Apparatus and method for evaluating operability of appliances and an apparatus for improving the operability of the appliances

• US 5,745,381 A
• Filed: 06/26/1995
• Issued: 04/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Hirohiko, Nawata, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano, Edward R.
• Application Number:
  US08/494,964
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 364/400, 364/401 R, 364/402, 364/550, 364/551.01, 377/16, 434/219
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method for evaluating operability of a completed appliance at a designing stage includes the steps of forming a function-operation correspondence table which includes functions that the completed appliance is supposed to have, operational parts to exert each of the functions, and a number of times each of the operational parts is actuated to exert each of the functions; finding a total number of times each of the operational parts is actuated to exert all the functions in a case where all the functions are selected one time each, by using the function-operation correspondence table; adding up all the total numbers of times; calculating a ratio of the number of times each of the operational parts is actuated to the total numbers of times all the operational parts are actuated to exert all the functions; finding unbalance of using frequencies among the operational parts, from the calculated ratio and the number of the operational parts; and evaluating the operability of the appliance, based on the unbalance found.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating operability of a completed appliance at a designing stage, comprising the steps of:

forming a function-operation correspondence table which includes functions that the completed appliance is supposed to have, operational parts to exert each of the functions, and a number of times each of the operational parts is actuated to exert each of the functions;

finding a total number of times each of the operational parts is actuated to exert all the functions in a case where all the functions are selected one time each, by using the function-operation correspondence table;

adding up all the total numbers of times;

calculating a ratio of the number of times each of the operational parts is actuated to the total numbers of times all the operational parts are actuated to exert all the functions;

finding unbalance of using frequencies among the operational parts, from the calculated ratio and the number of the operational parts; and

evaluating the operability of the appliance, based on the unbalance found.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

forming a data base from results of questionnaire and/or protocol analyses, the data base including countermeasures against a high-use operational part, the countermeasures being based on a type, size, position, durability, material, and model of the high-use operational part; and

exercising the countermeasures in a case where the unbalance is judged to be non-preferable.

3. A method for evaluating operability of a completed appliance at a designing stage, comprising the steps of:

forming a function-operation correspondence table which includes functions that the completed appliance is supposed to have, operational parts to exert each of the functions, and a number of times each of the operational parts is actuated to exert each of the functions;

forming a data base from surveyed data, the data base including a frequency at which each of the functions is selected;

calculating a ratio of the number of times each of the operational parts is actuated to the total numbers of times all the operational parts are actuated to exert all the functions in a case where each of the functions is selected at the frequency included in the data base, by using the function-operation correspondence table and the data base;

finding unbalance of using frequencies among the operational parts, from the calculated ratio and the number of the operational parts; and

evaluating the operability of the appliance, based on the unbalance found.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

forming a data base from results of questionnaire and/or protocol analyses, the data base including countermeasures against a high-use operational part, the countermeasures being based on a type, size, position, durability, material, and model of the high-use operational part; and

exercising the countermeasures in a case where the unbalance is judged to be non-preferable.

5. A method for evaluating operability of a completed appliance at a designing stage, comprising the steps of:

forming a function-operation correspondence table which includes functions that the completed appliance is supposed to have, operational parts to exert each of the functions, and a number of times each of the operational parts is actuated to exert each of the functions;

finding a total number of times each of the operational parts is actuated to exert all the functions in a case where all the functions are selected one time each, by using the function-operation correspondence table;

adding up all the total numbers of times;

forming a data base from protocol analyses and/or questionnaire, the data base including an average operation time required to actuate each of the operational parts;

finding an average operation time required to actuate each of the operational parts in a case where all the functions are selected one time each, by multiplying the number of times each of the operational parts is actuated by the average operation time of each of the operational parts;

adding up the total average operation times of all the operational parts;

calculating a ratio of the average operation time of each of the operational parts to the total operation times of all the operational parts;

finding unbalance of using frequencies among the operational parts, from the calculated ratio and the number of the operational parts; and

evaluating the operability of the appliance, based on the unbalance found.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

forming a data base from results of questionnaire and/or protocol analyses, the data base including countermeasures against an operational part having a high operation time ratio, the countermeasures being based on a type, size, position, durability, material, and model of the operational part having the high operation time ratio; and

exercising the countermeasures in a case where the unbalance is judged to be non-preferable.

