Runhua Tan

Patent analysis with text mining for TRIZ

Patent is an important knowledge source for industrial research and product development on account of its innovation and practicability. In TRIZ theory, a product design problem can be considered as one or more Contradictions. But the Contradictions and corresponding Inventive Principles are rather abstract and general. It will be more helpful for innovators to solve the problem if they obtain related examples from published patents that have solved the Contradictions. In order to search the relevant patents according to Contradictions and Inventive Principles automatically, text mining is used to analyze patent documents. In this paper, a computer-aided methodology to classify patents according to Contradictions and Inventive Principles is proposed.

UXDs-driven conceptual design process model for contradiction solving using CAIs

Design is situational, which means the explicit consideration of the state of the environment, the knowledge and experience of the designer, and the interaction between the designer and the environment during designing interact. When computer-aided innovation systems (CAIs) are applied to the design, the environment and the situation are different from the traditional design process and environment. The basic principles of some CAIs available in the world market are directly related to theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ). Special TRIZ solutions, which have a few inventive principles and the related cases for contradiction problem solving, are medium-solutions to domain problems. The second stage analogy process is used to generate domain solutions and in this process, the TRIZ solutions are used as source designs of analogy-based process. Unexpected discoveries (UXDs) are the key factors to trigger designers to generate new ideas for domain solutions. The type of UXDs for the specific TRIZ solutions is studied and a UXDs-driven contradiction solving for conceptual design is formed. A case study shows the application of the process step by step.

Achieving Disruptive Innovation - forecasting potential technologies based upon technical system evolution by TRIZ

Disruptive Innovation can be defined as developing technologies that are typically cheaper, simpler to use and target low-end or new customers. This paper suggests that disruptive innovation theory needs to be forecasted by studying Ideal Final Result (IFR) of product. According to IFR, two kinds of evolutionary technologies (i.e., mainstream evolutionary technologies and laggard evolutionary technologies) can be detected. Then the necessary and sufficient condition for forecasting innovation technologies is established. Based on an evolution route line of TRIZ, the potential disruptive innovation can be forecasted. As a case study, the video game console system is investigated. The study shows that the adoption of TRIZ evolution theory in forecasting disruptive technologies of product is feasible.

The Technology Maturity of Product and Its Mapping

Technology maturity (TM) of product is a crucial index for enterprises. But the existing methods of technology maturity mapping do not always work. By integrating some fruits of Altshuller and Darrell Mann, a technique of mapping technology maturity of product based on patent analysis was put forward. The product lifecycle was subdivided, and the algorithm and approaches of mapping TM were discussed. On the basis of above technique the software named TMMS was developed. As an illustration the TM of butterfly valve was mapped by TMMS.Copyright

Teaching and playback control system for parallel robot for ankle joint rehabilitation

The designed and experimental process of the teaching and playback control system of parallel robot for ankle joint rehabilitation is narrated. Teaching-box was fulfilled with single chip MCU system. The teaching and playback progress was executed as three modes, including point by point mode, continuous mode and mixed mode. During the teaching and playback progress, the max torque of the motor could be changed. With the control of three torque motor, the playback of parallel robot for ankle joint rehabilitation could be realized.

Computer-aided classification of patents oriented to TRIZ

TRIZ has been widely acknowledged as an effective tool to solve technical problems. In TRIZ theory, a significant operation of product innovation is to solve design contradictions. When an engineer formulates his problem as a contradiction, the Contradiction Matrix helps him to identify a representative Contradiction and Inventive Principles. But Inventive Principles are abstract, it will be more helpful to generate innovative problem-solving ideas for innovators if they obtain related examples from published patents which have used the same Inventive Principles in different fields. Most of the current available automatic patent classification systems are based on technology field such as IPC and they are not suitable for TRIZ. Recent advance of computational linguistics allowed us to integrate text mining and TRIZ for patent classification. In this paper, a computer-aided approach to classify patents according to Inventive Principles is proposed.

Technique of product technology evolutionary potential mapping based on patent analysis

Intellectual property rights are an important driver of innovation and productivity in the knowledge-based economy. And the intellectual property rights in the form of patents provide a source of technological information that can be used by researchers and inverters to find new solutions to technical problems. Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) is a systematic approach that developed on the basis of patent information currently being applied internationally to find innovative solutions for technical problems. The patterns and lines of technology evolution that summarized from patent analysis of TRIZ are applied to identify evolutionary potential (EP) of a technical system and help decision-makers to make strategic decisions for product development. A searching method for EP is put forward and the method to construct the plot structure of EP is introduced. A sequential process of evolutionary potential mapping of product based on patent analysis is then formed. As an illustration, a butterfly valve case study shows the application of the process.

CAI-driven new ideas generation for product conceptual design

New idea generation is the key factors for product conceptual design process. The obstacle for idea generation in the process is difficult to apply knowledge in different fields for designers. Computer-aided innovation systems (CAIs) which are TRIZ-base software systems with a knowledge base provide a framework for knowledge application in different fields, and are suitable for the application for the designers to generate new ideas. Product design is situational, and the situation is different from the traditional design process when the CAIs are applied. The principle of new idea generation driven by CAIs is studied and an integrated CAI-driven process model for new idea generation for product conceptual design is developed. A case study shows the application of the model.

Conceptual design process model for function and contradiction solving

Product conceptual design process modeling is a hot issue of engineering design field researches. Contradiction solving is the most important kind of problems to be solved and it is rooted philosophy in TRIZ. The essence of contradictions appeared in product structure is that there are conflicts between functions of a product. Contradiction in conceptual design is introduced, which can be solved by using TRIZ. A conceptual design process model for function and contradiction solving is proposed. An example illustrates the design process.

Product development performance measures in manufacturing firm

Product development is becoming more and more importance for manufacturing firm. A well-designed performance measurement system can demonstrate the impacts of product development on the whole firm and be utilized for motivation of people, especially product development staff. At the same time, suitable product development measures provide valuable information for the controlling of activities and continuous improvement of the product development process. This paper reviews the evolution of manufacturing sectors, analyzes the role of performance measures and product development performance measure proposals in manufacturing, especially from the standpoint of manufacturing firms in China.