Information processing systems, information processing methods, programs

Abstract

The information processing system includes a processing unit (35) that can access a storage device (34) that stores multiple product information (D1) and an attribute information database (D2). The attribute information database (D2) includes the information types of the product information (D1). The processing unit (35) performs a search process to generate a candidate set from multiple product information (D1) and a display process to display a display screen for displaying the candidate set. The search process includes a search process to generate a first set of product information (D1) that satisfies the search query from multiple product information (D1) based on an input search query, and a filtering process to generate a second set of product information (D1) that satisfies the filter conditions by referring to the attribute information database (D2) based on set filter conditions. The candidate set is the intersection of the first set and the second set.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Even within a single company, there are multiple departments. For example, in the manufacturing industry, there are multiple departments such as planning, design, procurement, production management, production technology, manufacturing, sales, logistics, and quality control. Therefore, regarding a specific tangible or intangible product, multiple types of information are generated in multiple departments. (Hereinafter, collectively referred to as "product information".) For example, in the design department, specifications, CAD, after procurement, drawings, after production management, manufacturing process sheets, in the manufacturing department, work instructions and manufacturing daily reports, in the sales department, sales data, and in the quality control department, quality inspection reports, etc., multiple types of product information are generated. There is also a defect report created when a defect occurs in the product at any of the processes.

[0003] And when discovering, setting, or making decisions regarding issues related to a specific product, it is often desired to simultaneously use one or multiple types of multiple product information related to the context. Specific examples of "related to the context" include specific products and their transaction data such as "design-related information of product A and its procurement, manufacturing, and sales performance", or defect information related to a specific product such as "information related to product defects that occurred in products having processing characteristics common to the processing characteristics of product A".

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, it is not easy to simultaneously utilize multiple types of product information related to the same context. One reason for this is the siloing of information, where the system for shared use of information is not in place, and product information generated by each organization is managed independently within each organization or system. Specifically, this includes situations where information is physically managed by printing it on paper, cannot be viewed without specific software, or is managed in a system used only by a specific department, making it difficult for other departments to freely use it.

[0006] More fundamentally, the problem stems from the fact that individual product information, both within and outside the organization, is not linked based on contextual relevance. In particular, it is difficult to link product information based on context, such as the commonality of processing characteristics, rather than ID information such as product numbers. For example, even if product xxx and product yyy share processing characteristics, such as welding and a geometric tolerance specification of flatness less than 0.02, if they are separate products, there is no commonality in IDs, etc., and it is not possible to link a document such as "Product xxx Defect Report" to a drawing of product yyy in the data. Therefore, in the past, it was difficult to link product information based on contextual relevance in data, and it had to be done manually.

[0007] ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is an information management system that spans across organizations. ERP allows for the systematic extraction of information across organizations, making it effective in eliminating silos. However, it cannot link individual pieces of information that were not intended during the system design phase. Each time a request arises, the entire system's table structure needs to be reviewed, resulting in significant modification costs and time commitments.

[0008] Cross-organizational collaboration and information sharing tools also exist. These tools allow multiple users to share and manage various types of information, such as documents, spreadsheets, and presentation materials, making them effective in eliminating silos. On the other hand, they do not offer much functionality for linking information together, and users often have to manually create links each time to connect individual pieces of information.

[0009] Furthermore, a technology has been disclosed that identifies and presents knowledge data that a user should view from among multiple knowledge data related to sales (Patent Document 1). According to this technology, the system can present knowledge data that a user should view depending on their level of sales proficiency. A technology has also been disclosed that, when a specific sign is selected, displays a specific screen to the user that includes a drawing corresponding to the reduced image contained in the specific sign, and multiple types of related tabs for displaying related materials linked to one identifier corresponding to the selected specific sign to the user, categorized by type, and displays related materials corresponding to the selected related tab to the user based on the user's operation of selecting one of the multiple types of related tabs (Patent Document 2). However, with this technology, drawing management can only be done in one system set by the user, and it is not possible to associate manufacturing information based on contextual relationships.

[0010] This disclosure provides an information processing system, an information processing method, and a program that enable users to efficiently identify and obtain desired product information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The information processing system relating to one aspect of this disclosure is It is connected to an input device and a display device, and includes a processing unit that can access a storage device that stores multiple product information, The storage device stores attribute information databases for multiple product information. The attribute information database contains multiple types of product information. The processing unit is A search process that generates a set of candidate products from multiple product information based on input from an input device, The display process involves displaying a screen for displaying a set of candidates using a display device, Execute, The search process is, A search process that generates a first set of one or more product information items that satisfy a search query based on a search query entered by an input device, A filtering process that generates a second set of one or more product information items that satisfy the filter conditions by referring to an attribute information database based on the filter conditions set by the input device, Includes, The candidate set is the intersection of the first set and the second set.

[0012] The information processing method relating to one aspect of this disclosure is: An information processing method performed by a processing device connected to an input device and a display device, and capable of accessing a storage device that stores multiple product information, The storage device stores attribute information databases for multiple product information. The attribute information database contains multiple types of product information. Information processing methods are A search process that generates a set of candidate products from multiple product information based on input from an input device, The display process involves displaying a screen for displaying a set of candidates using a display device, Includes, The search process is, A search process that generates a first set of one or more product information items that satisfy a search query based on a search query entered by an input device, A filtering process that generates a second set of one or more product information items that satisfy the filter conditions by referring to an attribute information database based on the filter conditions set by the input device, Includes, The candidate set is the intersection of the first set and the second set.

[0013] A program according to an aspect of the present disclosure is a program for causing a processing device to execute the information processing method described above.

Effect of the Invention

[0014] Aspects of the present disclosure enable a user to efficiently identify and obtain desired product information.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] [Figure 1] Block diagram of an information processing system according to an embodiment [Figure 2] Block diagram of a terminal device of an information processing system according to an embodiment [Figure 3] Block diagram of a processing device of an information processing system according to an embodiment [Figure 4] Flowchart of an example of the operation of a processing device of an information processing system according to an embodiment [Figure 5] Explanatory diagram of a first example of a display screen by an information processing system according to an embodiment [Figure 6] Explanatory diagram of a partially enlarged view of a first example of a display screen by an information processing system according to an embodiment [Figure 7] Explanatory diagram of an example of a first setting screen for narrowing down by an information processing system according to an embodiment [Figure 8] Explanatory diagram of an example of a second setting screen for narrowing down by an information processing system according to an embodiment [Figure 9] Explanatory diagram of an example of a second setting screen by an information processing system according to an embodiment [Figure 10] Explanatory diagram of an example of a second setting screen by an information processing system according to an embodiment [Figure 11] Explanatory diagram of an example of a second setting screen by an information processing system according to an embodiment [Figure 12] Explanatory diagram of a second example of a display screen by an information processing system according to an embodiment [Figure 13] Explanatory diagram of a second example of a display screen by an information processing system according to an embodiment [Figure 14]Explanatory diagram of a second example of a display screen from an information processing system according to one embodiment. [Figure 15] Explanatory diagram of a second example of a display screen from an information processing system according to one embodiment. [Figure 16] An explanatory diagram of a third example of a display screen from an information processing system according to one embodiment. [Figure 17] An explanatory diagram of the fourth example of a display screen from an information processing system according to one embodiment. [Figure 18] An explanatory diagram of an example of a display screen by an information processing system, as shown in one modified example. [Figure 19] An explanatory diagram of an example of a display screen by an information processing system, as shown in one modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] [1. Embodiments] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below, with reference to the drawings as appropriate. However, the embodiments described below are illustrative examples for illustrating this disclosure and are not intended to limit this disclosure to the following (for example, the shape, dimensions, arrangement, etc., of each component). Unless otherwise specified, positional relationships such as up, down, left, and right shall be based on the positional relationships shown in the drawings. The figures described in the embodiments below are schematic diagrams, and the ratios of the size and thickness of each component in each figure do not necessarily reflect the actual dimensional ratios. Furthermore, the dimensional ratios of each element are not limited to the ratios shown in the drawings.