7. A method for evaluating operability of a completed appliance at a designing stage, comprising the steps of:

forming a function-operation correspondence table which includes functions that the completed appliance is supposed to have, operational parts to exert each of the functions, and a number of times each of the operational parts is actuated to exert each of the functions;

forming a data base from surveyed data, the data base including a frequency at which each of the functions are selected in accordance with an operator'"'"'s age, sex, physical features, address, and the like;

selecting a type of the operator from the data base;

calculating a ratio of a number of times to actuate each of the operational parts to a total number of times to actuate all of the operational parts in a case where the functions are selected at the frequency corresponding to the selected type of the operator, by using the function-operation correspondence table and the data base;

finding unbalance of using frequencies among the operational parts by the selected type of the operator, from the calculated ratio and the number of the operational parts; and

evaluating the operability of the appliance, based on the unbalance found.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

forming a data base from results of questionnaire and/or protocol analyses, the data base including countermeasures against a high-use operational part, the countermeasures being based on a type, size, position, durability, material, and model of the high-use operational part; and

exercising the countermeasures in a case where the unbalance is judged to be non-preferable.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

forming a data base, in accordance with the type of the operator, from questionnaire and/or protocol analyses, the data base including countermeasures against a high-use operational part, the countermeasures being based on a type, size, position, durability, material, and model of the high-use operational part; and

exercising the countermeasures by utilizing the data base in a case where the using frequency is judged to be non-preferable.

10. A method for evaluating operability of a completed appliance at a designing stage, comprising the steps of:

forming a function-operation correspondence table which includes functions that the completed appliance is supposed to have, operational parts to exert each of the functions, and a number of times each of the operational parts is actuated to exert each of the functions;

forming a data base from surveyed data, the data base including an average operation time of each of the operational parts in accordance with the type of the operator;

selecting a type of the operator from the data base;

calculating a ratio of a number of times to actuate each of the operational parts to a total number of times to actuate all of the operational parts in a case where all the functions are selected evenly in the average operation time in accordance with the selected type of the operator, by using the function-operation correspondence table and the average operation time of each of the operational parts;

finding unbalance of operation times among the operational parts, from the calculated ratio and the number of the operational parts; and

evaluating the operability of the appliance, based on the unbalance found.

11. The claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

forming a data base from results of questionnaire and/or protocol analyses, the data base including countermeasures against an operational part having a high operation time ratio, the countermeasures being based on a type, size, position, durability, material, and model of the operational part having the high operation time ratio; and

exercising the countermeasures in a case where the unbalance is judged to be non-preferable.

12. The claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

forming a data base corresponding to each type of operators from questionnaire and/or protocol analyses, the data base including countermeasures against a high-use operational part, the countermeasures being based on a type, size, position, durability, material, and model of the high-use operational part; and

exercising the countermeasures by utilizing the data base in a case where the unbalance is judged to be non-preferable.

13. A method for evaluating operability of a completed appliance at a designing stage, comprising the steps of:

forming a function-operation correspondence table which includes functions that the completed appliance is supposed to have, operational parts to exert each of the functions, and a number of times each of the operational parts is actuated to exert each of the functions;

forming a first data base from surveyed data, the first data base including a frequency at which each of the functions is selected in accordance with an operator'"'"'s age, sex, physical features, address, and the like;

forming a second data base from surveyed data, the second data base including an average operation time of each of the operational parts in accordance with the type of the operator;

selecting a type of the operator;

calculating at least one of a ratio of the number of times to actuate each of the operational parts to the total number of times to actuate all the operational parts and a ratio of an operation time required to actuate each of the operational parts to a total operation time required to actuate all of the operational parts in a case where the functions are selected at the frequency in accordance with the selected operator'"'"'s type, by using the function-operation correspondence table and at least one of the data on the function using frequency and the data on the average operation time;

finding unbalance of operation times among the operational parts, from the calculated ratio; and

evaluating the operability of the appliance, based on the unbalance found.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

forming a third data base from questionnaire and/or protocol analyses, the third data base including countermeasures against an operational part having a high frequency of use and high operation time ratio, the countermeasures being based on a type, size, position, durability, material, and model of the operational part; and

exercising the countermeasures by utilizing the third data base in a case where the unbalance is judged to be non-preferable.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

forming a fourth data base, in accordance with a type of the operator, from questionnaire and/or protocol analyses, the fourth data base including countermeasures against an operational part with a high frequency of use and high operation time ratio, the countermeasures being based on a type, size, position, durability, material, and model of the operational part; and

exercising the countermeasures by utilizing the fourth data base in a case where the unbalance is judged to be non-preferable.

