JP2010020617A - Design example retrieval device, and design example retrieval program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a design example retrieval device and program capable of providing as a design plan past design example data corresponding to a specific design case, and helping an unskilled designer efficiently acquire design knowledge by providing other past design example data related to the design plan. <P>SOLUTION: A primary retrieval is performed for retrieving, from within a design example database, design record data corresponding to requirement specification record data meeting specifications based on requirement specification input data (S4); a representative is selected as a design plan from the content of the design record data obtained through the primary retrieval, according to a predetermined selection rule (S6); requirement specification record data corresponding to other design record data having the same value as the selected representative is retrieved from within the design example database (S11); and respective retrieval results and the representative are output together (S14). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention searches a design case database in which the required specification actual data and the design actual data representing the implementation of the design are associated with each design example of the past product based on the input data of the required specification of the product. , A design case search apparatus for outputting the search results, and a program thereof.

In the material industry such as the steel product manufacturing industry, design work is performed to determine the contents of various design items related to product manufacture based on the required product specifications from customers.
In addition, the company stores information on many past design cases by skilled workers. Therefore, in many cases, design for new orders can be handled by combining the contents of design items in a plurality of past design cases. In this case, for each design item, reference may be made to past design cases in which the content of the requirement item having a strong causal relationship with the design item is the same or similar.
Therefore, a system that searches the design case database in which the actual data of the required specifications and the design performance data representing the implementation contents of the design are associated with each design example of the past product is an effective design work support tool.
On the other hand, in Patent Document 1, when data satisfying a search condition consisting of a plurality of items cannot be searched from the database, an alternative search condition with a relaxed search condition is generated, and data that satisfies the alternative search condition is searched. An information retrieval apparatus to be re-executed is shown.
JP-A-7-302267

By the way, in order to effectively use the system for searching the design case database for design work, knowledge of the causal relationship between various requirement items and design items in the requirement specification is required. However, in general, acquiring that knowledge requires a lot of design experience under the guidance of an expert.
For example, assume that when determining the contents of a design item, the designer sets a requirement specification item (requirement item) having a strong causal relationship with the design item and its content as a search key. In this case, the search system searches the design case database based on the set search key, and outputs (notifies) past design cases regarding the design items, which become design plan candidates. Further, according to the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, when a sufficient search result cannot be obtained by the search key (search condition) set by the designer, the search condition is relaxed by deleting a request item in the search key. The search is performed again.
In the example shown above, an unskilled designer can use the design case database if he / she receives instructions from the skilled designer about the required items to be used as search keys for each design item. Acquire design knowledge related to the ordered product while performing business.
However, in daily design work, there is a problem that it takes a long time to master the design work only by acquiring knowledge about the design case for each specific design case.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the object of the present invention is to provide data on past design cases corresponding to a specific design case as a design plan and to relate to the design plan. Another object of the present invention is to provide a design case retrieval apparatus and program for supporting efficient acquisition of design knowledge by an unskilled designer by providing data of other past design cases.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is an invention of a design case search apparatus that searches a design case database based on input data of product requirement specifications and outputs the search results. Each component shown in 4) is provided. The design case database is a database in which the storage means stores data in which the required specification result data and the design result data representing the implementation of the design are associated with each design example of the past product.
(1) Primary search means for searching the design case data corresponding to the result data of the required specification satisfying the specification based on the input data of the required specification from the design case database.
(2) Representative design performance data selection means for selecting a representative one of the contents of the design performance data searched by the primary search means according to a predetermined selection rule.
(3) Secondary retrieval means for retrieving actual data of the required specifications corresponding to the other design performance data having the same content as the selection result of the representative design performance data selection means from the design case database.
(4) Processing result output means for outputting the search result of the primary search means, the selection result of the representative design performance data selection means, and the search result of the secondary search means together.
Here, the predetermined selection rule selects, as the representative data content, the content of the data having the largest number of data having the same content in the design performance data retrieved by the primary retrieval means. It is thought that it is a rule to do.

