Material Search Support for Carbon-Neutral Blend Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems fail to consider multiple factors contributing to carbon neutrality when searching for appropriate biobased materials for product production.

Innovation Solution

A material search support device that acquires product information from the internet, estimates material blending ratios and specific information using a trained estimation model, and calculates environmental impact indicators to support the search for carbon-neutral materials.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a salesperson manually searches for materials using reference books and experience, then material selection can be performed, but the process is time-consuming and lacks precision

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial selection precisionVSAvoidmaterial search time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical search process (flipping through reference books, comparing specifications physically) with an automated computer-based system that uses databases and algorithms to retrieve and analyze material data, thereby eliminating time loss while maintaining or improving precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a digital copy of material data from physical reference books into a structured database format, allowing rapid retrieval and comparison without physically handling books, thus reducing search time while preserving material selection accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If a salesperson uses knowledge and experience to determine material suitability, then material recommendations can be provided, but the consistency and reliability vary

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial recommendation reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the system learns from usage patterns and refines its recommendations, ensuring consistent and reliable material suggestions based on accumulated data rather than variable human experience

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal database system that serves multiple functions (storage, retrieval, analysis, recommendation) in one integrated platform, reducing the need for multiple separate tools while improving reliability through centralized data management

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If detailed material data is stored in physical reference books, then comprehensive information is available, but retrieval and comparison are inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial data retrieval efficiencyVSAvoidmaterial data accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces physical reference book retrieval with digital database queries, allowing instantaneous access to material data and efficient comparison across multiple materials simultaneously, thereby improving productivity without losing information

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms two-dimensional physical book pages into multi-dimensional digital data structures that can be searched, filtered, and compared from multiple angles simultaneously, enhancing both retrieval efficiency and information accessibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4693126A1Material search support device, method, and program
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 RESONAC CORP
  • EP4693126A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4693126A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4693126A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A material search support device: acquires product information collected from documents on the internet for each of a plurality of products, the product information including basic configuration information of the products, blending ratios of materials included in the products, and specific information including at least one of physical properties of the products, biomass content of the products, and process conditions during use of the products; estimates one or more candidates for material blending ratios and specific information with respect to the basic configuration information of a designated product using an estimation model trained to estimate material blending ratios and specific information with respect to the basic configuration information of the products based on the acquired product information; calculates, for each of the estimated candidates, environmental impact indicators based on the material blending ratios and the specific information represented by each of the candidates; and outputs support information that associates each of the candidates with the environmental impact indicators calculated by the calculation unit.