Abstract: Computer technology to simulate the extended thinking in product scheme design is adopted to devise quickly more design schemes with higher quality. An innovative principle for scheme extension was presented, based on Extension network. The Extension network was defined to integrate the extension rules. The probable conflicting forms and their resolutions of the Extension network were advanced. The knowledge inference system, involved when the principle was applied in the intelligent system, was given from the perspective of artificial intelligence/knowledge engineering. The inference algorithm for utilizing the inference rules, based on Extension network, was given. The validity of the algorithm was analyzed. A case study shows that more alternative design schemes can be obtained by applying knowledge inference, based on Extension network, which means more probability of innovation is provided.

Key words: scheme design; divergent thinking; knowledge inference; extension network