Patent ID: 8065120

Claim:
A design support system, comprising: a node data storage means that stores node data, including a group of function nodes which include nodes representing functions performed by an apparatus to be designed, the functions being subdivided from upper functions to lower functions, wherein each of the function nodes includes one or plural operation parameters and target specification parameters, and a group of part nodes include part nodes representing parts for realizing the functions, wherein each of the part nodes includes one or plural design parameters; a functional model generating means that generates a functional model in which the upper functions, the lower functions, and the parts are associated with one another and are hierarchized with reference to the node data stored in the node data storage means; a node designation receiving means that receives the designation of a node among the functional models; a node selection means that: selects, if the designated node is one of the part nodes, at least one of the function nodes associated with the designated part node in an upper hierarchical level than the designated part node; and selects, if the designated node is one of the function nodes, at least one of the function nodes and the part nodes associated with the designated function node in an upper or lower hierarchical level than the designated function node; a display unit that displays the at least one node selected by the node selection means; a parameter relation information storage means which stores parameter relation information that defines a pairing of the parameters; a function validation model generation means that generates a function validation model that shows a relation among parameters included in the node by referring to the parameter relation information storage means; a parameter designation receiving means that receives the parameter designation from the function validation model; a parameter selection means that selects parameters related to the designated parameter; and a parameter display means that displays the parameters selected by the parameter selection means in an order of importance of a specification if the designated parameter relates to a change in an apparent specification.