Information processing systems, information processing methods, programs

Abstract

The information processing system includes a processing unit (35) that can access a storage device (34) which stores a plurality of product information (D1) including a first product information (D11) and a second product information (D12) that are different from each other. The processing unit (35) obtains first key information based on first analysis information obtained by analysis processing of the first product information (D11), and stores in the storage device (34) a linking result indicating that the first product information (D11) is linked to the second product information (D12) if the first key information and the second product information (D12) satisfy predetermined conditions.

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 a 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 use one or multiple types of multiple product information related to the context simultaneously. 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 the management of different product information by linking them together based on their content. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The information processing system relating to one aspect of this disclosure is A processing device is provided that can access a storage device that stores multiple product information, including first product information and second product information, which are all different from each other. The processing unit is First key information is obtained based on the first analysis information obtained through the analysis process on the first product information. If the first key information and the second product information satisfy predetermined conditions, the linking result indicating that the first product information is linked to the second product information is stored in the storage device.

[0012] The information processing method relating to one aspect of this disclosure is: An information processing method performed by a processing device that can access a storage device storing multiple product information, including first product information and second product information, which are all different from each other, Based on the first analysis information obtained through the analysis of the first product information, the first key information is acquired. The system confirms that the first key information and the second product information meet predetermined conditions, and stores the linking result, indicating that the first product information is linked to the second product information, in the storage device.

[0013] A program according to one aspect of this disclosure is a program that causes a processing device to execute the information processing method described above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The aspects of this disclosure enable the management of different product information by linking them together based on their content. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] Block diagram of an information processing system according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] Block diagram of a terminal device for an information processing system according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] Block diagram of the processing unit of an information processing system according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] A flowchart of an example of the process for generating key information in an information processing system according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] A flowchart illustrating an example of the process of linking product information in an information processing system according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] An explanatory diagram of an example of a display screen from an information processing system according to one embodiment. [Figure 7]Explanatory drawing of an example of a display screen by an information processing system according to an embodiment [Figure 8] Explanatory drawing of an example of a display screen by an information processing system according to an embodiment [Figure 9] Explanatory drawing of an example of a display screen by an information processing system according to an embodiment [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0016] [1. Embodiment] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate. However, the following embodiments are examples for explaining the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the present disclosure to the following contents (for example, the shape, dimensions, arrangement, etc. of each component). The positional relationships such as up, down, left, and right are based on the positional relationships shown in the drawings unless otherwise specified. Each drawing described in the following embodiments is a schematic drawing, and the ratios of the sizes and thicknesses of each component in each drawing do not necessarily reflect the actual dimensional ratios. Also, the dimensional ratios of each element are not limited to the ratios shown in the drawings.

[0017] In the following description, when it is necessary to distinguish between a plurality of components from each other, prefixes such as "first", "second", etc. are attached to the names of the components. However, when the components can be distinguished from each other by the reference numerals attached to the components, the prefixes such as "first", "second", etc. may be omitted in consideration of the readability of the text.

[0018] In the following description, when it is necessary to distinguish between a plurality of components from each other, suffixes such as "-1", "-2", etc. are attached to the reference numerals of the components. However, when it is not necessary to distinguish between a plurality of components, the suffixes such as "-1", "-2", etc. may be omitted in consideration of the readability of the text.

[0019] [1.1 Configuration] 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 the management of multiple product information items by linking (associating) them with each other based on their content. 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 has the function of linking different product information together.

[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 indicates that it contains program PG1, multiple product information D1, key information master D2, key information table D3, linking master D4, linking table D5, and supplementary information D6. Program PG1, multiple product information D1, key information master D2, key information table D3, linking master D4, linking table D5, and supplementary information D6 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 required by the processing device 35. Note that the storage device 34 may store multiple product information D1 and multiple supplementary information D6.

[0038] When executed by the processing unit 35, program PG1 includes a program that causes the processing unit 35 to perform a process (linking process) to link different product information together. Program PG1 may also include a program that, if necessary, causes the display screen for user 10 to identify and obtain desired product information to be displayed on the display device 221 of the terminal device 2 (presentation 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 product information include product design information. Design information is, for example, information necessary for manufacturing a 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, attribute information such as dimensions or weight, design intent, requirements, design process information, and information on the manufacturing method (information on assembly sequence and processes, etc.). If the required values ​​of the characteristics of the product's shape are given, it is possible to identify the shape of a product that satisfies the required values. 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 processing unit 35 links different product information D1s together. For example, the processing unit 35 associates one product information D1 (first product information D11) with another product information D1 (second product information D12). Here, examples of other 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, different 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, and can also be associated with other types of product information for the same product A.

[0043] Key information can be used to link different product information D1s. Key information is generated using product information D1. Next, the generation of key information will be explained with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a flowchart of an example of the key information generation process in information processing system 1.

[0044] First, the product information D1 to be used for key information generation is determined (S11). The product information D1 to be used for key information generation may be determined by the user, or it may be automatically determined from product information D1 for which key information has not yet been generated. For example, when new product information D1 is input using terminal device 2, the processing unit 35 of information processing device 3 may determine the new product information D1 as the product information D1 to be used for key information generation.

[0045] Next, information elements are extracted from product information D1 (S12). The information elements are extracted from product information D1 and include at least one of text elements and graphic elements. The information elements can be obtained by parsing product information D1. The parsing process is one that corresponds 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 parsing process may include image data parsing, document data parsing, and audio data parsing.