The designer who uses the design case retrieval apparatus according to the present invention provides the contents of the required specification items (input data of the required specifications) considered to be strongly related to the design items to be determined for each specific design case. Enter it. Then, the primary search means and the representative design result data selection means provide the past design result data in which the specific design case (input data of the required specification) and the contents of the required specification are common, and the data Is the design plan.
Further, although the same design as the design plan is executed by the secondary search means, data of other past design cases having different contents of the required specifications from the design case is provided. As a result, for each specific design case, the designer must know the correspondence between the required specifications related to the design case and the design results, and the required specifications in the past design cases where the design results are common but the required specifications are different. Knowledge of correspondence with design results can be acquired at the same time.
In addition, it is preferable that the design case retrieval apparatus according to the present invention further includes a component shown in the following (5).
(5) When the search by the primary search means is performed based on the input data of the required specifications composed of a plurality of items of data, the remaining data excluding the data of some items from the input data of the required specifications Primary search control means for further executing search by the primary search means based on the above.
As a result, when a designer inputs data for a required specification item that is strongly related to a certain design item, even if there are too many items in the input data, some items are deleted. Data search based on conditions (primary search) is performed. From the search results, it is easy for the designer to grasp which requirement specification item should be focused on when determining the contents of a certain design item.

In addition, it is preferable that the design case retrieval apparatus according to the present invention further includes components shown in the following (6) and (7).
(6) First clustering means for classifying a plurality of search results obtained by the primary search means into a plurality of clusters by clustering processing (cluster analysis processing) based on data of a plurality of field items in the design case database. In this case, the processing result output means classifies and outputs the plurality of search results obtained by the primary search means for each cluster classified by the first clustering means.
(7) Second clustering means for classifying a plurality of search results obtained by the secondary search means into a plurality of clusters by clustering processing based on data of a plurality of field items in the design case database. In this case, the processing result output means classifies and outputs a plurality of search results obtained by the secondary search means for each cluster classified by the second clustering means. The field items may include items related to customer information that issued the design date and requirement specifications, in addition to the requirement specification items and design item items.
As a result, the designer can easily compare the contents of the required specifications, the design performance data, and the data of other items based on the results of the cluster classification, and whether the contents match or differ. It helps to deepen knowledge about the relationship between.
Furthermore, the present invention can also be understood as a design case search program that causes a computer to execute the processes executed by each component included in the design case search apparatus according to the present invention described above.

  According to the present invention, past design case data corresponding to a specific design case can be provided as a design plan, and other past design case data related to the design plan can be provided. It is possible to support the designer to acquire efficient design knowledge.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings so that the present invention can be understood. The following embodiment is an example embodying the present invention, and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a design data search system A including a search server X which is an example of a design case search device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the search server X. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of design case search processing by the search server X, FIG. 4 is a data configuration diagram of a design case database to be searched by the search server X, and FIG. 5 is input of data acquired by the search server X from a terminal. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen, and FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen of a terminal that displays a search result of the search server X.

First, a schematic configuration of a search server X, which is an example of a design case search apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a design data search system A including the same will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, the design data search system A includes the search server X and a terminal 2 that are communicable with each other through a network 1 such as an intranet or the Internet.
The search server X receives a data search service request from one or a plurality of the terminals 2 through the network 1, and receives the search result information corresponding to the service request through the network 1. 2 is a computer that transmits to 2.

FIG. 4 is a data configuration diagram of the design case database d1 to be searched by the search server X.
As shown in FIG. 4, the design case database d1 includes record data in which the required specification result data d11 and the design result data d12 representing the implementation of the design are associated with each past product design case. A database stored in a storage unit 14 to be described later.
Each record data in the design case database d1 also includes attached data d10 such as “case No.” data and “design date” data which are information for identifying past product design cases. Yes.
In the design case database d1, the actual data d11 of the required specification, the design actual data d12, and the attached data d10 are each divided into a plurality of field items, and data contents (values) are set for each field item. The record data.
Then, the search server X searches the design case database d1 based on the input data of the required specification of the product, and outputs the search result to the terminal 2.