[0017] In the following explanation, when it is necessary to distinguish between multiple components, prefixes such as "1st," "2nd," etc., will be added to the names of the components. However, if the components can be distinguished from each other by the symbols attached to them, prefixes such as "1st," "2nd," etc., may be omitted for the sake of readability.

[0018] In the following explanation, when it is necessary to distinguish between multiple components, suffixes such as "-1" and "-2" will be added to the component symbols. However, when it is not necessary to distinguish between multiple components, suffixes such as "-1" and "-2" may be omitted for the sake of readability.

[0019] [1.1 Structure] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an information processing system 1 according to one embodiment. One of the objectives of the information processing system 1 is to enable users to efficiently identify and acquire desired product information from among multiple product information sources. Details of the product information will be described later.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, the information processing system 1 comprises a terminal device 2 and an information processing device 3. Although one terminal device 2 is shown in Figure 1, the information processing system 1 may comprise multiple terminal devices 2.

[0021] Terminal device 2 and information processing device 3 can be connected to each other via a communication network. The communication network may include the Internet. The communication network may consist of not only a network conforming to a single communication protocol, but also multiple networks conforming to different communication protocols. The communication protocol may be selected from a variety of well-known wired and wireless communication standards. Examples of wired communication standards include Ethernet®. Examples of wireless communication standards include IEEE 802.11, 4G, or 5G. The communication network may include data communication devices such as repeater hubs, switching hubs, bridges, gateways, and routers.

[0022] In the information processing system 1, terminal device 2 is operated by user 10. For example, user 10 operates terminal device 2 to identify and obtain desired product information.

[0023] Figure 2 is a block diagram of terminal device 2. Terminal device 2 is used as a user interface in information processing system 1. Terminal device 2 can be implemented as, for example, a personal computer (desktop computer, laptop computer), a mobile terminal (smartphone, tablet terminal, etc.).

[0024] The input device 21 includes one or more human-machine interfaces for information input. Examples of human-machine interfaces include keyboards, pointing devices (mouse, trackball, etc.), touchpads, and position input devices for touch panel displays. The one or more human-machine interfaces of the input device 21 may be built into the terminal device 2 or be external. In other words, the input device 21 may include the human-machine interface of the terminal device 2 itself, and human-machine interfaces connected to the terminal device 2.

[0025] The output device 22 includes one or more human-machine interfaces for information output. Examples of human-machine interfaces include output interfaces such as displays, speakers, and touch panel displays. In this embodiment, one or more human-machine interfaces of the output device 22 include a display device 221 such as a display. One or more human-machine interfaces of the output device 22 may be built into the terminal device 2 or be externally attached. In other words, the output device 22 may include the human-machine interface of the terminal device 2 itself, and human-machine interfaces connected to the terminal device 2.

[0026] The communication device 23 is used for communication with the information processing device 3 via a communication network. The communication device 23 has one or more communication interfaces. The communication device 23 is connectable to a communication network and has the function of communicating via the communication network. The communication device 23 conforms to a predetermined communication protocol. The predetermined communication protocol can be selected from various well-known wired and wireless communication standards.

[0027] The storage device 24 is used to store information used by the terminal device 2 and information generated by the terminal device 2. The storage device 24 includes one or more storage devices (non-temporary storage media). The storage devices may be, for example, hard disk drives, optical drives, and solid-state drives (SSDs). The storage devices may also be internal, external, or NAS (network-attached storage) type.

[0028] The information stored in the storage device 24 includes the web browser WB1. Figure 2 shows the state in which the storage device 24 stores the web browser WB1. The web browser WB1 does not need to be stored in the storage device 24 at all times; it only needs to be stored in the storage device 24 when needed by the processing device 25. The web browser WB1 may be a conventionally known web browser such as Safari (trademark or registered trademark), Microsoft Edge (trademark or registered trademark), or Google Chrome (trademark or registered trademark).

[0029] The processing unit 25 is connected to the input device 21, the output device 22, and the communication device 23, and has access to the storage device 24. The processing unit 25 can be implemented, for example, by a computer system. The computer system includes one or more processors (microprocessors) and one or more memories. One or more processors execute programs (stored in one or more memories or storage devices 24) to realize various functions of the terminal device 2. The programs may be pre-recorded in the storage device 24, or they may be provided via telecommunication lines such as the Internet, or recorded on non-temporary recording media such as memory cards.

[0030] Figure 3 is a block diagram of the information processing device 3. The information processing device 3 displays a display screen for user 10 to identify and obtain desired product information on the display device 221 of the terminal device 2.

[0031] The information processing device 3 comprises an input device 31, an output device 32, a communication device 33, a storage device 34, and a processing device 35. The information processing device 3 can be implemented, for example, by one or more servers.

[0032] The input device 31 is equipped with one or more human-machine interfaces for information input. The output device 32 is equipped with one or more human-machine interfaces for information output.

[0033] The communication device 33 is used for communication through a communication network. The communication device 33 has one or more communication interfaces. The communication device 33 has the same functions as the communication device 23.

[0034] The storage device 34 is used to store information used by the information processing device 3 and information generated by the information processing device 3. The storage device 34 includes one or more storage devices (non-temporary storage media).

[0035] The processing unit 35 is connected to the input device 31, the output device 32, and the communication device 33, and has access to the storage device 34. In this embodiment, the information processing unit 3 is connected to the terminal device 2 in a communicative manner. The input device 21 and output device 22 of the terminal device 2 can be used to input information to the information processing unit 3 and to output information from the information processing unit 3. In this respect, the processing unit 35 of the information processing unit 3 can be said to be indirectly connected, though not directly, to the input device 21 and output device 22 of the terminal device 2.

[0036] The processing unit 35 can be implemented, for example, by a computer system. One or more processors execute programs (stored in one or more memories or storage devices 34) to realize various functions of the information processing unit 3. The programs may be pre-recorded in the storage device 34, or they may be provided via telecommunication lines such as the Internet, or recorded on non-temporary recording media such as memory cards.

[0037] The information stored in the storage device 34 includes program PG1, product information D1, attribute information database D2, supplementary information D3, and linking table D4. Figure 3 shows the state in which the storage device 34 stores program PG1, product information D1, attribute information database D2, supplementary information D3, and linking table D4. Program PG1, product information D1, attribute information database D2, supplementary information D3, and linking table D4 do not need to be stored in the storage device 34 at all times; they only need to be stored in the storage device 34 when needed by the processing device 35. Note that the storage device 34 may store multiple product information D1s and multiple supplementary information D3s.

[0038] When program PG1 is executed by the processing unit 35, it includes a program that causes the processing unit 35 to perform a search screen and a display screen for identifying and obtaining desired product information by the user 10, and to display these screens on the display device 221 of the terminal device 2 (search process, display process).

[0039] Product information D1 is information about the product and may include information about the product itself or related information about the product. In this embodiment, the product is a tangible object. Examples of products include parts or finished products. Examples of parts include injection molded parts, sheet metal processed parts, welded parts, precision machined parts, electronic circuit boards, or other mechanical parts. Specific examples of parts include joint parts (connecting parts made of metal or resin), gears, bearings, fastening parts (bolts, nuts, etc.), shafts (rotating shafts), brackets (support fittings), flanges (piping parts), and mechanical exterior parts (cases, covers, etc.). Examples of finished products (assemblies) include motors, pumps, actuators, etc. The product is not limited to these and may be various products or prototypes such as tableware, stationery, accessories, furniture, tools, electrical appliances, vehicles, etc.