[0046] Image data analysis processing is performed to extract information elements from image data. Here, the content of the image data may include both illustrative elements that visually represent the shape of an object and textual elements. In addition to the illustrative part (image) that visually represents the shape of an object, the illustrative elements may also include auxiliary parts (image elements attached to the image) that are combined with the illustrative part to indicate product information. Auxiliary parts may include, for example, dimension lines, auxiliary lines, dimension values, and graphic symbols that indicate processing or specifications. Therefore, image data analysis processing may include both text recognition processing and image recognition processing.

[0047] Character recognition processing extracts character data representing character elements from image data. Character recognition processing can be performed using well-known character recognition technologies such as optical character recognition (OCR). For product information D1, character recognition processing may be performed using a dedicated internal dictionary (for example, an internal dictionary specialized for the manufacturing industry or user organization). Here, character elements may be arranged in a table, in which case it is preferable to generate structured data that also represents the visual table structure in the data. Structured data is data in which attributes and values ​​are linked and can take the form of a table structure. For example, even if character elements are arranged in a table format, when character recognition technology is used, they can be extracted as comma-separated character data (in this case, text data) such as "···,drawing number,1234,part name,block,···". Such character data is unstructured data. Therefore, when character elements are arranged in a table format, it is preferable to convert the character data into tabular data, that is, structured data. An example of structured data in this case would be data like "...,key":"drawing number","value":"1234","key":"part name":"value":"block",...". This allows data to be stored in a tabular format, making it easy to extract data flexibly and accurately using SQL statements, as well as keyword searches. Specifically, structured data can be obtained by analyzing recognized character data using methods such as templates (e.g., templates corresponding to tables) or pre-trained models such as large-scale language models. Character data obtained through character recognition processing (text data, numerical data, date data, etc.) or structured data obtained by analyzing character data (structured character data) can be included in information elements.

[0048] Image recognition processing extracts graphic elements from image data. Image recognition processing can be performed using well-known image recognition techniques (e.g., image recognition using convolutional neural networks). As mentioned above, graphic elements may include not only the graphic part that visually represents the shape of an object, but also auxiliary parts (dimensions, graphic symbols, etc.) that are combined with the visual representation of the object's shape by the graphic part. The content indicated by the graphic part, whether visual representation data or feature data (vector data) obtained by analyzing the visual representation data, can be included as an information element as a graphic element. The content indicated by the auxiliary part can be combined with the graphic part to extract text data indicating product information, then structured as needed, and included as an information element as a text element. For example, if the auxiliary part is a graphic symbol, the meaning indicated by the graphic symbol (e.g., continuous welding with a welding length of 30 mm) can be obtained. If the auxiliary part is the dimensions of each part of the product, the text content (e.g., processing category of the target object, processing process) can be obtained. To acquire the auxiliary data, not only image recognition technologies such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs) can be used, but also large-scale language models, deep learning, and combinations of machine learning and large-scale language models can be employed.

[0049] Document data analysis processing includes the process of extracting text data from document data. This extraction can be achieved using conventionally known methods. The text data obtained through document data analysis processing may be included as character elements within information elements. If the document data includes tabular data, the text data may be structured to maintain the original tabular format.

[0050] The speech data analysis process includes the process of converting speech data into text data. The process of converting speech data into text data can be achieved by conventionally known processes. For example, the speech data analysis process may be either a segmentation process or an end-to-end process. For example, the segmentation process may include multiple sub-processes, such as pre-processing (noise reduction, volume normalization, etc.), feature extraction, phoneme conversion using an acoustic model, word and sentence estimation using a language model, and text output. For example, the end-to-end process can be performed using an automatic speech recognition model (such as Wav2Vec or Whisper). The text data obtained by the speech data analysis process may be included in information elements as character elements.

[0051] The analysis process may include metadata extraction as needed. The metadata extraction process includes extracting metadata from product information D1. Examples of metadata include the file name, creation date and time, creator, and size (file size) for product information D1. Metadata may be included as text elements within the information elements.

[0052] The analysis process is not limited to the examples above, and may be configured to perform appropriate processing according to the nature of the data to be registered, such as video data, CAD data, and structured data with table structures. Furthermore, the analysis process may also include data formatting. Data formatting may include processes such as converting document data containing similar content into their respective unified formats, removing duplicates within the data, and supplementing incomplete data.

[0053] Next, analysis information is generated from the information elements extracted from product information D1 (S13). In this embodiment, the analysis information is preferably structured data. As an example, the analysis information is data in a format that includes item names (also called keys or field names) and values. Examples of analysis information include "key": "drawing number", "value": "1234" and "key": "part name": "value": "block". One or more analysis information can be obtained from product information D1.

[0054] Next, key information is generated from the analysis information (S14). Key information is structured data obtained by normalizing the notation of the analysis information. In particular, key information is data in a format that includes item names and values. The item names of the key information are obtained by normalizing the notation of the item names of the analysis information. Normalization here is a process to improve consistency and analytical accuracy by unifying identical concepts into a single standard notation. Key information master D2 is used for normalization. Key information master D2 defines the rules for normalization. Key information master D2 shows the correspondence between the item names of the analysis information and the normalized item names (item names of the key information). The correspondence can be set for each type of information in product information D1.

[0055] Table 1 below shows an example of key information master D2. In Table 1, "file_type" indicates the information type of product information D1, "key_name" indicates the item name of the key information, and "key_type" indicates the item name of the analysis information.

[0056] [Table 1]

[0057] For example, if the information type (file_type) of product information D1 is "drawing" and the analysis information includes the item name (key_type) "drawing number" and the value "1234", then the key information will include the item name (key_name) "drawing number" and the value "1234". For example, if the information type (file_type) of product information D1 is "drawing" and the analysis information includes the item name (key_type) "welding presence / absence and flatness" and the value "0.02", then the key information will include the item name (key_name) "accuracy" and the value "0.02".

