Using the evolutionary pattern to generate ideas in new product development

The paper presents the patterns of evolution concept as an analytical tool for using the information obtained from the patent system to generate ideas and feed new product development processes. A case study is presented using a methodology to extract and analyse information based on some TRIZ tools as the S-curve metrics and the patterns of evolution for studying an exercise bike manufactured by a Brazilian firm. The evolutionary pattern of a set of eight patents was obtained along ten lines of evolution, and a radar graph of this pattern was built showing the evolutionary potential and providing some good prospects for product development in some specific design areas of the exercise bicycle.