Part lifetime managing system

• US 20050096934A1
• Filed: 09/27/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Uchida, Masayoshi, Ohtaka, Shoichi, Wakui, Yasuo
• Application Number:
  US10/949,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20050096934A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

The part lifetime management system includes a parts server and a parts lifetime managing server. Parts server stores various data of parts used to repair car, automobile, etc. When the drawing of a repair part is released, future integration plan of the part is decided and inputted to the parts lifetime managing server with an integration condition. In the future, when the integration condition is satisfied, the parts lifetime managing server outputs the instruction to integrate a part to predetermined terminal. Then, the supply of a pre-integration part is stopped and changed to post-integration part so that the number of kinds of repair parts are reduced.

Claims

1. A parts lifetime management system comprising:

a parts server which stores a parts database storing a plurality of records corresponding to a plurality of kinds of parts which are commercially available, each of said plurality of records including a part ID to specify a corresponding one of said plurality of kinds; and

a parts lifetime managing server which is connected to said parts server by a communication line and which stores an integration database storing an integration data which relates to a pre-integration part ID, a post-integration part ID and an integration condition, wherein said pre-integration part ID and said post-integration part ID are extracted from among said plurality of part IDs,

wherein when said integration condition is satisfied, said parts life time managing server comprises an updating unit which generates and transmits an update notice to said parts server such that it is notified to said parts server that a supply of a pre-integration part specified by said pre-integration part ID is stopped and said pre-integration part is changed to a post-integration part specified by said post-integration part ID and said parts database is updated.

2. A lifetime management system according to claim 1, wherein said life time managing server requests to input a specified date and a specified period in response to an input of said integration data, and stores said specified date and said specified period correspondently in said integration database, and calculates a date after said specified period from said specified date as an execution date, and outputs said update notice to said parts server on said execution date such that said pre-integration part specified by said pre-integration part ID of said integration data is replaced by said post-integration part specified said post-integration part ID of said integration data.

3. A parts lifetime management system according to claim 2, wherein said lifetime managing server receives a change request of said specified date through said communication line, requests an input of a new specified date and a new specified period in response to a reception of said change request, and stores said new specified date and said new specified period in said integration database, and calculates a date after said new specified period from said new specified date as a new execution date, sets said new execution date as a date when said pre-integration part specified by said pre-integration part ID is changed to said post-integration part specified by said post-integration part ID.

4. A parts lifetime management system according to claim 2, wherein said parts lifetime managing server outputs said post-integration part ID corresponding to said pre-integration part ID stored in said integration database, when said pre-integration part ID stored in said integration database is received from a predetermined terminal through said communication line and said integration condition corresponding to said pre-integration part ID stored in said integration database is met.

5. A parts lifetime management system according to claim 1, wherein said integration database stores with respect to said part ID, a supply period data indicating a supply period for which each of said parts specified by said part ID should be supplied on a market, and

said part ID includes a caution part ID of a caution part that there is a possibility that a supply to a market is stopped before said supply period is expired, and

when an inquiry including said part ID is sent from a predetermined terminal, if said inquired part ID is said caution part ID, said parts server notifies that a part specified by said inquired part ID is said caution part ID, to said predetermined terminal.

6. A parts lifetime management system according to claim 1, wherein said integration data is inputted to said integration database when a design drawing of said parts is released.

7. A parts lifetime management system according to claim 1, wherein said parts are used to repair an automobile, a motorbike, or a general purpose machine of a generator, a tiller, an outboard engine, or a lawn mower.

8. A parts lifetime management system according to claim 1, wherein said integration condition is a time period after a mass production of a product using the part specified by said pre-integration part ID is ended.

9. A parts lifetime management system according to claim 1, wherein said parts lifetime managing server sends an input screen data to an integration terminal to request an input of data when said integration condition is satisfied and executes an integration process using the data inputted from said input screen of said integration terminal, and

said integration process includes at least one of a process invalidating any one of said records having said pre-integration part ID, a process changing said integration condition, and a process deleting said integration data from said integration database.

10. A parts lifetime management system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a changing unit which, when said pre-integration part ID is retrieved from a user terminal through said communication line, sends one of said records including said post-integration part ID corresponding to said retrieved pre-integration part ID.

11. A parts lifetime management system according to claim 1, wherein said integration condition shows that a predetermined period is elapsed.

12. A parts lifetime management system according to claim 1, wherein said updating unit updates said integration data using a design revision data which indicates a design of a part is revised, when said design revision data is inputted to said parts database.

13. A parts lifetime management system according to claim 1, wherein each of said records includes a demand data designating a demand of each one of said parts in a past predetermined period, and

said updating unit collects said demand data when an integration time of said integration condition is met, and updates said integration condition when an amount of said demand is larger than a predetermined quantity.