[0058] By editing the key information master D2 as needed, it becomes possible to change the correspondence between analysis information and key information.

[0059] In this way, key information can be obtained from product information D1. Depending on the content of product information D1, one or more key information can be obtained from a single product information D1. The key information obtained from product information D1 can be linked to product information D1 and stored in key information table D3. In this embodiment, the information type of product information D1 is also linked to product information D1.

[0060] Table 2 below shows an example of key information table D3. In Table 1, "file_id" indicates the unique identification information for product information D1, "file_type" indicates the information type of product information D1, "key_name" indicates the item name of the key information, and "key_value" indicates the value of the key information. In Table 2 below, the key information is represented by "key_name" and "key_value".

[0061] [Table 2]

[0062] Table 2 shows that product information D1, which is assigned the identification information "dr0000abcd", is associated with four key pieces of information: key information ("key_name": "drawing number", "key_value": "abc-1234-2401"), key information ("key_name": "product name", "key_value": "bracket"), key information ("key_name": "material", "key_value": "SUS304"), and key information ("key_name": "customer name", "key_value": "Kato Sangyo Co., Ltd.").

[0063] The processing unit 35 uses the key information obtained in this way to link different product information D1s together. Next, the linking of different product information D1s using key information will be explained with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 is a flowchart of an example of the process of linking product information D1s together in the information processing system 1.

[0064] First, the processing unit 35 determines the first product information D11 (S21). The first product information D11 is, for example, the product information D1 to be newly linked from among multiple product information D1s. The first product information D11 may be pre-registered in the storage device 34, or it may be newly input by the terminal device 2 for the purpose of linking and registered in the storage device 34.

[0065] Next, the processing unit 35 acquires the first key information (S22). The first key information is the key information obtained from the first product information D11, that is, the key information based on the first analysis information obtained by the analysis process of the first product information D11. The first key information may be registered in the key information table D3 in advance, or if it is not registered in the key information table D3, it may be newly generated.

[0066] Next, the processing unit 35 determines the second product information D12 (S23). The second product information D12 is, for example, a product information D1 from among multiple product information D1s that is different from the first product information D11, and is a product information D1 that is a candidate for association with the first product information D11. The second product information D12 may be selected from multiple product information D1s in a predetermined order (for example, in the order of the identification information of the product information D1s).

[0067] The processing unit 35 stores in the storage device 34 a linking result indicating that the first product information D11 is linked to the second product information D12, when the first key information and the second product information D12 satisfy predetermined conditions.

[0068] The specified conditions include the condition that the first key information and the second key information are identical or similar. Here, the second key information is the key information obtained from the second product information D12, that is, the key information based on the second analysis information obtained by the analysis process of the second product information D12.

[0069] Whether the first key information and the second key information are identical or similar may be determined based on (1) whether the item name of the second key information corresponds to the item name of the first key information, and (2) whether the value of the first key information and the value of the second key information are identical or similar.

[0070] In this embodiment, the criterion for determining whether the first key information and the second key information are identical or similar is set by the linking master D4.

[0071] The linking master D4 defines the rules for linking different product information D1s. In this embodiment, the linking master D4 is a mapping table that shows the correspondence between the item names of the first key information and the item names of the second key information. In particular, the linking master D4 shows the correspondence between the information type of the first product information D11 and the item names of the first key information and the information type of the second product information D12 and the item names of the second key information. Furthermore, the linking master D4 includes rules for determining whether the values ​​of the first key information and the second key information in the mapping are the same or similar.

[0072] Table 3 below shows an example of a linked master D4. "file_type_from" indicates the information type of the first product information D11, "key_name_from" indicates the item name of the first key information, "file_type_to" indicates the information type of the second product information D12, and "key_name_to" indicates the item name of the second key information. "is_key_set" is usually set to "1". When "is_key_set" is "1", it means that if there is second key information for the item name corresponding to the item name of the first key information, the linking will be performed based on whether the value of the first key information and the value of the second key information are the same or similar. Therefore, if there is no second key information for the item name corresponding to the item name of the first key information, the linking will not be performed. However, there are cases where you want to perform the linking even if there is no second key information for the item name corresponding to the item name of the first key information. In that case, "is_key_set" is set to "0". If "is_key_set" is "0", it indicates that even if there is no second key information with the same item name as the first key information, the linking will be performed based on whether the information corresponding to the first key information exists in the second product information D12. "relation_rule" indicates the determination rule. In Table 3, "exact match" is shown as the determination rule, but it is not limited to this. For example, if the value of the first key information is a number, the determination rule may be based on comparison of magnitude, whether the difference is within a certain range, or ratio / magnification. If the value of the first key information is a string, the determination rule may be based on partial match, prefix match, suffix match, or similarity, in addition to exact match. If the value of the first key information is a date or time, the determination rule may be based on context, whether it is within the same period, or whether the time difference is within a threshold.

[0073] [Table 3]

[0074] In the example in Table 3, when the information type of the first product information D11 is "drawing", the item name of the first key information in the first product information D11 is "drawing number", and the information type of the second product information D12 is "CAD", it is shown that the item name of the second key information corresponding to the item name "drawing number" in the first key information is "ID". In this case, since "is_key_set" is "1", if there is second key information with an item name corresponding to the item name of the first key information, it is determined whether the value of the first key information and the value of the second key information are the same or similar according to the determination rule specified by "relation_rule" (in this case, an exact match).

