Supply Chain Traceability Data Collection System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems face challenges in collecting and integrating information on traceability items such as carbon footprint and recycling rates for products within a supply chain, leading to difficulties in determining the overall value of traceability for target products due to incomplete registration of data by suppliers.

Innovation Solution

An information processing device and method that identifies unregistered products in the supply chain and notifies downstream suppliers to request upstream suppliers to register traceability information, using inventory data as substitutes when necessary, to facilitate the collection and integration of traceability data across the supply chain.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If suppliers manually register traceability information for each incorporated product, then data accuracy is improved, but the workload and time required for data collection increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraceability information accuracyVSAvoiddata collection time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically identifying unregistered incorporated products and generating notification information before manual registration occurs. The notification system proactively contacts upstream suppliers, eliminating the need for lengthy manual data collection processes and reducing overall data collection time while maintaining accuracy requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The notification system acts as an intermediary between the target product manufacturer and upstream suppliers. It automatically generates and transmits registration requests, reducing the time burden on both parties while ensuring that accurate traceability information is collected through structured notification processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the system waits for all suppliers to voluntarily register traceability information, then data completeness may be achieved, but the traceability determination process is delayed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraceability data completenessVSAvoidtraceability determination speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by automatically notifying upstream suppliers when their incorporated products are identified as unregistered. This feedback loop accelerates the registration process by immediately alerting responsible parties, ensuring data completeness is achieved faster through active communication rather than passive waiting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The notification system performs preliminary actions by identifying and contacting suppliers before the traceability determination process completes. This proactive approach ensures that missing data is addressed in advance, maintaining reliability while significantly improving productivity by preventing delays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the system notifies multiple levels of suppliers in the supply chain, then traceability coverage is improved, but the complexity of the notification process increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraceability coverageVSAvoidnotification system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The notification system segments the supply chain into distinct levels (target product manufacturer, intermediate suppliers, upstream suppliers) and handles notifications appropriately for each segment. This segmentation maintains comprehensive traceability coverage while managing complexity by treating different supplier levels as separate, manageable units with specific notification protocols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4443354A1Information processing device, information processing method, and information processing system
Publication Date: 2024.10.09 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP4443354A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4443354A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4443354A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

When an unregistered product that is an incorporated product for which information on a predetermined traceability item is not registered in product information stored in a storage device (12, 22) is present, an information processing device identifies a second supplier positioned immediately downstream of a first supplier of the unregistered product in a supply chain defined by a plurality of suppliers. The information processing device notifies the second supplier to request the first supplier to register the information on the predetermined traceability item about the unregistered product in the product information.