On the other hand, the terminal 2 transmits data specifying search conditions to the search server X via the network 1 and receives information on search results returned in response to the request and displays it on the display. A computer such as a personal computer.
The search server X acquires input data of the required specifications used for searching the design case database d1 from the terminal 2 through the network 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the search server X includes a calculation unit 11, an operation display unit 12, a communication control unit 13, a storage unit 14, and the like.
The calculation unit 11 is a calculation unit including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and executes various programs described later in parallel.
The operation display unit 12 includes a display device such as a liquid crystal display (not shown) and an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse, and is a man-machine interface that performs various types of information input processing and display processing in the search server X.
The communication control unit 13 is a communication interface that performs communication control based on a predetermined communication protocol (TCP / IP or the like) with the terminal 2 via the network 1.
The storage unit 14 is a storage device such as a hard disk, and stores various programs executed by the arithmetic unit 11 and various data referred to or recorded when the programs are executed.
In the present embodiment, a design case search program p1 and a web server program p2 are stored in advance in the storage unit 14 as programs executed by the calculation unit 11. The design case database d1 referred to when the design case search program p1 is executed is also stored in the storage unit 14 in advance.

On the other hand, the terminal 2 is a computer such as a general personal computer. Specifically, the terminal 2 includes, as components not shown, a man-machine interface including a display device and an input device, an arithmetic unit including an MPU, a main memory, and peripheral devices, a hard disk, and a nonvolatile memory. A data storage unit such as a random access memory, and a communication control unit that performs data communication via the network 1.
The terminal 2 is installed with a web browser program. The process of inputting data to be transmitted to the search server X while displaying the data input screen on the display device and the process of displaying the search result received from the search server X on the display device are executed through a web browser.
Specifically, the calculation unit 11 in the search server X generates screen data for data input and screen data for data display by executing the web server program p2, and transmits the screen data to the terminal 2. . The arithmetic unit 11 receives input data returned in response to transmission of the screen data for data input. Each screen data is data described in, for example, HTML or JavaScript (registered trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc., the same applies hereinafter).

Next, the procedure of design case search processing by the search server X will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
In the search server X, the calculation unit 11 performs the following processing by executing the design case search program p1. S1, S2,... Shown below represent identification codes of processing steps (steps) performed by the calculation unit 11 by executing the design case search program p1.
First, the calculation unit 11 monitors whether or not a data search service request has been received from the terminal 2 (S1).
When a service request for data retrieval is received, the calculation unit 11 transmits screen data for data input to the terminal 2 that is the transmission source of the service request, and is input at the terminal 2. Data is received (S2).

FIG. 5 is an example of a design item / customer requirement specification input screen which is an input screen for data acquired by the search server X from the terminal 2 in step S2. This input screen is a screen displayed on the display device by the web browser of the terminal 2 based on the screen data transmitted from the search server X to the terminal 2 in step S2.
The design item / customer requirement specification input screen is a screen on which the following three types of data are input in accordance with the operation of the terminal 2 by the designer.
One of the input data is a design item (hereinafter referred to as a design target item d2) that a designer who is a user of the terminal 2 intends to design.
The second input data is data of the required specification item d31 of the product requested by the customer and its content d32 (value). Hereinafter, the requirement specification item d31 inputted here is called a requirement specification input item, its content d32 is called a requirement specification input value, and these are collectively called requirement specification input data d3.
The third input data is an item of data (hereinafter referred to as clustering items d41 and d42) to be clustered when the calculation unit 11 performs clustering processing on the search result in the search server X. In the clustering items d41 and d42, a plurality of field items in the design case database d1 are set.
As will be described later, in the search server X, two types of data search are performed. The first clustering item d41 applied to one of the search results and the first clustering item d41 applied to the other search result. Two clustering items d42 are individually input. The former search is called a requirement specification match search, and the latter search is called a design value match search.