[0075] Furthermore, in the example in Table 3, if the information type of the first product information D11 is "drawing," the item name of the first key information in the first product information D11 is "drawing number," and the information type of the second product information D12 is "defect report," then it is shown that the item name of the second key information corresponding to the item name "drawing number" of the first key information is "drawing number." In this case, "is_key_set" can be both "1" and "0." In other words, if there is second key information with an item name corresponding to the item name of the first key information, it is determined whether the value of the first key information and the value of the second key information are identical or similar according to the judgment rule specified by "relation_rule" (in this case, exact match). On the other hand, if there is no second key information with an item name corresponding to the item name of the first key information, it is determined whether the information corresponding to the first key information exists in the second product information D12 according to the judgment rule specified by "relation_rule" (in this case, exact match).

[0076] By editing the linking master D4 as needed, it becomes possible to change how different product information D1s are linked.

[0077] Referring again to Figure 5, the linking process using the linking master D4 will be explained. After step S23, the processing unit 35 determines whether the second product information D12 contains second key information corresponding to the first key information (S24). Whether or not there is second key information corresponding to the first key information is determined using the linking master D4. The linking master D4 shows the correspondence between the combination of the information type of the first product information D11 and the item name of the first key information and the combination of the information type of the second product information D12 and the item name of the second key information. Therefore, the item name of the second key information corresponding to the first key information can be identified from the information type of the first product information D11, the item name of the first key information and the information type of the second product information D12.

[0078] In step S24, if there is a second key information corresponding to the first key information (S24; YES), the processing unit 35 determines whether the determination rule ("relation_rule") defined in the linking master D4 is satisfied (S24). For example, if the determination rule is an exact match, then if the value of the first key information and the value of the second key information are an exact match, the first key information and the second key information are considered identical or similar, and it is determined that the first key information and the second product information satisfy the predetermined conditions. Otherwise, the first key information and the second key information are not considered identical or similar, and it is determined that the first key information and the second product information do not satisfy the predetermined conditions.

[0079] In step S25, if the determination rule is met (S25; YES), the processing unit 35 stores the linking result indicating that the first product information D11 is linked to the second product information D12 in the storage device 34 (S26).

[0080] In step S25, if the determination rule is not met (S25; NO), the process returns to step S23, and a different product information D1 is newly determined as the second product information D12.

[0081] In step S24, if there is no second key information corresponding to the first key information (S24; NO), the processing unit 35 determines whether it is permissible to perform the linking based on whether the information corresponding to the first key information exists in the second product information D12, even if there is no second key information with an item name corresponding to the item name of the first key information (S27). In the linking master D4, if there are only records where "is_key_set" is "1" for the association between the combination of the information type of the first product information D11 and the item name of the first key information and the combination of the information type of the second product information D12 and the item name of the second key information, such linking is not permitted. However, if there are records where "is_key_set" is "0", such linking is permitted.

[0082] In step S27, if the association is not permitted (S27; NO), the process returns to step S23, and a different product information D1 is newly determined as the second product information D12.

[0083] In step S27, if linking is permitted (S27; YES), the processing unit 35 determines whether the determination rule ("relation_rule") defined in the linking master D4 is satisfied (S28). For example, if the determination rule is an exact match, the processing unit 35 determines, under the condition of an exact match, whether the information corresponding to the first key information exists in the second product information D12. Here, whether the information corresponding to the first key information exists in the second product information D12 may be determined based on a second information element extracted from the second product information D12, which includes at least one of a character element and a graphic element. For example, if the second information element contains the same information as the information indicated by the combination of item name and value of the first key information, or if it is contained in the second analysis information based on the second information element, it may be determined that the information corresponding to the first key information exists in the second product information D12. For example, if the first key information has an item name of figure number and a value of 43, the information corresponding to the first key information is that the figure number is 43. If the second information element or second analysis information contains the information that the figure number is 43, then it can be said that the information corresponding to the first key information exists in the second product information D12.

[0084] In step S28, if the determination rule is met (S28; YES), the processing unit 35 stores the linking result indicating that the first product information D11 is linked to the second product information D12 in the storage device 34 (S26).

[0085] If the determination rule is not met in step S28 (S28; NO), the process returns to step S23, and a different product information D1 is newly determined as the second product information D12.

[0086] In this way, when the first key information and the second product information D12 satisfy predetermined conditions, the linking result indicating that the first product information D11 is linked to the second product information D12 is stored in the storage device 34.

[0087] The linking table D5 shows the linking results. Table 4 below shows an example of the linking table D5. In Table 4, "file_id_from" indicates the identification information of the first product information D11, "file_type_from" indicates the information type of the first product information D11, "key_name_from" indicates the item name of the first key information of the first product information D11, "file_id_to" indicates the identification information of the second product information D12, "file_type_to" indicates the information type of the second product information D12, and "key_name_to" indicates the item name of the second key information. Note that "key_name_to" being "none" indicates that the linking was not performed using the second key information, but rather based on whether the information corresponding to the first key information exists in the second product information D12. Each record in Table 4 corresponds to a linking result that shows that the first product information D11 is linked to the second product information D12.

[0088] [Table 4]

[0089] In the example in Table 4, the first record shows that product information D1, whose information type is "Drawing" and identified by the identification information "dr0000abcd", is linked to product information D1, whose information type is "CAD" and identified by the identification information "ca000efgh", which has the key information "ID", by the key information "Drawing number". The third record also shows that product information D1, whose information type is "Drawing" and identified by the identification information "dr0000abcd", is linked to product information D1, whose information type is "Drawing" and identified by the identification information "dr0000opqr", which has the key information "Precision", by the key information "Precision".

