# US 2014/0156338 A1 · Information processing apparatus and method and non-transitory computer readable medium

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- Number: US 2014/0156338 A1
- Document ID: US20140156338A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/874,880
- Filed: 2013-05-01
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-12-05
- Assignees: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Tomoyuki ITO; Satoru INAKAGE; Michiaki YASUNO; Hiroshi UMEMOTO; Nobuyuki NAKAYAMA; Yoichi WATANABE
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156338A1

## CPC

- G06Q 10/0637: Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
- G06F 30/00: Computer-aided design [CAD]
- G06Q 10/06395: {Quality analysis or management}
- G06Q 50/04: Manufacturing
- G06F 2111/04: Constraint-based CAD
- Y02P 90/30: Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes the following elements. An axis-name setting unit sets names of first through fourth axes. An item forming unit forms an item associated with an axis for which a name is set by the axis-name setting unit. A display displays a QFD chart used for developing a product, in which the names of the first through fourth axes are deployed in a region divided into top, bottom, right, and left sections from a center of the QFD chart, the items associated with the first through fourth axes are deployed in directions extending upward, downward, rightward, and leftward from the center, and matrices into which relationships between items are input are deployed at least between the first axis and the second axis, between the second axis and the third axis, and between the third axis and the fourth axis.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An information processing apparatus comprising:
an axis-name setting unit that sets names of first through fourth axes;
an item forming unit that forms an item associated with an axis for which a name is set by the axis-name setting unit; and
a display that displays, on the basis of the names of the first through fourth axes set by the axis-name setting unit and the items formed by the item forming unit, a quality function deployment chart used for developing a product, in which the names of the first through fourth axes are deployed in a region divided into top, bottom, right, and left sections from a center of the quality function deployment chart, the items associated with the first through fourth axes are deployed in directions extending upward, downward, rightward, and leftward from the center, and matrices into which relationships between items are input are deployed at least between the first axis and the second axis, between the second axis and the third axis, and between the third axis and the fourth axis,
wherein the item forming unit forms items associated with the first through fourth axes as a result of an operator selecting an item indicating a quality requirement of the product as an item associated with the first axis, an item indicating a performance capability necessary for satisfying a quality requirement of the product by each of parts and members of the product as an item associated with the second axis, an item concerning a structure and a physical property of each of the parts and the members of the product as an item associated with the third axis, and an item which defines a production condition for each of the parts and the members of the product as an item associated with the fourth axis.

### Claim 2

An information processing apparatus comprising:
an axis-name setting unit that sets names of first through fourth axes;
an item forming unit that forms an item associated with an axis for which a name is set by the axis-name setting unit; and
a display that displays, on the basis of the names of the first through fourth axes set by the axis-name setting unit and the items formed by the item forming unit, a quality function deployment chart used for developing a product, in which the names of the first through fourth axes are deployed in a region divided into top, bottom, right, and left sections from a center of the quality function deployment chart, the items associated with the first through fourth axes are deployed in directions extending upward, downward, rightward, and leftward from the center, and matrices into which relationships between items are input are deployed at least between the first axis and the second axis, between the second axis and the third axis, and between the third axis and the fourth axis,
wherein the item forming unit forms items associated with the first through fourth axes as a result of an operator selecting an item indicating a quality requirement of the product as an item associated with the first axis, an item concerning a physical mechanism which dominates a quality of the product, the behavior of the physical mechanism being determined by an item of a physical characteristic, as an item associated with the second axis, an item indicating a system physical characteristic determined by a design condition as an item associated with the third axis, and an item indicating a design condition as an item associated with the fourth axis.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the axis-name setting unit displays an axis name list for the operator, and sets names selected from the axis name list by the operator as the names of the axes.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the axis-name setting unit displays an axis name list for the operator, and sets names selected from the axis name list by the operator as the names of the axes.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the item forming unit displays an item list for the operator, and sets items selected from the item list by the operator as the items associated with the axes.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the item forming unit displays an item list for the operator, and sets items selected from the item list by the operator as the items associated with the axes.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the item forming unit displays an item list for the operator, and sets items selected from the item list by the operator as the items associated with the axes.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the item forming unit displays an item list for the operator, and sets items selected from the item list by the operator as the items associated with the axes.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
the items associated with the axes have a hierarchical structure; and
the item forming unit determines whether there is a consistency of items in a predetermined level of the hierarchical structure at least between the first axis and the second axis, between the second axis and the third axis, and between the third axis and the fourth axis, and if it is determined that there is no consistency of items in the predetermined level of the hierarchical structure, the item forming unit corrects an item of one axis which is not consistent with an associated item of an associated axis to be compared.

