System and method for checking data stored in database system used for part management

• US 7,047,237 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kazunori, Tanaka, Hideyuki, Yamamoto, Masataka
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): KASENGE, CHARLES R
• Application Number:
  US10/376,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20030187534A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 700/95, 700/97, 700/80, 700/100, 700/103, 700/115, 700/108, 700/109, 700/182, 700/107, 707/1, 707/3, 707/103, 707/2, 707/200
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A parts management system used for parts management of part of an apparatus is composed of a database system including one or more databases, and a data check computer system. The database stores data on the parts, the data including an electronic parts list describes part numbers of the parts. The data check computer system checks whether the data stored in the at least one database complies with a predetermined rule and produces a warning in response to the check.

Claims

1. A part management system used for parts management of parts of an apparatus comprising:

a database system including at least one database, wherein said at least one database stores data on said parts, said data including an electronic parts list describing part numbers for identifying said parts; and

a data check computer system which checks whether said data stored in said at least one database complies with a predetermined rule, including checking at least one of the consistency and conformity of the part numbers described within the electronic parts list, and produces a warning in response to said checking;

wherein;

said parts are provided with ranks for hierarchical management,

said database system includes an accessory management computer system for managing accessories of said apparatus,

said accessory management computer system contains a variation-specific parts list which includes part numbers of variation-specific parts constituting a variation-specific accessory which is equipped for a variation of said apparatus to distinguish said variation from another variation of said apparatus, and

said data check computer system looks up data on said variation-specific parts in said electronic parts list using said part numbers of said variation-specific parts as a query and determines whether said variation-specific parts are provided with the highest rank in said electronic part list, and produces said warning in response thereto.

2. A part management system according to claim 1, wherein said data check computer system includes a part number regulation database describing a part number regulation, and

wherein said data check computer system checks whether said part numbers of said parts in said electronic parts list are described according to said part number regulation and produces said warning in response thereto.

4. The part management according to claim 1, wherein said database system includes a CAD database storing drawings of specific one of said parts,

wherein said drawings are respectively provided with drawing numbers which includes a specific part number of said part number, and

wherein said data check computer system determines whether said database system contains a complete set of said drawings based on said drawing numbers to produce said warning.

5. The part management system according to claim 1, wherein said electronic parts list comprises:

a part number section describing part numbers of said parts; and

a constituent part number section describing constituent part numbers of constituent parts of said parts, and

wherein said data check system determines whether said part number section includes each of said constituent part numbers to produce said warning.

3. A part management system, used for parts management of parts of an apparatus comprising:

a database system including at least one database, wherein said at least one database stores data on said parts, said data including an electronic parts list describing part numbers for identifying said parts; and

a data check computer system which checks whether said data stored in said at least one database complies with a predetermined rule, including checking at least one of the consistency and conformity of the part numbers described with the electronic parts list, and produces a warning in response to said checking,

wherein each of said part numbers of said parts includes at least one kind-specifying digit representative of a kind thereof,

said parts listed in said database system determines whether parts having part numbers including the same kind-specifying digit are included in different packages and produces said warning in response thereto.

6. A parts management system , used for parts management of parts of an apparatus comprising:

a database system including at least one database, wherein said at least one database stores data on said parts, said data including an electronic parts list describing part numbers for identifying said parts; and

a data check computer system which checks whether said data stored in said at least one database complies with a predetermined rule, including checking at least one of the consistency and conformity of the part numbers described within the electronic parts list, and produces a warning in response to said checking,

wherein said part numbers of said parts respectively include at least one version-specifying digit identifying a revised version of a specific part of said parts, and

wherein said data check computer system queries an old version part number that is identical to a latest version part number of the latest version of said specific part except said at least one version-specifying digit, and deletes data on an old version of said specific part associated to said old version part number from said electronic parts list.

7. A part management system , used for parts management of parts of an apparatus comprising:

a database system including at least one database, wherein said at least one database stores data on said parts, said data including an electronic parts list describing part numbers for indentifying said parts; and

a data check computer system which checks whether said data stored in said at least one database complies with a predetermined rule, including checking at least one of the consistency and conformity of the part numbers described within the electronic parts list, and produces a warning in response to said checking,

wherein said electronic parts list includes;

a part number section describing part numbers of said parts; and

a constituent part number section describing constituent part numbers of constituent parts of said parts,

wherein said parts are provided with ranks such that each of said parts is provided with a higher rank than said constituent parts thereof,

wherein said data check system produces a part number structure describing relations of said parts and said constituent parts thereof based on said part number section and said constituent part number section, and checks whether said part number structure correctly forms a tree, and produces said warning in response thereto.