[0090] Supplementary information D6 is information relating to a specific (or corresponding) product information D1. For example, supplementary information D6 may include a specific (or corresponding) product information D1 and / or textual information derived from the specific product information D1.

[0091] Supplementary information D6 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.).

[0092] Supplementary information D6 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 D6 is generated for product information D1. Supplementary information D6 can be used as supplementary information for user 10 to understand the content of product information D1.

[0093] The information processing system 1 described above enables the management of different product information D1 by linking them together based on their content using the linking table D5. For example, the processing unit 35 can display multiple product information D1 in relation to each other based on the linking results of the linking table D5. Furthermore, the processing unit 35 can expand the search target of product information D1 based on the linking results of the linking table D5. As a result, the user 10 can easily grasp the linked product information D1 and efficiently identify and acquire the desired product information.

[0094] Figures 6 to 9 are explanatory diagrams of display screen 100, which is an example of a display screen by the information processing system 1.

[0095] The display screen 100 includes a display area 110 and a search area 120. In Figure 6, the display area 110 is the largest. The search area 120 is located above the display area 110.

[0096] The display area 110 displays product information D1 individually. In other words, the display area 110 displays detailed information of a specific product information D1 from among multiple product information D1s stored in the storage device 34. The display area 110 includes a detailed display area 111 and a designated area 112.

[0097] The detailed display area 111 displays detailed information for a specific product information D1. The detailed information is intended to inform the user 10 of the details of product information D1. A specific product information D1 can be selected using the selection area 112.

[0098] The designated area 112 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 designated area 112 is located to the left of the display area 110. The designated area 112 displays tiles 112a. The tiles 112a are arranged in a single row vertically. Each tile 112a may show summary information of the product information D1. The summary information is information for conveying an overview of the product information D1 to the user 10. In this embodiment, the summary information may include a first image showing the content of the product information and supplementary information D6. The first image is based on the image shown by the image data if the product information D1 includes image data. The first image is based on the image showing a specific page (e.g., the first page) of the document data if the product information D1 includes document data. The tile 112a includes a first area and a second area. The first area displays the first image. The second area displays all or part of one or more items of the supplementary information D6. Normally, due to the size limitations of tile 112a, only some, and not all, of the one or more items in supplementary information D6 are displayed in the second area.

[0099] Let's return to the explanation of the detailed display area 111. In this embodiment, the detailed display area 111 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 linked to that specific product information D1, based on the linking results of the linking table D5. Specifically, the detailed display area 111 includes a plurality of individual display areas 113 (113-1 to 113-8, see Figures 6 to 9). The individual display areas 113 display the detailed information of product information D1. For example, a specific product information D1 is drawing data, and this drawing data is linked to a plurality of other product information D1s, including CAD data, quality inspection reports, design change notices, DR meeting minutes, defect reports, order records, and order records.

[0100] In the detailed display area 111, 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 113 (113-1 to 113-8), 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.

[0101] In Figure 6, the detail display area 111 mainly shows the individual display area 113-1 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 second image showing the content of the product information and supplementary information D6. The second image is based on the same image as the first image used in tile 112a, but the second image is enlarged compared to the first image. In other words, the second image has higher visibility than the first 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 second image contains more information than the first image. The individual display area 113-1 includes the first area 113a and the second area 113b. The first area 113a displays the second image. The second area 113b displays all or part of one or more items of the supplementary information D6. Since the second area 113b is usually larger than the second area of ​​tile 112a, more supplementary information D6 may be displayed in the second area 113b than in the thumbnail view. The second area 113b is located to the right of the first area 113a.

[0102] Scrolling down the detailed display area 111 from Figure 6, as shown in Figure 7, the detailed display area 111 mainly shows individual display areas 113-2 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 second image showing the content of the product information and supplementary information D6. Individual display area 113-2 includes a first area 113a and a second area 113b. The first area 113a displays the second image. Here, it is preferable that the first area 113a displays an image based on CAD data as the second image, and it is preferable that the displayed product can be enlarged, reduced, and rotated within the first area 113a.

[0103] Scrolling down the detailed display area 111 from Figure 7, as shown in Figure 8, the detailed display area 111 mainly shows individual display areas 113-3, 113-4, 113-5, and 113-6 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. Detailed information of product information D1 corresponding to document data may include a second image showing the content of the product information and supplementary information D6. Individual display area 113-3 includes a first area 113a and a second area 113b. The first area 113a displays the second image. For individual display areas 113-4 to 113-6, the illustration of the first area 113a and the second area 113b is omitted.

[0104] Scrolling down the detailed display area 111 from Figure 8, as shown in Figure 9, the detailed display area 111 mainly shows individual display areas 113-7 and 113-8 of product information D1 corresponding to order history and sales history, respectively. Product information D1 corresponding to order history and sales history is classified as document data, particularly tabular data. Detailed information of product information D1 corresponding to tabular data includes tabular data showing 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 D6.

[0105] 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.

[0106] As described above, in the detailed display area 111, it is possible to sequentially display the individual display areas 113-1 to 113-8 by scrolling. However, if there are many individual display areas 113-1 to 113-8, or if the content of the individual display areas 113-1 to 113-8 is extensive, switching between the display of the individual display areas 113-1 to 113-8 by scrolling can become cumbersome. Therefore, the display area 110 further includes a type display area 114.