In step S2, when input data is received from the terminal 2, the calculation unit 11 in the search server X uses the required specification input data d3 as a search key for the required specification result data d12 in the design case database d1. (S3).
Subsequently, the calculation unit 11 accesses the design case database d1 and searches for record data in which the search key set in step S3 matches the content of the required specification result data d11 (S4). This record data includes the design performance data d12. That is, in step S4, the calculation unit 11 searches the design result data d12 associated with the required specification result data d11 satisfying the specification based on the required specification input data d3 from the design case database d1. To do. This search process is a process for searching for a required specification match.
As will be described later, the required specification match search process is executed a plurality of times while relaxing the search conditions. In the first process, a plurality of the required specification input items d31 and their data contents (the above-mentioned All of the requirement specification input data d3 consisting of the requirement specification input value d32) is used as a search key.
The required specification match search process is a primary search process executed in the preceding stage of two types of search processes executed in two stages. The search result in step S4 is temporarily stored in the storage unit 14.

Next, the calculation unit 11 determines whether or not the number of record data that is a search result (hereinafter referred to as a primary search result) of the required specification match search (S4) is equal to or greater than a preset number. (S5) If the number is equal to or greater than the set number, the process proceeds to the next steps S6 and S7, otherwise the process (S6, S7) is skipped and the process proceeds to step S8 described later.
In step S6, the arithmetic unit 11 follows the predetermined selection rule from the contents (values) of the design performance data d12 in the primary search result for the design target item d2. A design plan is selected (S6, representative design performance data selection process). However, the calculation unit 11 performs the representative design result data selection process (S6) only when the search result equal to or more than the set number is obtained by the required specification match search first.
For example, the calculation unit 11 represents the contents (values) of data having the same number of data (contents) having the same contents (values) in the design result data d12 in the primary search result as the design proposal (representative). Select as data content.
Next, the calculation unit 11 converts a plurality of search results (record data) obtained by the search process (primary search process) in step S4 into data of the first clustering item d41 in the design case database d1. Based on clustering processing (cluster analysis processing) based on this, a plurality of clusters are classified (S7, first clustering processing). This clustering process is, for example, a clustering process using a division optimization method such as a k-average method. The search result in step S7 is temporarily stored in the storage unit 14.

After the first requirement specification match search (S4) using all the requirement specification input data d3 as a search key, the calculation unit 11 reduces the number of items of the search key while performing the second and subsequent searches. The required specification matching search (S4) and other processes (S5 to S7) are controlled to be repeated until a predetermined end condition is satisfied (S8, S9: primary search control process).
That is, the calculation unit 11 removes some items of data from the current search key, sets the remaining data as new search keys (S9), and the second and subsequent times based on the search key. The required specification match search (S4) and other processes (S5 to S7) are executed.
For example, the priority specification information of the plurality of requirement specification items d31 is added to the requirement specification input data d3, and the arithmetic unit 11 reduces the requirement specification items d31 one by one according to the priority and The content is set as a new search key. Alternatively, the calculation unit 11 sequentially sets search keys for all possible patterns when one or more required specification items d31 are reduced from all the required specification items d31 in the required specification input data d3. Is also possible.
In addition, the end condition may be, for example, until the number of items of the required specification match search reaches a predetermined upper limit or the required specification item d31 set in the search key is the last one. It is possible that a requirement specification match search has been executed.

When the repetition of the required specification match search ends, the calculation unit 11 represents the representative value of the design result data d12 selected by the representative design result data selection process in step S6 and its item (the design target item d2). Is set as a search key used for the second-stage search process (S10).
Subsequently, the arithmetic unit 11 accesses the design case database d1, matches the search key set in step S10 with the contents of the design performance data d11, and sets the specifications based on the required specification input data d3. The record data that is not satisfied is searched (S11, secondary search). The record data includes the required specification result data d11. That is, in step S11, the calculation unit 11 selects the other design having the same content as the selection result of the representative design performance data selection process S6 (representative value of the design performance data d12) from the design case database d1. Data that does not satisfy the specification based on the required specification input data is retrieved from the required specification actual data d11 associated with the actual data d12. This search process is the design value match search process. This design value match search process is a secondary search process executed in the latter stage of the two types of search processes executed in two stages. The search result in step S11 is temporarily stored in the storage unit 14.