### Claim 10 (depends on 2)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:
the items associated with the axes have a hierarchical structure; and
the item forming unit determines whether there is a consistency of items in a predetermined level of the hierarchical structure at least between the first axis and the second axis, between the second axis and the third axis, and between the third axis and the fourth axis, and if it is determined that there is no consistency of items in the predetermined level of the hierarchical structure, the item forming unit corrects an item of one axis which is not consistent with an associated item of an associated axis to be compared.

### Claim 11 (depends on 3)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:
the items associated with the axes have a hierarchical structure; and
the item forming unit determines whether there is a consistency of items in a predetermined level of the hierarchical structure at least between the first axis and the second axis, between the second axis and the third axis, and between the third axis and the fourth axis, and if it is determined that there is no consistency of items in the predetermined level of the hierarchical structure, the item forming unit corrects an item of one axis which is not consistent with an associated item of an associated axis to be compared.

### Claim 12 (depends on 4)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:
the items associated with the axes have a hierarchical structure; and
the item forming unit determines whether there is a consistency of items in a predetermined level of the hierarchical structure at least between the first axis and the second axis, between the second axis and the third axis, and between the third axis and the fourth axis, and if it is determined that there is no consistency of items in the predetermined level of the hierarchical structure, the item forming unit corrects an item of one axis which is not consistent with an associated item of an associated axis to be compared.

### Claim 13 (depends on 5)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:
the items associated with the axes have a hierarchical structure; and
the item forming unit determines whether there is a consistency of items in a predetermined level of the hierarchical structure at least between the first axis and the second axis, between the second axis and the third axis, and between the third axis and the fourth axis, and if it is determined that there is no consistency of items in the predetermined level of the hierarchical structure, the item forming unit corrects an item of one axis which is not consistent with an associated item of an associated axis to be compared.

### Claim 14 (depends on 6)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:
the items associated with the axes have a hierarchical structure; and
the item forming unit determines whether there is a consistency of items in a predetermined level of the hierarchical structure at least between the first axis and the second axis, between the second axis and the third axis, and between the third axis and the fourth axis, and if it is determined that there is no consistency of items in the predetermined level of the hierarchical structure, the item forming unit corrects an item of one axis which is not consistent with an associated item of an associated axis to be compared.

### Claim 15 (depends on 7)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:
the items associated with the axes have a hierarchical structure; and
the item forming unit determines whether there is a consistency of items in a predetermined level of the hierarchical structure at least between the first axis and the second axis, between the second axis and the third axis, and between the third axis and the fourth axis, and if it is determined that there is no consistency of items in the predetermined level of the hierarchical structure, the item forming unit corrects an item of one axis which is not consistent with an associated item of an associated axis to be compared.

### Claim 16 (depends on 8)

The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:
the items associated with the axes have a hierarchical structure; and
the item forming unit determines whether there is a consistency of items in a predetermined level of the hierarchical structure at least between the first axis and the second axis, between the second axis and the third axis, and between the third axis and the fourth axis, and if it is determined that there is no consistency of items in the predetermined level of the hierarchical structure, the item forming unit corrects an item of one axis which is not consistent with an associated item of an associated axis to be compared.