[0107] As shown in Figures 6 to 9, the type display area 114 is located above the detail display area 111. The type display area 114 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 111 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 113-1 to 113-8, allowing the user 10 to quickly access the desired individual display area.

[0108] In particular, in this embodiment, the type display area 114 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 6, the type display area 114 includes tags 114a-1 to 114a-8 that indicate the types of a specific product information and one or more other product information, and the tags 114a-1 to 114a-8 are arranged from left to right in a predetermined order. Tags 114a-1 to 114a-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 6, if tag 114a-2 is selected by the input device 21 from a state where the individual display area 113-1 corresponding to the detailed information of product information D1 corresponding to drawing data is displayed, then, as shown in Figure 7, the individual display area 113-2 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 113. 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.

[0109] The search area 120 is an area for performing a search of product information D1. The search area 120 has a search window 121. When a search word is entered into the search window 131, one or more product information D1 that matches the search word may be extracted from multiple product information D1 stored in the storage device 34. One or more product information D1 extracted from multiple product information D1 become the population of product information D1 displayed in the specified area 112. In other words, the specified area 112 may only display summary information of product information D1 that matches the search conditions entered in the search area 120. Here, when performing a search based on a search word, a function may be provided to search for all linked product information D1 based on the linking results of the linking table D5. In other words, the search range of the search word may be extended not only to a certain product information D1, but also to other product information D1 linked to this product information D1. In this case, if the entire set of linked product information D1 matches the search term, the linked product information D1 will be included in the population of product information D1 displayed in the designated area 112. This makes it easier for users to find the desired product information D1, and is expected to improve work efficiency.

[0110] [1.2 Effects, etc.] The information processing system 1 described above includes a processing unit 35 that can access a storage device 34 that stores multiple product information D1s, including two different first product information D11 and second product information D12. The processing unit 35 acquires first key information based on first analysis information obtained through analysis processing of the first product information D11, and stores a linking result in the storage device 34 indicating that the first product information D11 is linked to the second product information D12 when the first key information and the second product information D12 satisfy predetermined conditions. This configuration makes it possible to manage different product information D1s by linking them together based on their content.

[0111] In the information processing system 1, the first analysis information is structured data based on a first information element extracted from the first product information D11, which includes at least one of a character element and a graphic element. This configuration enables improved accuracy in linking different product information D1s.

[0112] In information processing system 1, the first key information is structured data obtained by normalizing the notation of the first analysis information. This configuration enables improved accuracy in linking different product information D1.

[0113] In the information processing system 1, each of the first analysis information and the first key information is data in a format that includes an item name and a value, and the item name of the first key information is obtained by normalizing the notation of the item name of the first analysis information. This configuration enables improved accuracy in linking different product information D1.

[0114] In the information processing system 1, the processing unit 35 acquires second key information based on second analysis information obtained through analysis processing of second product information D12, and the predetermined conditions include the condition that the first key information and the second key information are the same or similar. This configuration enables improved accuracy in linking different product information D1s.

[0115] In the information processing system 1, the second analysis information is structured data based on a second information element extracted from the second product information D12, which includes at least one of a character element and a graphic element. This configuration enables improved accuracy in linking different product information D1s.

[0116] In information processing system 1, the second key information is structured data obtained by normalizing the notation of the second analysis information. This configuration enables improved accuracy in linking different product information D1.

[0117] In the information processing system 1, each of the second analysis information and the second key information is data in a format that includes an item name and a value, and the item name of the second key information is obtained by normalizing the notation of the item name of the second analysis information. This configuration enables improved accuracy in linking different product information D1.

[0118] In the information processing system 1, each of the first key information and the second key information is data in a format that includes an item name and a value. Whether the first key information and the second key information are identical or similar is determined based on whether the item name of the second key information corresponds to the item name of the first key information, and whether the value of the first key information and the value of the second key information are identical or similar. This configuration enables improved accuracy in linking different product information D1.

[0119] In the information processing system 1, the storage device 34 stores a mapping table that shows the correspondence between the information type of the first product information D11 and the item name of the first key information, and the combination of the information type of the second product information D12 and the item name of the second key information. The processing device 35 uses the mapping table to determine the item name of the second key information that corresponds to the item name of the first key information, based on the information type of the first product information D11, the item name of the first key information, and the information type of the second product information D12. This configuration makes it easy to manage the rules for linking between product information D1.

[0120] In the information processing system 1, the mapping table includes a determination rule for determining whether the value of the first key information and the value of the second key information in the mapping are the same or similar, and the processing unit 35 determines whether the value of the first key information and the value of the second key information are the same or similar according to the determination rule. This configuration makes it easy to manage the rules for linking between product information D1.

[0121] In the information processing system 1, the predetermined conditions include the condition that information corresponding to the first key information exists within the second product information D12. This configuration enables the linking of the first product information D11 and the second product information D12 even without the second key information.

[0122] In the information processing system 1, the processing unit 35 determines whether information corresponding to the first key information exists in the second product information D12 based on a second information element extracted from the second product information D12, which includes at least one of a character element and a graphic element. This configuration enables improved accuracy in linking the first product information D11 and the second product information D12.

[0123] The information processing method described above is performed by a processing device 35 that can access a storage device 34 storing multiple product information D1s, including two different first product information D11 and second product information D12. The processing device acquires first key information based on first analysis information obtained by analyzing the first product information D11, confirms that the first key information and the second product information D12 satisfy predetermined conditions, and stores a linking result in the storage device 34 indicating that the first product information D11 is linked to the second product information D12. This configuration makes it possible to manage different product information D1s by linking them together based on their content.