Next, the calculation unit 11 determines whether or not the number of record data that is a search result (secondary search result) of the design value match search (S11) is equal to or greater than a preset number (S12). ), If the number is greater than the set number, the process proceeds to the next step S13; otherwise, the process (S13) is skipped and the process proceeds to step S14 described later.
In step S13, the calculation unit 11 uses a plurality of search results (record data) obtained by the search process (secondary search process) in step S11 as the second clustering item d42 in the design case database d1. The data is classified into a plurality of clusters by clustering processing (cluster analysis processing) based on data (S13, second clustering processing). The second clustering method is also the same as the first clustering method performed in step S7. The search result in step S13 is temporarily stored in the storage unit 14.

Finally, the calculation unit 11 performs a search result of the required specification match search (S4: primary search), a selection result (design plan) of the representative design result data selection process (S6), and the design value match search ( Screen data (hereinafter referred to as search result output screen data) to be displayed in parallel on the screen of the terminal 2 together with the search result of S11: secondary search) is organized, and the screen data is transmitted to the terminal 2 (S14). : Processing result output processing). The search result output screen data includes a plurality of search results obtained for each of the request match search and the design value match search in the first clustering process (S7) and the second clustering process (S13). It is created so as to be displayed on the screen divided into clusters classified by each.
In addition, the said calculating part 11 returns a process to step S1 mentioned above after completion | finish of the process of step S13.

FIG. 6 is an example of a search result output screen displayed on the terminal 2 based on the search result output screen data transmitted by the process of step S13.
As shown in FIG. 6, in the search result output screen, the required specification match search (S4: primary search) is performed for the design target item d2, the required specification input item d31, and the first clustering item d41. A list of primary search results d5 and d6, which are search results, is displayed. In FIG. 6, the data indicated by the symbol d2a is the data for the design target item d2 in the primary search results d5 and d6. In FIG. 6, the search result of the first requirement specification matching search that does not delete the search item (relaxation of the search condition) is d5 and the second time that is performed after deletion of the search item (relaxation of the search condition). The search result of the subsequent requirement specification match search is denoted by d6.
The primary search result d5 is displayed on the screen by being classified for each cluster identification code d9a (cluster ID) classified by the first clustering process (S7).

Also, as shown in FIG. 6, the design result data d2b, which is the selection result of the representative design record data selection process (S6), is also displayed on the search result output screen.
Further, on the search result output screen, secondary search results d7, which are search results of the design value match search (S11: secondary search), are listed for the required specification input item d31 and the second search item d42. Is displayed.
The secondary search result d7 is displayed on the screen by being classified for each cluster identification code d9b classified by the second clustering process (S13).

A designer who uses the search server X through the terminal 2 inputs the requirement specification input data for a requirement specification item considered to be strongly related to the design target item d2 for each specific design case. As a result, the content d2b of the past design performance data in which the content of the specific design case and the required specification is common is obtained as the design plan by the required specification match search (S4) and the representative design performance data selection process (S6). be able to.
Further, the design value matching search (S11) is performed in the same design as the design plan, but data of other past design cases whose requirements specifications are different from the design case (the secondary search). Results d7) are provided. As a result, for each specific design case, the designer must know the correspondence between the required specifications related to the design case and the design results, and the required specifications in the past design cases where the design results are common but the required specifications are different. Knowledge of correspondence with design results can be acquired at the same time.
Even if there are too many items in the required specification input data, the search server X provides a data search result based on a search condition in which some of the items are deleted. For this reason, the designer can easily grasp which requirement specification item should be noted when determining the contents of a certain design item.
The designer can easily compare the consistency or difference of the contents of the data of a plurality of items based on the result of the cluster classification, and the comparison is useful for deepening knowledge about the relationship between the data.
As described above, the search server X assists an unskilled designer to acquire efficient design knowledge.

