Component management system and method

Abstract

A component management system includes: a component database for registering component data regarding a plurality of components, which have been admitted to be purchased based on predetermined criteria; an e-mail server for receiving information regarding components from a component provider and for sending the received information to a person in charge of component admission. The component database is updated based on a result of selection performed based on the sent information.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A component management system comprising: 
 a component database which registers component data regarding a plurality of components which have been examined based on a predetermined criterion and including their examination results;    a receiver which receives information regarding components;    an updating section which updates the component data registered in the component database, in accordance with the examination based on the information received by said receiver; and    a selector which selects an arbitrary component from the plurality of components registered in the component database.    
     
     
         2 . The component management system according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said component data includes data representing whether each of the plurality of components is a component admitted to be purchased based on the examination results; and    said selector selects an arbitrary component from the plurality of components to be purchased, based on the component data.    
     
     
         3 . The component management system according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the component data includes data representing whether each of the plurality of components is a component admitted to be purchased based on the examination results, and    said selector warns that a component which is not admitted to be purchased is selected, based on the component data.    
     
     
         4 . The component management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the component data includes a recommendation to use a component based on the examination results.  
     
     
         5 . The component management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the component data includes a rating of a component determined by examination.  
     
     
         6 . The component management system according to  claim 5 , wherein: 
 the component is examined based on the component data received by said receiver; and    said updating section includes    a register which registers, in the component database, the component data regarding the plurality of components, which has been examined, and    an adjuster which adjusts a rating of each of the plurality of components in accordance with results of re-examination based on the information received by said receiver.    
     
     
         7 . The component management system according to  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a system which provides a predetermined criterion based on which each of the plurality of components is examined, and    wherein the component database registers the component data regarding at least one component which satisfies the predetermined criterion.    
     
     
         8 . The component management system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a system which provides a criterion based on which each of the plurality of components is examined, and 
 wherein the component data includes data representing whether each of the plurality of components satisfies the criterion.    
     
     
         9 . The component management system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an input unit which inputs information for specifying a component; and    a retriever for retrieving a component which satisfies the input information from the component database.    
     
     
         10 . The component management system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a catalogue database which stores an electronic catalogue specifically reporting information representing the plurality of components stored in. the component database, and 
 wherein the component data registered in the component database is linked to information representing the electronic catalogue, so that the electronic catalogue can be accessed through the component data.    
     
     
         11 . The component management system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an index-information storage which stores index information which can be an index for selecting a component; and    a reader which reads and provides, in response to a request, index information corresponding to the request from said index-information storage.    
     
     
         12 . The component management system according to  claim 1 , further comprising an improvement/cessation database storing improvement/cessation information representing if any of the plurality of components represented by the information retrieved by said retriever is improved, to be improved or not to be manufactured any more, and 
 wherein said updating section updates the component data registered in the component database, based on the improvement/cessation information registered in the improvement/cessation database.    
     
     
         13 . The component management system according to  claim 1 , wherein said receiver is prepared commonly for a predetermined range of organizations.  
     
     
         14 . The component management system according to  claim 1 , further comprising terminal which requests for examination of a component.  
     
     
         15 . The component management system according to  claim 1 , further comprising terminal which selects a component for use in manufacturing a product, of the plurality of components registered in the component database.  
     
     
         16 . The component management system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an application terminal which applies for purchasing a component registered in the component database; and    a purchase terminal which executes a process for purchasing the component in response to the applying for purchasing the component.    
     
     
         17 . The component management system according to  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a second database which stores a part of or entire copy of the information stored in the component database; and    a terminal which updates said second database in accordance with a predetermined examination criterion.    
     
     
         18 . A component management method comprising: 
 settling an admission criterion for admitting a component;    examining a component based on the admission criterion, and registering the component admitted by the examination in a component database;    receiving information regarding components;    updating the component data registered in the component database, in accordance with an examination based on the received information; and    selecting an arbitrary component from the plurality of components registered in the component database based on the component data.    
     
     
         19 . A component management method, comprising the steps of: 
 settling an admission criterion for admitting a component;    examining a component based on the admission criterion, and registering the component admitted by the examination in a component database;    receiving improvement/cessation information about a component through a network;    updating the component database based on the received improvement/cessation information, thereby updating contents of the component database based on the improvement/cessation information; and    selecting a component which is to practically be used, from a plurality of components registered in the component database.    
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , further comprising the steps of: 
 determining whether a component, included in the improvement/cessation information after being updated, can be a component to be purchased;    registering, in a case where it is determined that the component can be purchased, component information representing the determined component in the component database; and    lowering, in a case where it is determined that the component can not be purchased, a rating of the component which has been determined as a component not to be purchased.    
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 19 , farther comprising: 
 preparing electronic information which can serve as an index for selecting a component; and    showing the electronic information, in response to a request for the information.    
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 receiving the improvement/cessation information of components, and storing the received information in an improvement/cessation database; and    updating component information stored in the component database, based on the improvement/cessation information registered in the improvement/cessation database.    
     
     
         23 . A component management system comprising: 
 a component database which registers component data regarding a plurality of components which have been examined based on a predetermined criterion and including their examination results;    a receiver which receives information regarding the plurality of components;    a component-data updating section which updates the component data registered in the component database, in accordance with predetermined examination based on the information received by said receiver; and    selection means which selects an arbitrary component from the plurality of components registered in the component database.