14. A parts lifetime management system according to claim 1, wherein said parts server stores a design revision database storing design data of parts, and generates a design revision message including data of a part which is stored in said design management database and sends to said parts lifetime managing server when a design of a part is revised, and

said parts lifetime managing server retrieves said integration database in response to a reception of said design revision message, and

said parts lifetime managing server outputs a revision request to revise a correspondence between said pre-integration part ID and said post-integration part ID when said pre-integration part ID including any of design revisal planning parts corresponds to said design revised part.

15. A parts lifetime management system according to claim 14, wherein said design revision message includes interchangeability data indicating whether or not said design revised parts and said design revisal planning parts is interchangeable, and

said parts lifetime managing server updates a correspondence of said pre-integration part ID and said post-integration part ID stored in said integration database using said interchangeability data when said pre-integration part ID or said post-integration part ID indicating said design revisal planning parts corresponding to said design revised parts is found in said integration database.

16. A parts lifetime management system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a client terminal installed in a plurality of service branches and connected to said parts server or said parts lifetime managing server through a wide area network,

wherein said integration database stores a selling stop date set with designating at least one of said pre-integration part ID, a cause of selling stop showing a cause to stop a supply of a part corresponding to said pre-integration part ID in response to a coming of said selling stop date, and a code of a cause generated by coding said cause of selling stop,

said parts server stops a supply of part corresponding to said pre-integration part ID designated in a coming of said selling stop date, and outputs said cause code in response to an inquiry about a part corresponding to stopped said pre-integration part ID from said user terminal, and

said user terminal receives said cause code through said network and outputs it.

17. A parts lifetime management system according to claim 16, wherein said cause code includes an integration cause code and a selling stop cause code, and

said parts lifetime managing server retrieves said integration database in response to an inquiry including said part ID from said client terminal, and

when said post-integration part ID corresponding to said pre-integration part ID which is coincide with said inquired part ID is retrieved, said parts lifetime managing server outputs said post-integration part ID and said integration cause code, and

when said post-integration part ID corresponding to said pre-integration part ID which is coincide with said inquired part ID is not retrieved, said parts lifetime managing server outputs said selling stop cause code, and

said client terminal receives said outputted integration cause code or said selling stop cause code through a wide area network.

18. A parts lifetime management system according to claim 17, wherein said selling stop cause includes a cause of integration and a cause of supply stop,

said parts lifetime managing server retrieves said integration database in response to an inquiry received from said client terminal with said part ID, and

when said post-integration part ID corresponding to said pre-integration part ID coincides with said inquired part ID is retrieved, said parts lifetime managing server outputs said post-integration part ID, said integration cause code, and said cause of integration, and

when said post-integration part ID corresponding to said pre-integration part ID which is coincide with said inquired part ID is not retrieved, said parts lifetime managing server outputs said selling stop cause code and a cause of supply stop, and

said client terminal receives outputted said integration cause code or said selling stop cause code through a wide area network.

19. A parts lifetime management system according to claim 1, wherein said client terminal sends a cause of integration outputting request which corresponds said pre-integration part ID and said cause code through a wide area network to said parts server, and

said parts server executes retrieving on said integration database in response to said cause of integration outputting request and reports said cause of selling stop extracted by said retrieving to said client terminal.

20. A parts lifetime managing method in a parts lifetime management system which comprises:

a network;

a parts server storing a parts database storing a plurality of records each of which corresponds to a kind of parts which are commercially available, and each of said plurality of records includes a part ID which specifies said kind of parts, and an integrated record which is a part of said plurality of records includes data that a supply of a part specified by said part ID is stopped and changed to a supply of an another part; and

a parts lifetime managing server connected to said parts server by said network, and memorizing an integration database storing integration data which includes a pre-integration part ID and an post-integration part ID and a specified date and a specified period correspondingly, and said pre-integration part ID and said post-integration part ID are extracted from said part ID,

said parts lifetime management method comprising;

registering said part ID on said integration database as said pre-integration part ID when a design drawing of parts specified by said part ID is released;

registering said part ID which specifies a part interchangeable to a part specified by stored said pre-integration part ID on said integration database as said post-integration part ID;

registering said specified date and said specified period to said integration database;

calculating a date after said specified period from said specified date as an execution date;

sending said pre-integration ID and said post-integration ID from said parts lifetime managing server to said parts server in response to a coming of said execution date; and

updating said parts database to change a supply of a part specified by received said pre-integration ID to a supply of a part specified by received said post-integration ID.