[0040] Examples of information about the product itself include product design information. Design information is, for example, information necessary for the manufacture of the product. Design information can be direct information that directly identifies the shape of the product, or indirect information that indirectly identifies the shape of the product. Direct information includes drawings that visually represent the shape of the product (circuit diagrams, assembly drawings, part drawings, etc.). Examples of drawing data include two-dimensional drawing data or three-dimensional drawing data that visually represents the shape of the product. For example, three-dimensional drawing data may be 3D-CAD data or 3DCG data, and two-dimensional drawing data may be 2D-CAD data or a PDF file of a two-dimensional drawing generated from 3D-CAD. Indirect information includes data on the required values ​​of the characteristics of the product's shape, or data on the manufacturing method of the product. Examples of indirect information may include product specifications, information such as dimensions or weight, design intent, requirements, design process information, and information on the manufacturing method (information on assembly sequence and process, etc.). If the required values ​​of the characteristics of the product's shape are given, it is possible to identify the shape of the product that satisfies the requirements. If the manufacturing method is given, it is possible to identify the shape of the product according to the manufacturing method. The file format for design information is not limited to PDF; it may also be PNG, DWF, STEP, XLS, or other formats.

[0041] Examples of product-related information include defect reports, design improvement documents, inspection report forms, sales records, order records, meeting minutes (e.g., design review minutes), two-dimensional drawings with annotations and comments, or comments about the product. The data format of product-related information is not particularly limited and may include document, image, or audio formats.

[0042] The attribute information database D2 stores attribute information for one or more (effectively multiple) product information D1s. For example, attribute information is defined by an attribute name and an attribute value. Attribute information may include basic attribute information and product attribute information. Basic attribute information is metadata about product information D1 itself. Examples of basic attribute information include information type, file name, creation date and time, creator, size (file size), etc. Information type is the type of information, and examples of information types include two-dimensional drawing data (PDF file of a two-dimensional drawing), three-dimensional drawing data (3D-CAD data), specifications, attribute information, design intent, requirements specifications, design process information, manufacturing information, defect reports, design improvement documents, inspection result reports, sales record, order record, various meeting minutes (e.g., minutes of a design review), two-dimensional drawings with annotations and other comments, or comments about the product. Product attribute information is metadata about the product represented by product information D1. Examples of product attribute information include project name, part name, serial number, material, surface treatment, dimensions, weight, units, design, drafting, drawing review, approval, drawing method, drawing release, delivery date, scale, remarks, customer, estimated maximum dimensions, etc., ordering history (currency, ordered quantity, unit price, drawing number, order date, supplier, number of orders, etc.), and sales history (customer, unit price, quantity, order date, drawing number, number of orders, etc.). Product attribute information may be generated based on the supplementary information D3 described later.

[0043] Supplementary information D3 is information relating to a specific (or corresponding) product information D1. For example, supplementary information D3 may include a specific (or corresponding) product information D1 and / or textual information derived from the specific product information D1.

[0044] Supplementary information D3 includes one or more items. Examples of one or more items include basic information (drawing ID, drawing number, part name, serial number, material, surface treatment, dimensions, weight, unit, design, drafting, drawing review, approval, drawing method, drawing release, delivery date, scale, remarks, customer, estimated maximum dimensions, etc.), order history (currency, order quantity, unit price, drawing number, order date, supplier, number of orders, etc.), and order history (customer, unit price, quantity, order date, drawing number, number of orders, etc.).

[0045] Supplementary information D3 can be generated by an analysis process on product information D1, similar to the information elements described above. The analysis process performs processing according to the data format of product information D1. Examples of data formats include image data, document data (document data, table data), and audio data. The analysis process may include image data analysis processing, document data analysis processing, and audio data analysis processing. These are the same as described above, so their explanation will be omitted. The analysis process may include metadata extraction processing as needed. The analysis process is not limited to the examples above and may be configured to perform processing according to the nature of the data to be registered, such as video data, CAD data, and structured data with table structures. The analysis process may also include data formatting processing. Data formatting processing may include processing to convert document data containing similar content into their respective unified formats, processing to remove duplicates in the data, and processing to supplement incomplete data. In this way, supplementary information D3 is generated for product information D1. Supplementary information D3 can be used as supplementary information for user 10 to understand the content of product information D1.

[0046] The linking table D4 shows the associations (links) between product information D1s. In other words, in this embodiment, product information D1s can be linked to each other. To put it another way, one product information D1 may be linked to another product information D1. Here, examples of another product information D1 include product information D1 of the same type for a different product, or product information D1 of a different type for the same product. In other words, for a given product information, another product information is product information in which at least one of the product type and the information type (information species) is different. Whether the product types are different may be determined based on, for example, variety, model, version, etc. If the varieties are different, or if the versions are different even if they are the same variety, they may be treated as different product types. Examples of information types include, as mentioned above, two-dimensional drawing data (PDF files of two-dimensional drawings), three-dimensional drawing data (3D-CAD data), specifications, attribute information, design intent, requirements specifications, design process information, manufacturing information, defect reports, design improvement documents, inspection result reports, sales records, order records, various meeting minutes (e.g., minutes of design reviews), two-dimensional drawings with annotations and other comments, or comments about the product. For example, product information for product A can be associated with product information for another product B, or with different types of product information for the same product A. For example, key information can be used to associate product information with each other. Examples of key information include, but are not limited to, drawing numbers, product names, materials, and supplier names. Product information that shares common key information can be associated with each other. This association of product information may be automated using rule-based methods or performed manually.

[0047] The processing unit 35 performs a search process and a display process. The search process generates a set of candidate products from multiple product information D1 based on input from an input device. The input device here may be, for example, the input device 21 of the terminal device 2 or the input device 31 of the information processing unit 3. The display process displays a display screen for displaying the set of candidate products using a display device. The display device here may be the display device 221 of the terminal device 2 or the display device provided in the output device 32 of the information processing unit 3.

[0048] In this embodiment, the search process includes a search and search process and a filtering process.

[0049] The search process generates a first set of one or more product information D1 items that satisfy the search query entered by the input device. If no search query is entered, the first set will contain all of the product information D1 items.

[0050] The search process may be capable of executing multiple different search methods. For example, the search process may include at least one of the following: keyword search, vector search, and question search. The keyword search compares the search query with words in product information D1 at the string level and generates a set of product information D1 that satisfies the search query based on the degree of match. In the keyword search, the search query is usually a string. The vector search converts the search query into vector data and generates a set of product information D1 that satisfies the search query based on the similarity (e.g., cosine similarity) with the vector data based on product information D1. In the vector search, the search query is not limited to a string, but can also be image data, audio data, etc. The question search analyzes the search query and generates a set of product information D1 that satisfies the search query. In the question search, the search query may not be just a word, but a question entered in natural language. Note that the keyword search, vector search, and question search processes can be executed using well-known techniques, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0051] The search process may accept two or more search queries. These two or more search queries are not limited to a single search method, but may encompass two or more search methods. For example, the search process may perform a keyword search based on two or more search queries, and a first set can be generated as the intersection of the set of product information D1 obtained by the keyword search process based on the first search query and the set of product information D1 obtained by the vector search process based on the second search query.

[0052] The search process allows for extended searches by expanding the scope of the search query. Extended searches include those using supplementary information D3 and those using linked tables D4.

[0053] In an extended search using supplementary information D3, product information D1 is treated as a single unit with the supplementary information D3 related to that product information D1. In other words, even if product information D1 itself does not satisfy the search query, if product information D1 and supplementary information D3 as a whole satisfy the search query, product information D1 is judged to satisfy the search query. As an example, consider the case where two search queries, "○○ pump" and "flow rate ◇◇ m3 / min," are entered in the keyword search process. In a normal search, if product information D1 itself does not contain "○○ pump" and "flow rate ◇◇ m3 / min", then product information D1 will not satisfy the search query "○○ pump" and "flow rate ◇◇ m3 / min". However, in an extended search using supplementary information D3, even if product information D1 contains "○○ pump" but not "flow rate ◇◇ m3 / min", if supplementary information D3 of product information D1 contains "flow rate ◇◇ m3 / min", then product information D1 and supplementary information D3 as a whole will satisfy the search query, and product information D1 will be judged to satisfy the search query "○○ pump" and "flow rate ◇◇ m3 / min". This increases the likelihood that the user can obtain the desired product information D1.

