Abstract: In order to obtain the relationships among the product whole perception image (PWPI), the product sub-perception image (PSPI) and the product elements (PE), the formation mechanism of the user perception image (UPI) is analyzed in product design, and the UPI model of mental construction is proposed. By taking the sun glasses as an example, the mapping relationship between the PWPI and four PSPI i.e. form, color, material and shade, is built by applying the multivariate adaptive regression splines. And then the optimum combination of the four PSPI is solved in Matlab software by using the most approximate and the lowest image-value rules. The relation model between PE and each PSPI is established by making use of the regression tree. The optimal PE combination related to the optimum four PSPI is further obtained on the basis of UPI interval. And then the optimum PE combination related to certain UPI is obtained. The study shows that, in the mental construction of the user perception image, there is complicated relationship between PWPI and PSPI, and the tree structure can represent the relation between PSPI and PE.

Key words: Industrial design, Multivariate adaptive regression splines, Product elements, Regression tree, User perception image