8. The part management system according to claim 7, wherein said data check computer system traces said relations from each of said parts to determine whether each of said parts is associated through said relations to the part whose rank is the highest, and produces said warning in response thereto.

9. The part management system according to claim 7, wherein said data check computer system produces said warning when one of said parts is not associated to said highest rank part through a predetermined number or fewer of said relations.

10. A method for parts management of parts of an apparatus comprising:

preparing at least one database storing data on said parts, wherein said data includes an electronic parts list describing part numbers for identifying said parts;

automatically checking whether said data stored in said at least one database complies with a predetermined rule by a data check computer system, including checking at least one of the consistency and conformity of the part numbers described within the electronic parts list;

producing a warning in response to said checking;

providing said parts with ranks for hierarchical management;

providing a variation-specific parts list which includes part numbers of variation-specific parts constituting a variation-specific accessory which is equipped for a variation of said apparatus to distinguish said variation from another variation of said apparatus;

looking up data on said variation-specific parts in said electronic parts list using said part numbers of said variation-specific parts as a query by said data check computer system; and

determining whether said variation-specific parts are provided with the highest rank in said electronic part list by said data check computer system, and said warning is produced in response thereto.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

providing a part number regulation database describing a part number regulation; and

determining whether said part numbers of said parts in said electronic parts list are described according to said part number regulation by said data check computer system and said warning is produced in response thereto.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

preparing a CAD database storing drawings of specific ones of said parts, wherein said drawings are respectively provided with drawing numbers which include a specific part number of said part number, and

determining whether said database system contains a complete set of said drawings based on said drawing numbers by said data check computer system, and said warning is produced in response thereto.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein said electronic parts list includes:

a part number section describing part numbers of said parts, and

a constituent part number section describing constituent part numbers of constituent parts of said parts, and

said method further comprising the steps of;

determining whether said part number section includes each of said constituent part numbers by said data check computer system, and said warning is produced in response thereto.

12. A method for parts management of parts of an apparatus comprising the steps of:

preparing at least one database storing data on said parts, wherein said data includes an electronic parts list describing part numbers for identifying said parts;

automatically checking whether said data stored in said at least one database complies with a predetermined rule by a data check computer system, including checking at least one of the consistency and conformity of the part numbers described within the electronic parts list; and

producing a warning in response to said checking,

wherein each of said part numbers of said parts includes at least one kind-specifying digit representative of a kind thereof,

wherein said parts listed in said database system are packaged into a plurality of packages, and

said method further comprising the steps of;

determining whether parts having part numbers including the same kind-specifying digit are included in different packages, and said warning is produced in response thereto.

15. A method for parts management of parts of an apparatus comprising the steps of:

preparing at least one database storing data on said parts, wherein said data includes an electronic parts list describing part numbers for identifying said parts;

automatically checking whether said data stored in said at least one database complies with a predetermined rule by a data check computer system, including checking at least one of the consistency and conformity of the part numbers described within the electronic parts list; and

producing a warning in response to said checking,

wherein said part numbers of said parts respectively include at least one version-specifying digit identifying a revised version of a specific part of said parts, and

said method further comprising the steps of;

querying an old version part number which is identical to a latest version part number of the latest version of said specific part except said at least one version-specifying digit; and

deleting data on an old version of said specific part associated to said old version part number from said electronic parts list.

16. A method for parts management of parts of an apparatus comprising the steps of:

preparing at least one database storing data on said parts, wherein said data includes an electronic parts list describing part numbers for identifying said parts;

automatically checking whether said data stored in said at least one database complies with a predetermined rule by a data check computer system, including at least one of the consistency and conformity of the part numbers described within the electronic parts list; and

producing a warning in response to said checking,

wherein said electronic parts list includes;

a part number section describing part numbers of said parts;

a constituent part number section describing constituent part numbers of constituent parts of said parts, and

wherein said parts are provided with ranks such that each of said parts is provided with a higher rank than said constituent parts thereof, and

said method further comprising the steps of;

producing a part number structure describing relations of said parts and said constituent parts thereof based on said part number section and said constituent part number section, and

checking whether said part number structure correctly forms a tree, and said warning is produced in response thereto.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

tracing said relations from each of said parts, and

determining whether each of said parts is associated through said relations to the part whose rank is the highest, and said warning is produced in response thereto.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein said part number structure producing step is executed when one of said parts is not associated to said highest rank part through a predetermined number or fewer of said relations.