[0054] In an extended search using linking table D4, product information D1 (referred to as product information D11 for simplicity of explanation) is treated as a single unit with another product information D1 (referred to as product information D12 for simplicity of explanation) linked by linking table D4. In other words, linked product information D11 and D12 are treated as a single unit. As a result, even if product information D11 itself does not satisfy the search query, if product information D11 and product information D12 as a whole satisfy the search query, product information D11 is judged to satisfy the search query. As an example, consider the case where two search queries, "○○ pump" and "flow rate ◇◇ m3 / min," are entered in a keyword search process. In a normal search, if product information D11 itself does not contain "○○ pump" and "flow rate ◇◇ m3 / min", then product information D11 will not satisfy the search query "○○ pump" and "flow rate ◇◇ m3 / min". However, in an enhanced search using the linked table D4, even if product information D11 contains "○○ pump" but not "flow rate ◇◇ m3 / min", if product information D12 contains "flow rate ◇◇ m3 / min", then product information D11 and product information D12 as a whole will satisfy the search query, and product information D11 will be judged to satisfy the search query "○○ pump" and "flow rate ◇◇ m3 / min". This increases the likelihood that the user can obtain the desired product information D1.

[0055] The filtering process generates a second set of one or more product information D1 items that satisfy the filter conditions set by the input device, from the attribute information database D2. In other words, if the information type is specified as "drawing" as the filter condition, the filtering process refers to the attribute information database D2 and generates a set of product information D1 items whose information type is "drawing". If no filter conditions are entered, the second set will include all of the multiple product information D1 items. The filtering process may accept two or more filter conditions. For example, the filtering process can generate a second set as the intersection of the set of product information D1 items obtained by filtering based on the first filter condition and the set of product information D1 items obtained by filtering based on the second filter condition.

[0056] In the search process, the candidate set is given as the intersection of the first set obtained by the search process and the second set obtained by the filtering process.

[0057] The operation of the processing unit 35, mainly the search process and the display process, will be described below with reference to Figure 4.

[0058] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the processing unit 35.

[0059] First, the processing unit 35 receives the search conditions (S1). In this embodiment, the processing unit 35 displays a search screen for receiving the input of the search conditions using the display device 221. The search conditions may include a search query and filter conditions.

[0060] If a search query is entered (S2:YES), the processing unit 35 obtains product information D1 that satisfies the search query (S31). More specifically, the processing unit 35 performs a search and retrieves one or more product information D1 that satisfies the search query from multiple product information D1 based on the entered search query.

[0061] If no search query is entered (S2:NO), the processing unit 35 retrieves all product information D1 (S32). In other words, the processing unit 35 retrieves all of the multiple product information D1s.

[0062] The processing unit 35 generates a first set containing the product information D1 acquired in step S31 or step S32 (S4).

[0063] If filter conditions are set (S5:YES), the processing unit 35 obtains product information D1 that satisfies the filter conditions (S61). More specifically, the processing unit 35 performs a filtering process and obtains one or more product information D1 that satisfies the filter conditions by referring to the attribute information database D2 based on the set filter conditions.

[0064] If no filter conditions are set (S5:NO), the processing unit 35 acquires all product information D1 (S62). In other words, the processing unit 35 acquires all of the multiple product information D1s.

[0065] The processing unit 35 generates a second set containing the product information D1 acquired in step S61 or step S62 (S7).

[0066] The processing unit 35 generates a candidate set from the first set generated in step S4 and the second set generated in step S7 (S8). The candidate set is the intersection of the first set and the second set. Then, the processing unit 35 displays the candidate set (S9). In this embodiment, the processing unit 35 displays a display screen for displaying the candidate set using the display device 221.

[0067] Next, we will explain an example of a display screen for showing a set of candidates.

[0068] Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram of display screen 100, which is the first example of a display screen by the information processing system 1.

[0069] The display screen 100 includes a search area 110 and a results display area 120. In Figure 5, the results display area 120 is the largest. The search area 110 is located above the results display area 120.

[0070] The search area 110 is an area for receiving input of search criteria for product information D1. The search area 110 includes a selection button 111, a search window 112, and first and second filter setting buttons 113 and 114.

[0071] The selection button 111 allows the user to select a search method for product information D1. Figure 6 is an enlarged explanatory diagram of a part of the display screen 100, which is the first example of the display screen. When the selection button 111 is selected, a list 115 for selecting a search method is displayed. The list 115 is, for example, a pull-down menu. The list 115 displays the search method options 115a, 115b, and 115c. In Figure 6, option 115a corresponds to keyword search processing and displays the string "keyword". Option 115b corresponds to search processing with a specified search range (search key). In Figure 6, option 115b corresponds to search processing with drawing ID specified as the search key and displays the string "drawing ID". The search key is not limited to drawing ID, but may also be drawing number, part name, serial number, material, etc. Option 115c corresponds to vector search processing and displays the string "similar search". The search method is not limited to the options shown in Figure 6. The selection button 111 displays the string corresponding to the selected option. In Figure 6, option 115a is selected, and the selection button 111 displays the string "keyword" corresponding to option 115a.

[0072] The search window 112 accepts, for example, a search query. The processing unit 35 executes a search process based on the search query entered in the search window 112.

[0073] The first and second filter setting buttons 113 and 114 are used to perform filtering. If either of the first or second filter setting buttons 113 or 114 is selected in the search area 110, the filter condition setting screen may be displayed. The filter condition may include a filter key, a filter value, and a condition. The filter key corresponds to the attribute name of the attribute information in product information D1. The filter value corresponds to the attribute value of the attribute information in product information D1. The condition means the condition that the value corresponding to the filter key should satisfy for the filter value.

[0074] Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram of the setting screen (first setting screen) 1130 corresponding to the first filter setting button 113. When the first filter setting button 113 is selected by the input device 21 in the search area 110, the first setting screen 1130 is displayed. The first setting screen 1130 may be displayed overlaid on the display screen 100 in Figure 5.

[0075] The first setting screen 1130 allows the setting of filter values ​​among the filter conditions. Therefore, the filter key and conditions are pre-set on the first setting screen 1130. In this embodiment, the filter key is the information type, and the condition is that the value corresponding to the filter key matches the filter value. In this embodiment, the first setting screen 1130 displays a selection of filter values. Examples of filter values ​​include drawing data, CAD data, quality inspection reports, design change notices, DR meeting minutes, defect reports, order history, and order history. The filter conditions are set by selecting a filter value on the first setting screen 1130. The processing unit 35 performs filtering based on the set filter conditions, extracts one or more product information D1 that satisfy the filter conditions from the multiple product information D1 stored in the storage device 34, and generates a second set based on the extracted one or more product information D1. Since the filter key and conditions are predetermined on the first setting screen 1130, the input of filter conditions can be simplified. The combination of filter keys and conditions on the first settings screen 1130 is preferably a combination of frequently used filter keys and conditions. Furthermore, the combination of filter keys and conditions on the first settings screen 1130 may be customized to the user's preferences. This allows the user to efficiently identify desired product information.

[0076] Figures 8 to 11 are explanatory diagrams of the setting screen (second setting screen 116) corresponding to the second filter setting button 114. When the second filter setting button 114 is selected by the input device 21 in the search area 110, the second setting screen 116 may be displayed overlaid on the display screen 100 in Figure 5.

[0077] As shown in Figure 8, the second setting screen 116 allows all settings of the filter conditions, including the filter key, filter value, and condition. In this embodiment, the second setting screen 116 has a key setting area 116a, a condition setting area 116b, a value setting area 116c, an add button 116d, and a cancel button 116e.

