Traceability Evaluation System for Supply Chain Compliance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems fail to effectively promote improvement in traceability items for target products that have not achieved predetermined target values, particularly in complex supply chains where ensuring traceability of carbon footprint, recycling rates, and due diligence is crucial, and existing technologies lack a systematic approach to identify and address deficiencies in included products.

Innovation Solution

An information processing device and method that acquires product information from included products, determines if predetermined target values for traceability items are met, and outputs improvement requests to suppliers, prioritizing products based on their impact and position in the supply chain, ensuring that upstream products with significant influence are addressed first.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If product information is collected from all included products in a complex supply chain, then traceability coverage is improved, but system complexity and data processing burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraceability coverageVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the complex supply chain into hierarchical levels (target product, included products, and their respective included products). The evaluation unit divides traceability evaluation into stages: first evaluating included products at the current level, then proceeding to included products of included products. This segmentation allows comprehensive traceability coverage while managing system complexity through structured, modular evaluation processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to traceability evaluation, organizing products into multiple levels (target product → included products → included products of included products). This dimensional structure transforms the complex flat supply chain network into a manageable hierarchical system, enabling systematic evaluation while maintaining comprehensive coverage.

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

2Reliability

If improvement requests are sent to all suppliers of included products, then traceability improvement coverage is improved, but communication overhead and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraceability improvement coverageVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by sending improvement requests selectively rather than universally. The notification unit evaluates each included product's traceability evaluation result and sends improvement requests only to suppliers of products that require improvement. This localized approach ensures comprehensive improvement coverage while minimizing unnecessary communication overhead and processing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements partial action by sending improvement requests to only those suppliers whose products require traceability improvement, rather than notifying all suppliers. This selective notification approach maintains adequate improvement coverage while reducing processing time and communication overhead by excluding suppliers whose products already meet traceability requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If traceability evaluation is performed on all included products including included products of included products, then evaluation completeness is improved, but computational load increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevaluation completenessVSAvoidcomputational load
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the traceability evaluation process into hierarchical stages: first evaluating included products of the target product, then evaluating included products of those included products, and so on. The evaluation unit processes products level by level, completing evaluation of one level before proceeding to the next. This segmented approach ensures complete evaluation coverage while managing computational load through structured, incremental processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by evaluating and storing traceability information of included products before using that information to evaluate the target product. The evaluation unit first computes traceability evaluation results for included products, stores them in the database, and then uses these pre-computed results to evaluate the target product. This preliminary evaluation approach ensures complete evaluation coverage while reducing redundant computations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4443356A1Information processing device, information processing method, and information processing system
Publication Date: 2024.10.09 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP4443356A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4443356A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4443356A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

An information processing device (1) determines whether a predetermined target value regarding a predetermined traceability item has been achieved based on information regarding the predetermined traceability item included in product information regarding each of a plurality of included products included in the target product. In addition, when a determination is made that the predetermined target value regarding the predetermined traceability item has not been achieved, the information processing device (1) specifies at least one first product required to be improved regarding the predetermined traceability item from among the included products. Then, the information processing device (1) outputs an improvement request for the predetermined traceability item for the first product.