traceability information of the one or more reference products. This includes obtaining the mean or median of, and setting the reference value according to the obtained mean or median, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein setting the reference value according to the average value or median includes setting the upper reference value by adding a predetermined value to the average value or median, and setting the lower reference value by subtracting a predetermined value from the average value or median.

5. The aforementioned reference value is corrected according to the type of reference product. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4.

6. The aforementioned traceability-related information includes greenhouse gas emissions, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

7. The aforementioned traceability-related information includes the recycling rate for a given raw material. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

8. The aforementioned traceability-related information includes due diligence scores, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

9. An information processing method relating to a platform for collecting product information of companies included in a supply chain, To obtain traceability-related information contained in the product information of the target product, which is a product of the target company, If there are no products of the same type as the target product among the products of one or more companies included in the supply chain, then products of one or more companies belonging to the same hierarchical level as the target product in the supply chain and being of the same type as each other are extracted. One or more reference products are determined by excluding products from companies participating anonymously on the platform from the products of the one or more companies extracted. Based on the traceability-related information contained in the product information of the one or more reference products that have been determined, a standard value including an upper limit standard value and a lower limit standard value shall be set. The process involves comparing the aforementioned reference value with the traceability-related information of the target product to determine whether the traceability-related information of the target product is less than or equal to the upper limit reference value and greater than or equal to the lower limit reference value. In response to the determination that the traceability-related information of the target product is below the upper limit standard value and above the lower limit standard value, the system outputs a verification result indicating that the traceability-related information of the target product is appropriate. In response to the determination that the traceability-related information of the target product is greater than the upper limit threshold, or that the traceability-related information of the target product is less than the lower limit threshold, the system outputs a verification result and an alert indicating that the traceability-related information of the target product is not appropriate. The computer executes Information processing methods.

10. The one or more reference products are determined by further excluding from the products of the one or more companies extracted the products of companies that are included in the supply chain but do not participate in the platform. The information processing method according to claim 9.

11. Setting the aforementioned reference value includes obtaining the average or median value of the traceability-related information for one or more reference products, and setting the reference value according to the obtained average or median value. The information processing method according to claim 9.

12. The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein setting the reference value according to the average value or median value includes setting the upper reference value by adding a predetermined value to the average value or median value, and setting the lower reference value by subtracting a predetermined value from the average value or median value.

13. The aforementioned reference value is corrected according to the type of reference product. The information processing method according to claim 12.

14. The aforementioned traceability-related information includes greenhouse gas emissions, The information processing method according to claim 9.

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