[0078] The key setting area 116a is an area for setting filter keys. Figure 9 shows the state in the second setting screen 116 where the key setting area 116a is selected. As shown in Figure 9, when the key setting area 116a is selected, a pull-down menu 1161 that displays filter key candidates may be displayed, for example. Filter keys are set based on the attribute information database D2, for example. In Figure 9, the following are displayed: product name, drawing number, revision, product code, material, surface treatment, heat treatment, mass, date, drafting, design, review, approval, model, reference drawing number, special characteristics, hierarchy, 3DCAD linking key, document number, and prohibited items. Examples of filter keys are not limited to those shown in Figure 9, but include information type, file name, creation date and time, creator, size (file size), project name, part name, serial number, dimensions, weight, units, drawing style, drawing release, delivery date, scale, remarks, customer, estimated maximum dimensions, etc., order history (currency, order quantity, unit price, drawing number, order date, supplier, number of orders, etc.), and order history (customer, unit price, quantity, order date, drawing number, number of orders, etc.).

[0079] The condition setting area 116b is an area for setting conditions. The condition setting area 116b becomes active (i.e., available) when a filter key is set by the key setting area 116a, and conditions can be set. Figure 10 shows the state in the second setting screen 116 where the condition setting area 116b is selected. In Figure 10, "Material" is set as the filter key by the key setting area 116a. As shown in Figure 10, when the condition setting area 116b is selected, a pull-down menu 1162 that displays candidate conditions may be displayed, for example. Conditions may include, but are not limited to, "contains", where the value corresponding to the filter key contains the filter value; "does not contain", where the value corresponding to the filter key does not contain the filter value; "is", where the value corresponding to the filter key is equal to the filter value; "is not", where the value corresponding to the filter key is not equal to the filter value; "is one of", where the value corresponding to the filter key is one of the filter values; and "is not one of", where the value corresponding to the filter key is not one of the filter values.

[0080] The value setting area 116c is an area for setting filter values. The value setting area 116c becomes active (i.e., available) when a condition is set in the condition setting area 116b, and it becomes possible to set filter values. The value setting area 116c accepts input of filter values ​​corresponding to the filter keys set in the key setting area 116a.

[0081] Figure 11 shows the state in the second settings screen 116 where a filter value has been entered in the value setting area 116c. In Figure 11, "Material" is set as the filter key in the key setting area 116a, "Contains" is set as the condition in the condition setting area 116b, and "SUS" is set as the filter value in the value setting area 116c. This means that the filter condition is "Material contains SUS".

[0082] The add button 116d is used to add filter conditions. The add button 116d displays the string "Add". The add button 116d becomes active (i.e., available) when filter conditions are set in the key setting area 116a, condition setting area 116b, and value setting area 116c, and the filtering process based on the set filter conditions can be executed. When the add button 116d is selected, the processing unit 35 executes the filtering process based on the set filter conditions.

[0083] The cancel button 116e is used to cancel the setting of filter conditions. The cancel button 116e displays the string "Cancel". When the cancel button 116e is selected, the settings made in the key setting area 116a, condition setting area 116b, and value setting area 116c are canceled, and the second setting screen 116 is closed.

[0084] In this way, user 10 can input search conditions using the search area 110, and the processing unit 35 can then execute a search process according to the search conditions to generate a candidate set of product information D1.

[0085] The result display area 120 is an area for displaying the candidate set of product information D1. In this embodiment, the result display area 120 displays general information about the product information D1 included in the candidate set, rather than a list of the product information D1 included in the candidate set. More specifically, the result display area 120 shown in Figure 5 displays multiple tiles 121 arranged in a grid. Each tile 121 shows general information about the product information D1.

[0086] Summary information is information for conveying an overview of product information D1 to user 10. In this embodiment, summary information includes a representative image showing the content of the corresponding product information D1. In Figure 5, tile 121 includes image area 121a, and image area 121a shows the representative image. The representative image is based on the image shown by the image data, for example, if product information D1 includes image data. The representative image is based on the image showing a specific page (e.g., the first page) of the document data, for example, if product information D1 includes document data.

[0087] In the results display area 120, tile 121 is displayed in a selectable format by the input device 21. When tile 121 is selected, the display transitions to a detailed view of the product information D1 corresponding to tile 121. In other words, the results display area 120 displays summary information of two or more product information D1 in a format selectable by the input device 21, and when summary information is selected by the input device 21, the results display area 120 displays detailed information of the product information D1 corresponding to the summary information selected by the input device 21.

[0088] Figures 12 to 15 are explanatory diagrams of display screen 101, which is a second example of a display screen by the information processing system 1.

[0089] The display screen 101 includes a search area 110 and a display area 130. In Figures 12 to 15, the display area 130 is the largest. The search area 110 is located above the display area 130.

[0090] The display area 130 includes the detail display area 131 and the result display area 132.

[0091] The detailed display area 131 displays detailed information for a specific product information D1. This detailed information is intended to inform the user 10 of the details of product information D1. A specific product information D1 can be selected in the results display area 120 of Figure 5. Alternatively, a specific product information D1 can be selected via the results display area 132.

[0092] The result display area 132 displays a specific product information D1 from two or more product information D1s in a format that can be selected by the input device 21. In this embodiment, the result display area 132 is located to the left of the display area 130. The result display area 132 displays tiles 132a, similar to the result display area 120 in Figure 5. The tiles 132a are arranged in a single row vertically. Each tile 132a may show a summary of the product information D1, similar to the tile 121 in the result display area 120. This makes it possible to change the specific product information D1 to be displayed in detail without returning to the display screen 100, even after transitioning from the display screen 100 to the display screen 101, improving usability and potentially improving work efficiency and quality.

[0093] Let's return to the description of the detailed display area 131. In this embodiment, the detailed display area 131 displays not only the detailed information of a specific product information D1, but also the detailed information of one or more other product information D1s associated with that specific product information D1. Specifically, the detailed display area 131 includes a plurality of individual display areas 133 (133-1 to 133-8, see Figures 12 to 15). The individual display areas 133 display the detailed information of the product information D1. For example, a specific product information D1 is drawing data, and this drawing data is associated with a plurality of other product information D1s, such as CAD data, quality inspection reports, design change notices, DR meeting minutes, defect reports, order records, and order records.

[0094] In the detailed display area 131, the detailed information of a specific product information D1, and the detailed information of one or more other product information D1s, i.e., multiple individual display areas 133 (133-1 to 133-8), are displayed by scrolling vertically in a predetermined order. As a result, the detailed information of a specific product information D1, and the detailed information of one or more other product information D1s, are displayed on a single screen without the need for screen transitions. In this embodiment, the detailed information of drawing data, CAD data, quality inspection reports, design change notices, DR meeting minutes, defect reports, order records, and order records are arranged vertically from top to bottom in this order.

[0095] In Figure 12, the detail display area 131 mainly shows the individual display area 133-1 corresponding to the detailed information of the product information D1 corresponding to the drawing data. The detailed information of the product information D1 corresponding to the drawing data may include a detailed image showing the content of the product information and supplementary information D3. The detailed image is based on the same image as the representative image used in the summary information, but the detailed image is enlarged compared to the representative image. In other words, the detailed image has higher visibility than the representative image, and the content of the image is easier to confirm. When enlarging or reducing the image, it is permissible to omit parts of the image as necessary. By default, it is preferable that the detailed image contains more information than the representative image. The individual display area 133-1 includes the first area 133a and the second area 133b. The first area 133a displays the detailed image. The second area 133b displays all or part of one or more items of the supplementary information D3. The second area 133b is located to the right of the first area 133a.