[0124] The program PG1 described above is a program that causes the processing unit 35 to execute the information processing method described above. This configuration makes it possible to manage different product information D1 by linking them together based on their content.

[0125] [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.

[0126] In one modified example, the format of the analysis information and key information is not limited to items and values, but may also include other elements.

[0127] In one modified example, when generating key information from the analysis information, it is not necessarily required to use the key information master D2; a generation AI or other rule-based processing may be employed.

[0128] In one variation, the type of information in product information D1 is not essential when associating the first key information with the second key information.

[0129] In one variation, the first product information D11 may be linked to only a part of the second product information D12, not all of it. For example, if the second product information D12 is tabular data, the first product information D11 may be linked to the entire table represented by the second product information D12, or it may be linked to each record in the table represented by the second product information D12. For example, the first product information D11 may be linked to the part of the second product information D12 that is related to the first product information D11.

[0130] In one modified example, the timing of the linking process is not particularly limited. The linking process may be performed at any time when user 10 performs an operation such as registering, searching, or extracting product information D1. Furthermore, since it is expected that the time required for the linking process will increase as the number of product information D1 items increases, the linking process may be performed over time, thereby reducing the load on the processing unit 35.

[0131] In one variation, supplementary information D6 is not necessarily required.

[0132] 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.

[0133] [3. Appearance] As will be apparent from the above embodiments and modifications, this disclosure includes the following aspects.

[0134] [Aspect 1] A processing device is provided that can access a storage device that stores multiple product information, including first product information and second product information, which are all different from each other. The aforementioned processing apparatus is Based on the first analysis information obtained through the analysis process on the first product information, first key information is acquired. When the first key information and the second product information satisfy predetermined conditions, the storage device stores a linking result indicating that the first product information is linked to the second product information. Information processing system.

[0135] [Aspect 2] The first analysis information is structured data based on a first information element, which is extracted from the first product information and includes at least one of a text element and an illustration element. Information processing system of type 1.

[0136] [Aspect 3] The aforementioned first key information is structured data obtained by normalizing the notation of the aforementioned first analysis information. Information processing system of type 2.

[0137] [Aspect 4] Each of the above-mentioned first analysis information and the above-mentioned first key information is data in a format that includes an item name and a value. The item names of the aforementioned first key information are obtained by normalizing the notation of the item names of the aforementioned first analysis information. Information processing system of type 3.

[0138] [Aspect 5] The processing device acquires second key information based on the second analysis information obtained by the analysis processing of the second product information, The aforementioned predetermined conditions include the condition that the first key information and the second key information are identical or similar. An information processing system of any one of the four embodiments (1 to 4).

[0139] [Aspect 6] The second analysis information is structured data based on a second information element extracted from the second product information, which includes at least one of a text element and an illustration element. Information processing system of type 5.

[0140] [Aspect 7] The aforementioned second key information is structured data obtained by normalizing the notation of the aforementioned second analysis information. Information processing system of aspect 6.

[0141] [Aspect 8] Each of the above-mentioned second analysis information and the above-mentioned second key information is data in a format that includes an item name and a value. The item names of the aforementioned second key information are obtained by normalizing the notation of the item names of the aforementioned second analysis information. Information processing system of aspect 7.

[0142] [Aspect 9] Each of the above-mentioned first key information and the above-mentioned second key information is data in a format that includes an item name and a value, Whether the first key information and the second key information are identical or similar is determined by: Whether the item name of the second key information corresponds to the item name of the first key information, and Whether the first key information value and the second key information value are the same or similar, Determined based on, An information processing system of any one of the embodiments 5 to 8.

[0143] [Aspect 10] The storage device stores a mapping table that shows the correspondence between the information type of the first product information and the item name of the first key information and the combination of the information type of the second product information and the item name of the second key information. The processing device uses the mapping table to determine the item name of the second key information that corresponds to the item name of the first key information, based on the information type of the first product information, the item name of the first key information, and the information type of the second product information. Information processing system of type 9. [Aspect 11] The aforementioned mapping table includes a determination rule for determining whether the value of the first key information and the value of the second key information in the mapping are the same or similar. The processing device determines, according to the determination rule, whether the value of the first key information and the value of the second key information are the same or similar. Information processing system of aspect 10.

[0144] [Aspect 12] The aforementioned predetermined conditions include the condition that information corresponding to the first key information exists within the second product information. An information processing system of any one of the embodiments 1 to 11.

[0145] [Aspect 13] The processing device determines whether information corresponding to the first key information exists in the second product information based on a second information element extracted from the second product information, which includes at least one of a character element and an illustration element. Information processing system of aspect 12.

[0146] [Aspect 14] An information processing method performed by a processing device that can access a storage device storing multiple product information, including first product information and second product information, which are all different from each other, Based on the first analysis information obtained by analyzing the first product information, first key information is acquired. The first key information and the second product information are confirmed to satisfy predetermined conditions, and the linking result indicating that the first product information is linked to the second product information is stored in the storage device. Information processing methods.

[0147] [Aspect 15] To cause the information processing device described in embodiment 14 to execute the processing device, program.

[0148] Appearances 2-13 are optional elements and not required. Appearances 2-13 can be combined with Appearance 14 as appropriate. [Industrial applicability]

[0149] 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 management of product information. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0150] 1. Information Processing System 34 Storage device 35 Processing Unit D1 Product Information D11 1st product information D12 Second Product Information PG1 Program

Claims

1. The system includes a processing device that can access a storage device that stores multiple product information, including first and second product information, which are all different from each other. The aforementioned processing apparatus is First key information is obtained based on the first analysis information obtained by the analysis process on the first product information, When the first key information and the second product information satisfy predetermined conditions, the linking result indicating that the first product information is linked to the second product information is stored in the storage device. The first analysis information is structured data based on a first information element extracted from the first product information, which includes at least one of a text element and an illustration element. The first key information is structured data obtained by normalizing the notation of the first analysis information. Each of the above-mentioned first analysis information and the above-mentioned first key information is data in a format that includes an item name and a value, The item names of the first key information are obtained by normalizing the notation of the item names of the first analysis information. Information processing system.

