Information Processing for Reliable Carbon Footprint Calculation

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a demand for a system that can automatically calculate and display the carbon footprint (CFP) of products throughout their life cycle, including direct and indirect emissions, to facilitate transparency and accountability in greenhouse gas emissions.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus that calculates CO2 emission amounts using data from various sources, including product-related, peripheral, and secondary data sources, and evaluates the reliability of this data to provide accurate emission values.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If multiple data sources (primary, similarity, secondary) are utilized to calculate CO2 emissions, then calculation precision is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveCO2 emission calculation precisionVSAvoiddata source integration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the data acquisition system into three distinct data sources: primary data sources (direct product data), similarity data sources (comparable product data), and secondary data sources (industry average data). Each data source is processed through separate calculation paths with different reliability weights, allowing the system to maintain high precision while managing complexity through modular data handling

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a reliability calculation module that acts as an intermediary between the multiple data sources and the final CO2 emission result. This module evaluates the reliability of each data source and assigns appropriate weights, mediating the integration of diverse data types while maintaining calculation accuracy and providing transparency in the calculation process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If reliability evaluation is performed based on data type, then result reliability is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemission data reliabilityVSAvoidcalculation processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary classification of data sources into primary, similarity, and secondary categories before the actual CO2 calculation. By pre-establishing the reliability hierarchy and processing preferences for each data type, the system avoids time-consuming reliability assessments during the main calculation process, thus maintaining both high reliability and efficient processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the reliability parameter based on the data source type, assigning higher reliability weights to primary data and lower weights to secondary data. This parameter adjustment allows the system to quickly determine the appropriate level of processing for each data source, balancing reliability requirements with processing efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4621696A1Information processing apparatus, information processing method and storage medium
Publication Date: 2025.09.24 KK TOSHIBA
  • EP4621696A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4621696A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4621696A1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

According to an arrangement, an information processing apparatus (10) includes a processor (101). The processor (101) is configured to output the CO2 emission amount of a first product calculated by applying data acquired from a data source to a calculation formula prepared in advance, and a reliability calculated based on the type of data applied to the calculation formula.