[0096] Scrolling down from Figure 12 to the detailed display area 131, as shown in Figure 13, the detailed display area 131 mainly shows individual display areas 133-2 corresponding to detailed information of product information D1 corresponding to CAD data. The detailed information of product information D1 corresponding to drawing data may include a detailed image showing the content of the product information and supplementary information D3. Individual display area 133-2 includes a first area 133a and a second area 133b. The first area 133a displays the detailed image. Here, it is preferable that the first area 133a displays an image based on CAD data as the detailed image, and it is preferable that the displayed product can be enlarged, reduced, and rotated within the first area 133a.

[0097] Scrolling down the detailed display area 131 from Figure 13, as shown in Figure 14, the detailed display area 131 mainly shows individual display areas 133-3, 133-4, 133-5, and 133-6 of product information D1 corresponding to quality inspection reports, design change notices, DR meeting minutes, and defect reports, respectively. Product information D1 corresponding to quality inspection reports, design change notices, DR meeting minutes, and defect reports are classified as document data, in particular document data. The detailed information of product information D1 corresponding to document data may include a detailed image showing the content of the product information and supplementary information D3. Individual display area 133-3 includes a first area 133a and a second area 133b. The first area 133a displays a detailed image. For individual display areas 133-4 to 133-6, the illustration of the first area 133a and the second area 133b is omitted.

[0098] Scrolling down from Figure 14 to the detailed display area 131, as shown in Figure 15, the detailed display area 131 mainly shows individual display areas 133-7 and 133-8 of product information D1 corresponding to order history and order history, respectively. Product information D1 corresponding to order history and order history is classified as document data, in particular, tabular data. Detailed information of product information D1 corresponding to tabular data includes tabular data that shows the contents of the product information. Tabular data shows the contents of the table shown by the tabular data. This makes it possible to check the contents of the table without changing screens. It is preferable that the tabular data can be copied or downloaded. Note that the detailed information of product information D1 corresponding to tabular data may also include supplementary information D3.

[0099] Thus, in the detailed view, the format of the detailed information may be determined according to the type of product information D1. This makes it easier to understand the content of product information D1, as detailed information corresponding to product information D1 is presented.

[0100] As described above, in the detailed display area 131, it is possible to sequentially display the individual display areas 133-1 to 133-8 by scrolling. However, if there are many individual display areas 133-1 to 133-8, or if the content of the individual display areas 133-1 to 133-8 is extensive, switching between the display of the individual display areas 133-1 to 133-8 by scrolling can become cumbersome. Therefore, the display area 130 further includes a type display area 134.

[0101] As shown in Figures 12 to 15, the type display area 134 is located above the detail display area 131. The type display area 134 displays the types of a specific product information D1 and one or more other product information D1 in a format selectable by the input device 21. The detail display area 131 displays detailed information of the product information D1 corresponding to the type selected by the input device 21 from among the specific product information D1 and one or more other product information D1. This enables faster switching of the display of individual display areas 133-1 to 133-8, allowing the user 10 to quickly access the desired individual display area.

[0102] In particular, in this embodiment, the type display area 134 is located above the detail display area and displays the types of a specific product information and one or more other product information in a predetermined order arranged horizontally. As shown in Figure 12, the type display area 134 includes tags 134a-1 to 134a-8 that indicate the types of a specific product information and one or more other product information, and the tags 134a-1 to 134a-8 are arranged from left to right in a predetermined order. Tags 134a-1 to 134a-8 correspond to drawing data, CAD data, quality inspection report, design change notification, DR meeting minutes, defect report, order history, and order history, respectively. As an example, as shown in Figure 12, if tag 134a-2 is selected by the input device 21 from a state where the individual display area 133-1 corresponding to the detailed information of product information D1 corresponding to drawing data is displayed, then, as shown in Figure 13, the individual display area 133-2 corresponding to the detailed information of product information D1 corresponding to CAD data will be displayed. This makes it easy to switch between individual display areas 133. Here, the predetermined order is the same as the order in which the detailed information of a specific product information D1 and the detailed information of one or more other product information D1s are arranged vertically in the detailed display area. This makes intuitive operation easier.

[0103] Figure 16 is an explanatory diagram of display screen 102, which is a third example of a display screen by the information processing system 1. Display screen 102 is specifically a screen for vector search. For example, it corresponds to the case when option 113c corresponding to similarity search is selected by the selection button 111 in the search area 110.

[0104] The display screen 102 includes a search area 110, a results display area 120, a selection area 140, and a search target display area 150. In Figure 16, the results display area 120 is the largest. The search area 110 is located above the results display area 120. The selection area 140 is located to the left of the results display area 120, and the search target display area 150 is located between the selection area 140 and the results display area 120.

[0105] The designated area 140 is an area for selecting the search target. In Figure 16, the designated area 140 displays multiple product information D1s in a format that allows the input device 21 to select the product information D1 to be searched. The designated area 140 displays tiles 141. The tiles 141 are arranged in a single row vertically. Each tile 141 may show a summary of the product information D1. The summary information may include a representative image.

[0106] The search target display area 150 displays the product information D1 selected in the designated area 140. In this embodiment, the search target display area 150 displays the detailed information of the product information D1 selected in the designated area 140, that is, the product information D1 to be searched. The detailed information is information to convey the details of product information D1 to the user 10. Similar to the detailed display area 131, the detailed information of product information D1 may include a detailed image showing the content of the product information and supplementary information D3. Specifically, the search target display area 150 includes a first area 151 and a second area 152. The first area 151 displays the detailed image. The second area 152 displays all or part of one or more items of supplementary information D3.

[0107] In Figure 16, the results display area 120 displays multiple tiles 121 arranged in a grid. Each tile 121 shows a summary of product information D1. In Figure 16, the summary information includes a representative image and supplementary information D3. More specifically, each tile 121 includes an image area 121a and an additional area 121b. The image area 121a shows the representative image. The additional area 121b displays all or part of one or more items of the supplementary information D3. Since the additional area 121b is usually smaller than the search target display area 150, less supplementary information D3 may be displayed in the additional area 121b than in the search target display area 150.

[0108] In the results display area 120, tile 121 is displayed in a selectable format by the input device 21. When tile 121 is selected, the display transitions to a detailed view of the product information D1 corresponding to tile 121. In other words, the results display area 120 displays summary information of two or more product information D1 in a format selectable by the input device 21, and when summary information is selected by the input device 21, the results display area 120 displays detailed information of the product information D1 corresponding to the summary information selected by the input device 21.

[0109] Figure 17 is an explanatory diagram of display screen 103, which is the fourth example of a display screen by the information processing system 1. When tile 121 is selected in the result display area 120 of Figure 16, the display screen switches from display screen 102 of Figure 16 to display screen 103 of Figure 17. Display screen 103 of Figure 17 corresponds to the detailed display of product information D1 that corresponds to tile 121.

[0110] The display screen 103 in Figure 17 includes a search area 110, a results display area 120, a selection area 140, a search target display area 150, and a detail display area 160. In Figure 17, the search area 110 is located at the top of the display screen 103. The selection area 140, the search target display area 150, the detail display area 160, and the results display area 120 are arranged from left to right in this order.

[0111] The result display area 120 in Figure 17 displays tiles 121. The tiles 121 are arranged in a single row vertically. In the result display area 120, the tiles 121 are displayed in a selectable format by the input device 21. Each tile 121 may show general information of product information D1. The tile 121 in Figure 17 has an image area 121a, but unlike the tile 121 in Figure 16, it does not have an additional area 121b. This is because the tile 121 in Figure 17 is smaller than the tile 121 in Figure 16, which would reduce the readability of the supplementary information D3 displayed in the additional area 121b. Of course, if readability is not an issue, the tile 121 in Figure 17 may also include an additional area 121B.