21. The parts lifetime managing method of a parts lifetime management system according to claim 20 comprising:

sending specified date changing data which reports a change of said specified date from a predetermined terminal to said parts lifetime managing server;

requesting a new specified date and a new specified period from said predetermined terminal to an operator in response to receiving said specific date change data;

storing said new specified date and said new specified period inputted in response to said requesting to said integration database;

calculating a new date after said new specified period from said new specified date as an new execution date; and

storing said new execution date to said integration database.

22. The parts lifetime managing method according to claim 21, further comprising:

inquiring about a part from said predetermined terminal to said parts server;

sending data to said predetermined terminal in a case that said record corresponding to inquired said part is said integrated record, a report which indicates a supply of said part specified by said pre-integration part ID included in said integrated record is stopped and changed to a supply of a part specified by corresponding said post-integration part ID is generated and sent to said predetermined terminal.

23. The parts lifetime managing method according to claim 20, further comprising:

storing supply period data indicating a supplying period of each of said parts to a market to said parts lifetime managing server;

storing a part ID indicating a part whose supply to a market might be stopped before said supplying period is expired as a caution part to said parts server;

storing said caution part in said parts lifetime managing server when a design of said caution part is released;

inquiring about said part from a predetermined terminal; and

replying to said predetermined terminal that inquired said part is said caution part if inquired said part is said caution part.

24. The parts lifetime managing method according to claim 20, wherein a parts server stores a design management database which stores designs of parts,

said parts lifetime management method comprises;

requiring a specified date and a specified period in response to an input of said integration data;

storing inputted said specified date and said specified period correspondingly to said integration database;

calculating a date after said specified period from said specified date as an execution date in response to said storing of said specified date and said specified period;

generating a design revision message reporting a pre-revised parts whose data is stored in said design management database is revised to a post-revised parts;

adding interchangeability data representing an interchangeability of said pre-revised parts and said post-revised parts to said design revision message;

sending said design revision message to said parts lifetime managing server;

retrieving said integration database in response to receiving said design revision message;

changing a relation between said pre-integration part ID and said post-integration part ID in said integration database based on said interchangeability data in the case that as a result of said retrieving, said pre-integration part ID or said post-integration part ID includes said pre-revised parts corresponding to said post-revised parts is found; and

sending an updating request data which requests a relation of said pre-integration part ID and said post-integration part ID to be updated to an operator terminal, in a case that as a result of said retrieving, said pre-integration part ID or said post-integration part ID includes said pre-revised parts corresponding to said post-revised parts is found.

25. The parts lifetime managing method according to claim 24, further comprising:

requesting an approval data which indicates a changing of correspondence of parts is approved or not to said operator terminal when said operator terminal receives said updating request data;

sending said approval data from said operator terminal to said parts lifetime managing server; and

deciding said pre-integration part ID and said post-integration part ID to be changed or not based on said approval data by said parts lifetime managing server.

26. The parts lifetime managing method according to claim 20, wherein a parts server stores a design management database which stores designs of parts,

said operation method further comprises;

inputting a specified date and a specified period and a pre-integration part ID which indicates a kind of said parts, and post-integration part ID which specifies a part interchangeable to a part specified by said pre-integration part ID when a design draft is released;

calculating a date after said specified period from said specified date as an execution date;

stopping a supply of a part specified by said pre-integration part ID in response to a coming of said execution date;

storing a selling stop date corresponds to said pre-integration part ID, a cause of selling stop which explains a cause to stop a supply of parts corresponding to said pre-integration part ID in response to a coming of said selling stop date, and a code of a cause which is generated by coding said cause of selling stop to said parts lifetime managing server;

stopping a supply of part specified by said pre-integration part ID in response to a coming of said selling stop date; and

outputting said cause of selling stop in response to an inquiry about a supply stopped parts.

27. The parts lifetime managing method according to claim 26, wherein said code of a cause includes an integration cause code and a selling stop cause code,

said parts lifetime managing method comprises:

retrieving said integration database in response to an inquiry of a supply stopped part;

outputting said post-integration part ID and said integration cause code in a case that as a result of said retrieving said post-integration part ID corresponding to said part ID of said supply stopped part is found; and

outputting said selling stop cause code in a case that as a result of said retrieving said post-integration part ID corresponding to said part ID of said supply stopped parts is not found.

28. The parts lifetime managing method according to claim 27, wherein said cause of selling stop includes a cause of integration and a cause of supply stop,

said operating method comprising:

retrieving said integration database in response to an inquiry of a supply stopped part;

outputting said post-integration part ID and said cause of integration and said integration cause code in a case that as a result of said retrieving said pre-integration part ID of said supply stopped part is found;

outputting said cause of supply stop and selling stop cause code in a case that as a result of said retrieving said pre-integration part ID of said supply stopped parts is not found; and

outputting a set of said cause of integration and said integration cause code, or a set of said cause of supply stop and said selling stop cause code.