19. A computer-readable program stored in a computer-readable comprising:

at least one database storing data on parts of an apparatus, said data including an electronic parts list describing part numbers for identifying said parts;

a data checker which automatically checks whether said data stored in said at least one database complies with a predetermined rule, including checking at least one of the consistency and conformity of the part numbers described within the electronic parts list;

an alarm section which produces a warning in response to said checking;

said parts are provided with ranks for hierarchical management;

said program further comprises a variation-specific parts list which includes part numbers of variation-specific parts constituting a variation-specific accessory which is equipped for a variation of said apparatus to distinguish said variation from another variation of said apparatus;

said data checker looks up data on said variation-specific parts in said electronic parts list using said part numbers of said variation-specific parts as a query; and

said data checker determines whether said variation-specific parts are provided with the highest rank in said electronic part list, and said alarm section produces said warning in response thereto.

20. The computer-readable program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 19, further comprising:

a part number regulation database describing a part number regulation; and

said data checker determines whether said part numbers of said parts in said electronic parts list are described according to said part number regulation, and said alarm section produces said warning in response thereto.

22. The computer-readable program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 19, further comprising:

a CAD database storing drawings of specific one of said parts, wherein said drawings are respectively provided with drawing numbers which include a specific part number of said part, and

said data checker determines whether said database system contains a complete set of said drawings based on said drawing numbers, and said alarm section produces said warning in response thereto.

23. The computer-readable program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 19, wherein said electronic parts list includes:

a part number section describing part numbers of said parts, and

a constituent part number section describing constituent part numbers of constituent parts of said parts, and

said data checker determines whether said part number section includes each of said constituent part numbers, and said alarm section produces said warning in response thereto.

21. A computer-readable program stored in a computer-readable medium comprising:

at least one database storing data on parts of an apparatus, said data including an electronic parts list describing part numbers for identifying said parts;

a data checker which automatically checks whether said data stored in said at least one database complies with a predetermined rule, including checking at least one of the consistency and conformity of the part numbers described within the electronic parts list; and

an alarm section which produces a warning in response to said checking, wherein;

each of said part numbers of said parts includes at least one kind-specifying digit representative of a kind thereof,

said parts listed in said database are packaged into a plurality of packages, and

said data checker determines whether parts having part numbers including the same kind-specifying digit are included in different packages, and said alarm section produces said warning in response thereto.

24. A computer-readable program stored in a computer-readable medium comprising:

at least one database storing data on parts of an apparatus, said data including an electronic parts list describing part numbers for identifying said parts;

a data checker which automatically checks whether said data stored in said at least one database complies with a predetermined rule, including checking at least one of the consistency and conformity of the part numbers described within the electronic parts list; and

an alarm section which produces a warning in response to said checking, wherein

said part numbers of said parts respectively include at least one version-specifying digit identifying a revised version of a specific part of said parts, and

said computer-readable program further comprising;

a query section which queries an old version part number which is identical to a latest version part number of the latest version of said specific part except said at least one version-specifying digit, and

deletes data on an old version of said specific part associated to said old version part number from said electronic parts list.

25. A computer-readable stored in a computer-readable medium program comprising:

at least one database storing data on parts of an apparatus, said data including an electronic parts list describing part numbers for identifying said parts;

a data checker which automatically checks whether said data stored in said at least one database complies with a predetermined rule, including checking at least one of the consistency and conformity of the part numbers described within the electronic parts list; and

an alarm section which produces a warning in response to said checking, wherein said electronic parts list includes;

a part number section describing part numbers of said parts;

a constituent part number section describing constituent part numbers of constituent parts of said parts, and

wherein said parts are provided with ranks such that each of said parts is provided with higher ranks than said constituent parts thereof, and

said data checker produces a part number structure describing relations of said parts and said constituent parts thereof based on said part number section and said constituent part number section, and

checks whether said part number structure correctly forms a tree, and said alarm section produces said warning in response thereto.

26. The computer-readable program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 25, wherein:

said data checker traces said relations from each of said parts, and

determines whether each of said parts is associated through said relations to the part whose rank is the highest, and said alarm section produces said warning in response thereto.

27. The computer-readable program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 25 wherein said data checker produces said part number structure when one of said parts is not associated to said highest rank part through a predetermined number of fewer of said relations.