Patent ID: 8165913

Claim:
A computer system for assigning virtual attributes to a product produced in a production process chain, the production process chain including a first supplier producing one or more first products, a second supplier being a higher level supplier than the first supplier using said one or more first products produced by said first supplier and producing one or more second products, and a third supplier being a higher level supplier than said second supplier using said one or more second products produced by said second supplier and producing third products, said computer system comprising: a memory storage unit for storing: first attribute values assigned to first lot numbers of said one or more first products; second attribute values assigned to second lot numbers of said one or more second products; and third lot number attribute values assigned to said third products; and a computerized generation unit for generating: first virtual lot number attribute values combining each of said second lot number attribute values and one or more of said first lot number attribute values; and second virtual lot number attribute values combining each of said third lot number attribute values and one or more of said second lot number attribute values; a system for tracing a fault occurring in said third lot number attribute values of said third products, said system for tracing comprising: a correlation calculation unit for calculating a correlation coefficient between each of said third lot number attribute values of said third products having said fault and said second virtual lot number attribute values including a third lot number attribute value having said fault and a second lot number attribute value; and a sub-processor for identifying one of said one or more second lot number attribute values of said second products as having a largest correlation coefficient identifying said one of said one or more second lot number attribute values of said second products being associated with said fault.