16. A method for evaluating operability of a completed appliance at a designing stage, comprising the steps of:

providing each operational part of the appliance with a terminal which outputs an identification signal for identifying the operational part when an operator actuates the operational part;

connecting the terminal to an output means and CPU, and informing the CPU of operational parts actuated by the operator;

actuating each of the operational parts by the operator to sequentially exert functions to be provided to the completed appliance;

forming a function-operation correspondence table on which each of the functions is associated with operational parts required to exert the function and a number of operations to actuate each of the operational parts; and

evaluating the operability of the appliance in terms of the number of operations to actuate each of the operational parts, based on the function-operation correspondence table formed.

17. A method for evaluating operability of a completed appliance at a designing stage, comprising the steps of:

providing each operational part of the appliance with a terminal which outputs an identification signal for identifying the operational part and an operation time of the operational part when an operator actuates the operational part;

connecting the terminal to an output means and CPU, and informing the CPU of each operational part actuated by the operator and an operational time of the operational part as a pair;

actuating each of the operational parts by the operator to sequentially exert functions to be provided to the completed appliance;

forming a function-operation correspondence table on which each of the functions is associated with operational parts required to exert the function and a number of operations to actuate each of the operational parts; and

adding one of a total operation time required for exerting all the functions and a total operation time required for actuating all the operational parts to the function-operation correspondence table formed; and

evaluating the operability of the appliance in terms of at least one of the operation times of the functions required to exert the functions and the operation times required to actuate the operational parts, based on the function-operation correspondence table formed.

18. A method for evaluating operability of a completed appliance intended for a specific type of operators, at a designing stage, comprising the steps of:

providing each operational part of the appliance with a terminal which outputs an identification signal for identifying the operational part and an operation time of the operational part when an operator actuates the operational part;

connecting the terminal to an output means and CPU, and informing the CPU of each operational part actuated by the operator and an operational time of the operational part as a pair;

actuating each of the operational parts by the specific type of operators to sequentially exert functions to be provided to the completed appliance;

forming a function-operation correspondence table on which each of the functions is associated with operational parts required to exert the function and a number of operations to actuate each of the operational parts; and

adding at least one of a total operation time required for the specific type of operators to exert all the functions and a total operation time required for the specific type of operators to actuate all the operational parts to the function-operation correspondence table formed; and

evaluating the operability of the appliance for the specific type of operators in terms of at least one of the operation times of the functions required to exert the functions and the operation times required to actuate the operational parts, based on the function-operation correspondence table formed.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the steps of:

calculating an average operation time required for a specific type of operators to actuate each of the operational parts, as a result of the connecting step and the actuating step; and

forming a data base including the average operation time calculated, the data base is used to design an appliance intended for a specific type of operators.

20. An apparatus for evaluating operability of a completed appliance at a designing stage, comprising:

a table storing means for storing a function-operation correspondence table which indicates functions that the completed appliance is supposed to have, operational parts with which an operator selects each of the functions, and a number of times the operator actuates each of the operational parts to select the functions;

an actuation number finding means for finding a total number of times the operator actuates each of the operational parts in a case where all the functions are selected one time each, by using the function-operation correspondence table;

an adding means for adding up the total number of times the operator actuates all of the operational parts;

a calculating means for calculating a ratio of the number of times the operator actuates each of the operational parts to a total number of times the operator actuates all of the operational parts;

a frequency finding means for finding unbalance of using frequencies among the operational parts, from the calculated ratio and the number of the operational parts; and

an outputting means for evaluating the operability of the appliance, based on the unbalance found, and outputting evaluation results in a predetermined manner.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising:

a data base storing means for storing a data base formed from questionnaire and/or protocol analyses, the data base including countermeasures against a high-use operational part, the countermeasures being based on a type, size, position, durability, material, and model of the high-use operational part; and

a displaying means for displaying the countermeasures by utilizing the data base in a case where the unbalance found is judged to be non-preferable.