[0112] The detail display area 160 displays the product information D1 selected in the result display area 120. In this embodiment, the detail display area 160 displays detailed information of the product information D1 selected in the result display area 120. The detailed information is information for informing the user 10 of the details of product information D1. Similar to the case of the detail display area 131, the detailed information of product information D1 may include a detailed image showing the content of the product information and supplementary information D3. Specifically, the detail display area 160 includes a first area 161 and a second area 162. The first area 161 displays the detailed image. The second area 162 displays all or part of one or more items of the supplementary information D3.

[0113] In Figure 17, the search target display area 150 and the detail display area 160 are displayed side by side. Furthermore, the first area 151 and the second area 152 of the search target display area 150 are displayed side by side, as are the first area 161 and the second area 162 of the detail display area 160. This makes it easy to compare the product information D1 displayed in the search target display area 150 with the product information D1 displayed in the detail display area 160.

[0114] [1.2 Effects, etc.] The information processing system 1 described above includes a processing unit 35 connected to an input device 21 and a display device 221, and which can access a storage device 34 that stores multiple product information D1. The storage device 34 stores an attribute information database D2 of the multiple product information D1, and the attribute information database D2 contains the information types of the multiple product information D1. The processing unit 35 performs a search process that generates a candidate set from the multiple product information D1 based on input from the input device 21, and a display process that displays a display screen for displaying the candidate set using the display device 221. The search process includes a search process that generates a first set of one or more product information D1 that satisfies the search query from the multiple product information D1 based on the search query entered by the input device 21, and a filtering process that generates a second set of one or more product information D1 that satisfies the filter conditions by referring to the attribute information database D2 based on the filter conditions set by the input device 21. The candidate set is the intersection of the first set and the second set. This configuration enables the user to efficiently identify and acquire the desired product information D1.

[0115] In the information processing system 1, the storage device 34 stores a linking table D4 that shows the links between product information D1 contained in multiple product information D1s, and in the search and retrieval process, the linked product information D1s are treated as a single unit. This configuration improves the likelihood that the user can obtain the desired product information D1.

[0116] In the information processing system 1, the storage device 34 contains one or more pieces of supplementary information D3 related to one or more of the product information D1s, and in the search and retrieval process, the product information D1 is treated together with the supplementary information D3 related to that product information D1. This configuration improves the likelihood that the user can obtain the desired product information D1.

[0117] In the information processing system 1, the supplementary information D3 includes character information generated based on the corresponding product information D1 and / or another product information D1 linked to the corresponding product information D1. This configuration improves the likelihood that the user can obtain the desired product information D1.

[0118] In the information processing system 1, the search and retrieval process includes at least one of a keyword search process, a vector search process, and a query search process. This configuration improves the likelihood that the user can obtain the desired product information D1.

[0119] In the information processing system 1, the attribute information database D2 contains product attribute information relating to products represented by multiple product information D1s. This configuration improves the likelihood that a user can obtain the desired product information D1.

[0120] In the information processing system 1, the display screen shows summary information of product information D1 included in the candidate set, and the summary information includes a representative image showing the content of the corresponding product information D1. This configuration facilitates user 10's determination of whether product information D1 is the desired product information D1.

[0121] In the information processing system 1, the storage device 34 contains one or more pieces of supplementary information D3 relating to one or more of the product information D1s among a plurality of product information D1s, and the summary information includes at least a portion of the supplementary information D3 relating to the corresponding product information D1. This configuration facilitates the user 10's determination of whether the product information D1 is the desired product information D1.

[0122] The information processing method described above is executed by a processing device 35 connected to an input device 21 and a display device 221, and which has access to a storage device 34 that stores multiple product information D1s. The storage device 34 stores an attribute information database D2 of the multiple product information D1s, and the attribute information database D2 contains the information types of the multiple product information D1s. The information processing method includes a search process that generates a candidate set from multiple product information D1s based on input from the input device 21, and a display process that displays a display screen for displaying the candidate set using the display device 221. The search process includes a search process that generates a first set of one or more product information D1s that satisfy the search query from multiple product information D1s based on the search query entered by the input device 21, and a filtering process that generates a second set of one or more product information D1s that satisfy the filter conditions from the attribute information database D2 based on the filter conditions set by the input device 21. The candidate set is the intersection of the first set and the second set. This configuration enables the user to efficiently identify and acquire the desired product information D1.

[0123] The program PG1 described above is a program that causes the processing unit 35 to execute the above-described information processing method. This configuration enables the user to efficiently identify and acquire the desired product information D1.

[0124] [2. Variant] The embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to those described above. The embodiments can be modified in various ways depending on the design, etc., as long as the objectives of this disclosure can be achieved. The following lists some modifications of the embodiments. The modifications described below can be combined and applied as appropriate.

[0125] Figure 18 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a display screen (display screen 104) of an information processing system in one modified form. Display screen 104 in Figure 18 includes a search area 110 and a result display area 120, similar to display screen 100.

[0126] The results display area 120 displays summary information of the product information D1 included in the candidate set. More specifically, the results display area 120 shown in Figure 18 displays multiple tiles 121 (121-1, 121-2) arranged in a grid. Each tile 121 shows summary information of product information D1.

[0127] Tile 121-1 has an image area 121a, an additional area 121b, and an annotation area 121c.

[0128] Annotation area 121c indicates why the corresponding product information D1 is included in the candidate set. In other words, annotation area 121c indicates why product information D1 matches the search criteria entered in search area 110. In Figure 18, in search area 110, the keyword search process is selected using the selection button 111, and "defective" is entered as the search query in the search window 112. Annotation area 121c shows the string "Read: Defective," indicating that the string "defective" was read from product information D1.

[0129] In the summary information displayed by tile 121-1, the section corresponding to the search query is highlighted. In Figure 18, the string "defective" 122a and 122b, which correspond to the search query, are highlighted in the image area 121a and annotation area 121c of tile 121-1. If the string "defective" is also present in the additional area 121b, this string "defective" will also be highlighted.

[0130] In this way, the section corresponding to the search query may be highlighted in the summary information. This configuration makes it easier for user 10 to determine whether product information D1 is the desired product information D1.

[0131] Figure 19 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a display screen (display screen 105) of an information processing system in a modified form.

[0132] The display screen 105 includes a search area 110, a results display area 120, and a filtering area 170.

[0133] The filtering area 170 is an area that accepts input for filtering. In particular, the filtering area 170 facilitates the setting of filter conditions using multiple combinations of filter keys (attribute names) and filter values ​​(attribute values). In other words, the filtering area 170 can be said to be an area for performing so-called facet navigation.

[0134] In Figure 19, the filtering area 170 has multiple setting areas 171 (171-1, 171-2). Each setting area 171 has a key display area 171a and a value setting area 171b. The key display area 171a is for displaying the filter key. The key display area 171a of setting area 171-1 displays the string "File Type", which corresponds to the information type. The key display area 171a of setting area 171-2 displays the string "Project", which corresponds to the project name. The value setting area 171b is for setting the filter value. The value setting area 171b displays a list of filter values ​​corresponding to the setting area 171. For convenience, the number of product information D1 corresponding to each filter value may be displayed for each filter value.

[0135] The processing unit 35 performs filtering based on the filter conditions set in the narrowing area 170, extracts one or more product information D1 that satisfy the filter conditions from the multiple product information D1 stored in the storage device 34, and generates a second set based on the one or more extracted product information D1. As a result, the tiles 121 of the product information D1 included in the updated candidate set according to the generated second set are displayed in the result display area 120.

[0136] In one modified example, the representative image may be based on the portion of the corresponding product information D1 that is relevant to the search query. This configuration facilitates user 10's determination of whether product information D1 is the desired product information D1. For example, if product information D1 includes document data, the representative image may be an image of the page in the document data that is relevant to the search query. The page relevant to the search query may be the page containing the string indicated by the search query. In other words, the representative image may be an image of the portion of product information D1 that is most relevant to the search query.