2. A processing device that can access a storage device that stores a plurality of product information including first product information and second product information which are different from each other, The aforementioned processing apparatus is The first key information is based on the first analysis information obtained by the analysis process on the first product information, The second key information is based on the second analysis information obtained by the analysis process on the second product information, Obtain, When the first key information and the second product information satisfy predetermined conditions, the linking result indicating that the first product information is linked to the second product information is stored in the storage device. The aforementioned predetermined conditions include the condition that the first key information and the second key information are identical or similar. The second analysis information is structured data based on a second information element, which is extracted from the second product information and includes at least one of a text element and an illustration element. The aforementioned second key information is structured data obtained by normalizing the notation of the aforementioned second analysis information. Each of the above-mentioned second analysis information and the above-mentioned second key information is data in a format that includes an item name and a value. The item names of the second key information are obtained by normalizing the notation of the item names of the second analysis information. Information processing system.

3. A processing device that can access a storage device that stores a plurality of product information including first product information and second product information which are different from each other, The aforementioned processing apparatus is The first key information is based on the first analysis information obtained by the analysis process on the first product information, The second key information is based on the second analysis information obtained by the analysis process on the second product information, Obtain, When the first key information and the second product information satisfy predetermined conditions, the linking result indicating that the first product information is linked to the second product information is stored in the storage device. The aforementioned predetermined conditions include the condition that the first key information and the second key information are identical or similar. Each of the first key information and the second key information is data in a format that includes an item name and a value. Whether the first key information and the second key information are identical or similar is determined by: Whether the item name of the second key information corresponds to the item name of the first key information, and Whether the first key information value and the second key information value are the same or similar, Determined based on, Information processing system.

4. The storage device stores a mapping table that shows the correspondence between the information type of the first product information and the item name of the first key information and the combination of the information type of the second product information and the item name of the second key information. The processing device uses the mapping table to determine the item name of the second key information that corresponds to the item name of the first key information, based on the information type of the first product information, the item name of the first key information, and the information type of the second product information. The information processing system according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned mapping table includes a determination rule for determining whether the value of the first key information and the value of the second key information in the mapping are the same or similar. The processing device determines, according to the determination rule, whether the value of the first key information and the value of the second key information are the same or similar. The information processing system according to claim 4.

6. The aforementioned predetermined conditions include the condition that information corresponding to the first key information exists within the second product information. The information processing system according to claim 1.

7. The processing device determines whether information corresponding to the first key information exists in the second product information based on a second information element extracted from the second product information, which includes at least one of a character element and a graphic element. The information processing system according to claim 6.

8. An information processing method performed by a processing device that can access a storage device storing a plurality of product information, including first product information and second product information, which are all different from each other, Based on the first analysis information obtained by analyzing the first product information, first key information is acquired. The first key information and the second product information are confirmed to satisfy predetermined conditions, and the linking result indicating that the first product information is linked to the second product information is stored in the storage device. The first analysis information is structured data based on a first information element extracted from the first product information, which includes at least one of a text element and an illustration element. The first key information is structured data obtained by normalizing the notation of the first analysis information. Each of the above-mentioned first analysis information and the above-mentioned first key information is data in a format that includes an item name and a value, The item names of the first key information are obtained by normalizing the notation of the item names of the first analysis information. Information processing methods.

9. An information processing method performed by a processing device that can access a storage device storing a plurality of product information including first product information and second product information that are different from each other, Based on the first analysis information obtained by analyzing the first product information, first key information is acquired. Based on the second analysis information obtained through the analysis of the second product information, a second key information is acquired. The first key information and the second product information are confirmed to satisfy predetermined conditions, and the linking result indicating that the first product information is linked to the second product information is stored in the storage device. The aforementioned predetermined conditions include the condition that the first key information and the second key information are identical or similar. The second analysis information is structured data based on a second information element, which is extracted from the second product information and includes at least one of a text element and an illustration element. The aforementioned second key information is structured data obtained by normalizing the notation of the aforementioned second analysis information. Each of the above-mentioned second analysis information and the above-mentioned second key information is data in a format that includes an item name and a value. The item names of the second key information are obtained by normalizing the notation of the item names of the second analysis information. Information processing methods.

10. An information processing method performed by a processing device that can access a storage device storing a plurality of product information including first product information and second product information that are different from each other, Based on the first analysis information obtained by analyzing the first product information, first key information is acquired. Based on the second analysis information obtained through the analysis of the second product information, a second key information is acquired. The first key information and the second product information are confirmed to satisfy predetermined conditions, and the linking result indicating that the first product information is linked to the second product information is stored in the storage device. The aforementioned predetermined conditions include the condition that the first key information and the second key information are identical or similar. Each of the first key information and the second key information is data in a format that includes an item name and a value. Whether the first key information and the second key information are identical or similar is determined by: Whether the item name of the second key information corresponds to the item name of the first key information, and Whether the first key information value and the second key information value are the same or similar, Determined based on, Information processing methods.

11. To cause the processing device to execute the information processing method described in any one of claims 8 to 10, program.

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