22. An apparatus for evaluating operability of a completed appliance at a designing stage, comprising:

a table storing means for storing a function-operation correspondence table which indicates functions that the completed appliance is supposed to have, operational parts with which an operator selects each of the functions, and a number of times the operator actuates each of the operational parts to select the functions;

a function frequency data storing means for storing surveyed data including a frequency at which the operator selects each of the functions;

a calculating means for calculating a ratio of the number of times the operator actuates each of the operational parts to a total number of times the operator actuates all of the operational parts in a case where the operator selects each of the functions at the frequency indicated in the data base, by using the function-operation correspondence table and the data base;

a frequency finding means for finding unbalance of using frequencies among the operational parts, from the calculated ratio and the number of the operational parts; and

an outputting means for evaluating the operability of the appliance, based on the unbalance found, and outputting evaluation results in a predetermined manner.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising:

a data base storing means for storing a data base formed from questionnaire and/or protocol analyses, the data base including countermeasures against a high-use operational part, the countermeasures being based on a type, size, position, durability, material, and model of the high-use operational part; and

a displaying means for displaying the countermeasures by utilizing the data base in a case where the unbalance found is judged to be non-preferable.

24. An apparatus for evaluating operability of a completed appliance at a designing stage, comprising:

a table storing means for storing a function-operation correspondence table which indicates functions that the completed appliance is supposed to have, operational parts with which an operator selects each of the functions, and a number of times the operator actuates each of the operational parts to select the functions;

an actuation number finding means for finding a total number of times the operator actuates each of the operational parts in a case where all the functions are selected one time each, by using the function-operation correspondence table;

an adding means for adding up the total number of times the operator actuates all of the operational parts;

an operation time storing means for storing an average operation time required for the operator to actuate each of the operational parts, from protocol analyses and/or questionnaire;

an operation time finding means for finding an average operation time of each of the operational parts in a case where all the functions are selected one time each by multiplying the number of times each of the operational parts is actuated by the average operation time of each of the operational parts;

a totalling means for totalling the average operation time of each of the operational parts;

a calculating means for calculating a ratio of the average operation time of each of the operational part to a total operation time required for actuating all the operational parts;

an unbalanced using frequency finding means for finding unbalance of using frequencies among the operational parts, from the calculated ratio and the number of the operational parts; and

an outputting means for evaluating the operability of the appliance in a predetermined manner, based on the unbalance found, and outputting evaluated results.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising:

a data storing means for storing a data base formed from questionnaire and/or protocol analyses, the data base including countermeasures against an operational part with a high operation time ratio, the countermeasures being based on a type, size, position, durability, material, and model of the operational part with operation time ratio; and

an displaying means for displaying the countermeasures by utilizing the data base in a case where the unbalance is judged to be non-preferable.

26. An apparatus for evaluating operability of a completed appliance at a designing stage, comprising:

a table storing means for storing a function-operation correspondence table which indicates functions that the completed appliance is supposed to have, operational parts with which an operator selects each of the functions, and a number of times the operator actuates each of the operational parts to select the functions;

a data storing means for storing a data base formed from surveyed data, the data base including a frequency at which the operator selects each of the functions in accordance with the operator'"'"'s age, sex, physical features, address, and the like;

a selecting means for selecting a type of the operator from the data base;

a calculating means for calculating a ratio of the number of times the operator actuates each of the operational parts to a total number of times the operator actuates all of the operational parts in a case where the functions are selected at the frequency in accordance with the selected type of the operator;

a frequency finding means for finding unbalance of using frequencies among the operational parts, from the calculated ratio and the number of the operational parts; and

an output means for evaluating the operability of the appliance, based on the unbalance found, and outputting evaluated results.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising:

a data base storing means for storing a data base formed from questionnaire and/or protocol analyses, the data base including countermeasures against a high-use operational part, the countermeasures being based on a type, size, position, durability, material, and model of the high-use operational part; and

an displaying means for displaying the countermeasures by utilizing the data base in a case where the unbalance found is judged to be non-preferable.

28. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising:

a table storing means for storing a data base formed from questionnaire and/or protocol analyses, the data base including countermeasures against a high-use operational part, the countermeasures being based on a type, size, position, durability, material, and model of the high-use operational part depending on a specific type of operators; and

an displaying means for displaying the countermeasures by utilizing the data base in a case where the unbalance found is judged to be non-preferable.

29. An apparatus for evaluating operability of a completed appliance at a designing stage, comprising:

a table storing means for storing a function-operation correspondence table which includes functions that the completed appliance is supposed to have, operational parts to exert each of the functions, and a number of times each of the operational parts is actuated to exert each of the functions;

a data base storing means for storing a data base formed from surveyed data, the data base including an average operation time of each of the operational parts in accordance with the type of the operator;

a selecting means for selecting a type of the operator from the data base;

a calculating means for calculating a ratio of a number of times to actuate each of the operational parts to a total number of times to actuate all of the operational parts in a case where all the functions are selected evenly in the average operation time in accordance with the selected type of the operator, by using the function-operation correspondence table and the average operation time of each of the operational parts;

a unbalance finding means for finding unbalance of operation times among the operational parts, from the calculated ratio and the number of the operational parts; and

an evaluating means for evaluating the operability of the appliance, based on the unbalance found.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising:

a data storing means for storing a data base formed from questionnaire and/or protocol analyses, the data base including countermeasures against an operational part with a high operation time ratio, the countermeasures being based on a type, size, position, durability, material, and model of the operational part with operation time ratio; and

a displaying means for displaying the countermeasures by utilizing the data base in a case where the unbalance is judged to be non-preferable.

31. The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising:

a data base storing means for storing a data base corresponding to each type of operators formed from questionnaire and/or protocol analyses, the data base including countermeasures against a high-use operational part, the countermeasures being based on a type, size, position, durability, material, and model of the high-use operational part; and

a displaying means for displaying the countermeasures by utilizing the data base in a case where the unbalance is judged to be non-preferable.

32. An apparatus for evaluating operability of a completed appliance at a designing stage, comprising:

a table storing means for storing a function-operation correspondence table which includes functions that the completed appliance is supposed to have, operational parts to exert each of the functions, and a number of times each of the operational parts is actuated to exert each of the functions;

a data base storing means for storing a data base formed from surveyed data, the data base including a frequency at which each of the functions are selected in accordance with an operator'"'"'s age, sex, physical features, address, and the like;

an average operation time storing means for storing a data base formed from surveyed data, the data base including an average operation time of each of the operational parts in accordance with the type of the operator;

a selecting means for selecting a type of the operator;

a calculating means for calculating at least one of a ratio of the number of times to actuate each of the operational parts to the total number of times to actuate all the operational parts and a ratio of an operation time required to actuate each of the operational parts to a total operation time required to actuate all of the operational parts in a case where the functions are selected at the frequency in accordance with the selected operator'"'"'s type, by using the function-operation correspondence table and at least one of the data on the function using frequency and the data on the average operation time;

an unbalance finding means for finding unbalance of operation times among the operational parts, from the calculated ratio; and

an evaluating means for evaluating the operability of the appliance, based on the unbalance found.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 further comprising:

a data base storing means for storing a data base formed from questionnaire and/or protocol analyses, the data base including countermeasures against an operational part having a high frequency of use and high operation time ratio, the countermeasures being based on a type, size, position, durability, material, and model of the operational part; and

a display means for displaying the countermeasures by utilizing the data base in a case where the unbalance is judged to be non-preferable.

34. The apparatus of claim 32 further comprising:

a data base storing means for storing a data base formed from questionnaire and/or protocol analyses, the data base including countermeasures against an operational part having a high frequency of use and high operation time ratio, the countermeasures being based on a type, size, position, durability, material, and model of the operational part; and

a display means for displaying the countermeasures by utilizing the data base in a case where the unbalance is judged to be non-preferable.