### Claim 17

An information processing method comprising:
setting names of first through fourth axes;
forming an item associated with an axis for which a name is set; and
displaying, on the basis of the set names of the first through fourth axes and the formed items, a quality function deployment chart used for developing a product, in which the names of the first through fourth axes are deployed in a region divided into top, bottom, right, and left sections from a center of the quality function deployment chart, the items associated with the first through fourth axes are deployed in directions extending upward, downward, rightward, and leftward from the center, and matrices into which relationships between items are input are deployed at least between the first axis and the second axis, between the second axis and the third axis, and between the third axis and the fourth axis,
wherein items associated with the first through fourth axes are formed as a result of an operator selecting an item indicating a quality requirement of the product as an item associated with the first axis, an item indicating a performance capability necessary for satisfying a quality requirement of the product by each of parts and members of the product as an item associated with the second axis, an item concerning a structure and a physical property of each of the parts and the members of the product as an item associated with the third axis, and an item which defines a production condition for each of the parts and the members of the product as an item associated with the fourth axis.

### Claim 18

An information processing method comprising:
setting names of first through fourth axes;
forming an item associated with an axis for which a name is set; and
displaying, on the basis of the set names of the first through fourth axes and the formed items, a quality function deployment chart used for developing a product, in which the names of the first through fourth axes are deployed in a region divided into top, bottom, right, and left sections from a center of the quality function deployment chart, the items associated with the first through fourth axes are deployed in directions extending upward, downward, rightward, and leftward from the center, and matrices into which relationships between items are input are deployed at least between the first axis and the second axis, between the second axis and the third axis, and between the third axis and the fourth axis,
wherein items associated with the first through fourth axes are formed as a result of an operator selecting an item indicating a quality requirement of the product as an item associated with the first axis, an item concerning a physical mechanism which dominates a quality of the product, the behavior of the physical mechanism being determined by an item of a physical characteristic, as an item associated with the second axis, an item indicating a system physical characteristic determined by a design condition as an item associated with the third axis, and an item indicating a design condition as an item associated with the fourth axis.

### Claim 19

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process, the process comprising:
setting names of first through fourth axes;
forming an item associated with an axis for which a name is set; and
displaying, on the basis of the set names of the first through fourth axes and the formed items, a quality function deployment chart used for developing a product, in which the names of the first through fourth axes are deployed in a region divided into top, bottom, right, and left sections from a center of the quality function deployment chart, the items associated with the first through fourth axes are deployed in directions extending upward, downward, rightward, and leftward from the center, and matrices into which relationships between items are input are deployed at least between the first axis and the second axis, between the second axis and the third axis, and between the third axis and the fourth axis,
wherein items associated with the first through fourth axes are formed as a result of an operator selecting an item indicating a quality requirement of the product as an item associated with the first axis, an item indicating a performance capability necessary for satisfying a quality requirement of the product by each of parts and members of the product as an item associated with the second axis, an item concerning a structure and a physical property of each of the parts and the members of the product as an item associated with the third axis, and an item which defines a production condition for each of the parts and the members of the product as an item associated with the fourth axis.

### Claim 20

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process, the process comprising:
setting names of first through fourth axes;
forming an item associated with an axis for which a name is set; and
displaying, on the basis of the set names of the first through fourth axes and the formed items, a quality function deployment chart used for developing a product, in which the names of the first through fourth axes are deployed in a region divided into top, bottom, right, and left sections from a center of the quality function deployment chart, the items associated with the first through fourth axes are deployed in directions extending upward, downward, rightward, and leftward from the center, and matrices into which relationships between items are input are deployed at least between the first axis and the second axis, between the second axis and the third axis, and between the third axis and the fourth axis,
wherein items associated with the first through fourth axes are formed as a result of an operator selecting an item indicating a quality requirement of the product as an item associated with the first axis, an item concerning a physical mechanism which dominates a quality of the product, the behavior of the physical mechanism being determined by an item of a physical characteristic, as an item associated with the second axis, an item indicating a system physical characteristic determined by a design condition as an item associated with the third axis, and an item indicating a design condition as an item associated with the fourth axis.