[0137] In one modified example, the timing of the generation of the first and second sets may be changed as appropriate. For example, in the flowchart of Figure 4, the determination of whether there is a search query (S2) is performed before the determination of whether there is a filter condition (S3), but this can be swapped, or the corresponding processing (search process, filtering process) may be performed in the order in which the search query or filter condition is input.

[0138] In one modified example, the storage device 34 does not necessarily need to include the supplementary information D3.

[0139] In one modified example, the storage device 34 does not necessarily need to include the association table D4.

[0140] In one modified example, the information processing device 3 may be implemented as a system including multiple servers, etc. It is not essential that the multiple functions (components) of the information processing device 3 are consolidated within a single enclosure; the components of the information processing device 3 may be distributed across multiple enclosures. Furthermore, at least some of the functions of the information processing device 3, for example, some of the functions of the processing device 35, may be implemented by the cloud (cloud computing), etc. The information processing system 1 does not necessarily need to have a terminal device 2; the information processing device 3 may also serve as the terminal device 2.

[0141] [3. Appearance] As will be apparent from the above embodiments and modifications, this disclosure includes the following aspects.

[0142] [Aspect 1] It is connected to an input device and a display device, and includes a processing unit that can access a storage device that stores multiple product information, The storage device stores the attribute information database of the multiple product information, The attribute information database includes the information types of the multiple product information, The aforementioned processing apparatus is A search process that generates a set of candidate information from the plurality of product information based on the input from the input device, The display device performs a display process that displays a display screen for displaying the candidate set, Execute, The aforementioned search process is: A search process that generates a first set of one or more product information items that satisfy the search query from the plurality of product information items based on the search query input by the input device, A filtering process that generates a second set of one or more product information items that satisfy the filter conditions by referring to the attribute information database based on the filter conditions set by the input device, Includes, The aforementioned candidate set is the intersection of the first set and the second set. Information processing system.

[0143] [Aspect 2] The storage device stores a linking table that shows the links between the product information included in the plurality of product information, In the aforementioned search and retrieval process, linked product information is treated as a single unit. Information processing system of type 1.

[0144] [Aspect 3] The storage device includes one or more pieces of supplementary information relating to one or more of the product information from the plurality of product information, In the aforementioned search and retrieval process, product information is treated as a single entity along with any related supplementary information concerning that product information. An information processing system of type 1 or 2.

[0145] [Aspect 4] The aforementioned supplementary information includes textual information generated based on the corresponding product information and / or other product information linked to the corresponding product information. Information processing system of type 3.

[0146] [Aspect 5] The aforementioned search and retrieval process includes at least one of a keyword search process, a vector search process, and a question search process. An information processing system of any one of the four embodiments (1 to 4).

[0147] [Aspect 6] The attribute information database includes product attribute information relating to the products represented by the plurality of product information. An information processing system according to any one of the embodiments 1 to 5.

[0148] [Aspect 7] The aforementioned display screen displays summary information of the product information included in the candidate set. The aforementioned summary information includes a representative image showing the content of the corresponding product information. An information processing system according to any one of the embodiments 1 to 6.

[0149] [Aspect 8] The storage device includes one or more pieces of supplementary information relating to one or more of the product information from the plurality of product information, The aforementioned summary information includes at least a portion of the supplementary information relating to the corresponding product information. Information processing system of aspect 7.

[0150] [Aspect 9] In the summary information, the section corresponding to the search query is highlighted. An information processing system according to embodiment 7 or 8.

[0151] [Aspect 10] The aforementioned representative image is based on the portion of the corresponding product information related to the search query. An information processing system according to any one of the embodiments 7 to 9.

[0152] [Aspect 11] An information processing method performed by a processing device connected to an input device and a display device, and capable of accessing a storage device that stores multiple product information, The storage device stores the attribute information database of the multiple product information, The attribute information database includes the information types of the multiple product information, The aforementioned information processing method is: A search process that generates a set of candidate information from the plurality of product information based on the input from the input device, The display device performs a display process that displays a display screen for displaying the candidate set, Includes, The aforementioned search process is: A search process that generates a first set of one or more product information items that satisfy the search query from the plurality of product information items based on the search query input by the input device, A filtering process that generates a second set of one or more product information items that satisfy the filter conditions by referring to the attribute information database based on the filter conditions set by the input device, Includes, The aforementioned candidate set is the intersection of the first set and the second set. Information processing methods.

[0153] [Aspect 12] To cause the processing device to execute the information processing method described in embodiment 11, program.

[0154] Appearances 2-10 are optional elements and are not required. Appearances 2-10 can be combined with Appearance 111 as appropriate. [Industrial applicability]

[0155] This disclosure is applicable to information processing systems, information processing methods, and programs. Specifically, this disclosure is applicable to information processing systems, information processing methods, and programs intended for the retrieval and presentation of product information. [Explanation of symbols]

[0156] 1. Information Processing System 21 Input device 221 Display device 34 Storage device 35 Processing Unit D1 Product Information D2 Attribute Information Database D3 Additional Information PG1 Program

Claims

1. It is connected to an input device and a display device, and includes a processing unit that can access a storage device that stores multiple product information, The storage device stores the attribute information database of the multiple product information, The attribute information database includes the information types of the multiple product information, The aforementioned processing apparatus is A search process that generates a set of candidate information from the plurality of product information based on the input from the input device, The display device performs a display process that displays a display screen for displaying the candidate set, Execute, The aforementioned search process is: A search process that generates a first set of one or more product information items that satisfy the search query from the plurality of product information items based on the search query input by the input device, A filtering process that generates a second set of one or more product information items that satisfy the filter conditions by referring to the attribute information database based on the filter conditions set by the input device, Includes, The aforementioned candidate set is the intersection of the first set and the second set. Information processing system.

2. The storage device stores a linking table that shows the links between the product information included in the plurality of product information, In the aforementioned search and retrieval process, linked product information is treated as a single unit. The information processing system according to claim 1.

3. The storage device includes one or more pieces of supplementary information relating to one or more of the product information from the plurality of product information, In the aforementioned search and retrieval process, product information is treated as a single entity along with any related supplementary information concerning that product information. The information processing system according to claim 1.

4. The aforementioned supplementary information includes text information generated based on the corresponding product information and / or other product information linked to the corresponding product information. The information processing system according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned search and retrieval process includes at least one of a keyword search process, a vector search process, and a question search process. The information processing system according to claim 1.

6. The attribute information database includes product attribute information relating to the products represented by the plurality of product information, The information processing system according to claim 1.

7. The aforementioned display screen displays summary information of the product information included in the candidate set. The aforementioned summary information includes a representative image showing the content of the corresponding product information. The information processing system according to claim 1.

8. The storage device includes one or more pieces of supplementary information relating to one or more of the product information from the plurality of product information, The aforementioned summary information includes at least a portion of the supplementary information relating to the corresponding product information. The information processing system of claim 7.

9. In the summary information, the section corresponding to the search query is highlighted. The information processing system of claim 7.

10. The aforementioned representative image is based on the portion of the corresponding product information related to the search query. The information processing system of claim 7.

11. An information processing method performed by a processing device connected to an input device and a display device, and capable of accessing a storage device that stores multiple product information, The storage device stores the attribute information database of the multiple product information, The attribute information database includes the information types of the multiple product information, The aforementioned information processing method is A search process that generates a set of candidate information from the plurality of product information based on the input from the input device, The display device performs a display process that displays a display screen for displaying the candidate set, Includes, The aforementioned search process is: A search process that generates a first set of one or more product information items that satisfy the search query from the plurality of product information items based on the search query input by the input device, A filtering process that generates a second set of one or more product information items that satisfy the filter conditions from the attribute information database based on the filter conditions set by the input device, Includes, The aforementioned candidate set is the intersection of the first set and the second set. Information processing methods.

12. To cause the processing device to execute the information processing method described in claim 11, program.

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