Patent Document ID: 20080172379
Application ID: 12008737
Patent Flag: 0

Claim One:
1. A computer readable recording medium storing a design support program executed by computer, the program providing information considering a range of similarity, the program comprising the steps of: storing feature associated information associating a plurality of pieces of design data that can be classified for each structure and feature data provided corresponding to each piece of the design data and representing features of the design data; extracting the feature data corresponding to the design data to be searched upon receiving the design data to be searched; checking the extracted feature data against the feature data associated with the feature associated information, ordering the design data associated with the feature associated information in descending order of similarity to the design data to be searched, retrieving at least one piece of the ordered design data; generating a classification hierarchy consisting of a plurality of pieces of classification data obtained by classifying a set of the retrieved design data based on a degree of feature similarity using the feature data associated with the feature associated information; selecting the design information closely associated with the classification data by fetching the design information corresponding to the design data contained in the classification data from the design associated information associating the design data and the design information; and displaying the classification data in a predetermined form together with the selected design information.