In the embodiment described above, as a typical example of the case where the requirement specification result data d11 satisfies the specification based on the requirement specification input data d3, the requirement specification input data d3 and the requirement specification result in the design case database d1. A case where the content of the data d11 matches is illustrated.
However, as another example of the case where the required specification result data d11 satisfies the specification based on the required specification input data d3, the following example can be considered.
When the required specification is a performance represented by a numerical value, the value of the required specification actual data d11 is within a predetermined allowable range with respect to the value of the required specification input data d3.
The lower the value of the required specification result data d11, the lower the value of the required specification input data d3 when the higher the performance is.
The higher the value of the required specification result data d11, the higher the performance, the greater the value of the required specification input data d3.
The design case database d1 may be stored in a storage device of a computer different from the search server X.
A configuration realized by sharing the function of the search server X with a plurality of computers is also conceivable.

  The present invention can be used in a design case search apparatus that searches a design case database.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a design data search system A including a search server X that is an example of a design case search apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a search server X. The flowchart showing the procedure of the design example search process by the search server X. The data block diagram of the design example database which is the search object of the search server X. The figure showing an example of the input screen of the data which the search server X acquires from a terminal. The figure showing an example of the screen of the terminal which displays the search result of the search server X.

Explanation of symbols

X: Search server 1: Network 2: Terminal 11: Calculation unit 12: Operation display unit 13: Communication control unit 14: Storage unit d1: Design case database S1, S2,...: Processing procedure (step)

Claims (6)

Based on the input data of the required specifications of the product, the design example in which the storage means stores the data in which the actual data of the required specification and the actual design data indicating the implementation of the design are associated with each design example of the past product A design case search device that searches a database and outputs the search results.
Primary search means for searching the design case data corresponding to the result data of the required specification satisfying the specification based on the input data of the required specification from the design case database;
Representative design achievement data selection means for selecting a representative one of the contents of the design achievement data retrieved by the primary retrieval means according to a predetermined selection rule;
Secondary search means for searching the design data of the required specifications corresponding to the other design performance data having the same content as the selection result of the representative design performance data selection means from the design case database;
Processing result output means for outputting the search result of the primary search means, the selection result of the representative design performance data selection means, and the search result of the secondary search means;
A design case retrieval apparatus characterized by comprising:   When the search by the primary search means is performed based on the input data of the required specifications composed of data of a plurality of items, the data based on the remaining data excluding the data of some items from the input data of the required specifications The design case search device according to claim 1, further comprising primary search control means for further executing a search by the primary search means. First clustering means for classifying a plurality of search results obtained by the primary search means into a plurality of clusters by clustering processing based on data of a plurality of field items in the design case database;
3. The processing result output unit according to claim 1, wherein the processing result output unit classifies and outputs a plurality of search results obtained by the primary search unit for each cluster classified by the first clustering unit. The design case search device described. Second clustering means for classifying a plurality of search results obtained by the secondary search means into a plurality of clusters by clustering processing based on data of a plurality of field items in the design case database;
The processing result output means outputs a plurality of search results obtained by the secondary search means by classifying them into clusters classified by the second clustering means. Design case search device described in 1.   The predetermined selection rule is a rule for selecting, as the representative data content, the content of data having the largest number of data having the same content in the design performance data searched by the primary search means. The design case search device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. Based on the input data of the requirement specification, a design case database in which data in which the requirement specification result data and the design result data representing the implementation of the design are associated with each other is stored in the storage means is searched. , A design case search program for causing a computer to execute a process for outputting the search results,
Computer
A primary search process for searching the design result data corresponding to the result data of the required specification satisfying the specification based on the input data of the required specification from the design case database;
Representative design performance data selection processing for selecting a representative one of the contents of the design performance data searched by the primary search processing according to a predetermined selection rule;
A secondary search process for searching the result data of the required specification corresponding to the other design result data having the same content as the selection result of the representative design result data selection process from the design case database;
A processing result output process for outputting a search result of the primary search process, a selection result of the representative design performance data selection process, and a search result of the secondary search process;
Design case search program characterized by having been executed.

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