COMPUTER IMPLEMENTED DECISION SUPPORT METHOD & SYSTEM
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Abstract
In this research, we propose to extend the robust optimization technique and target it for problems encountered in supply chain management. Our method represents uncertainty as polyhedral uncertainty sets made of simple linear constraints derivable from macroscopic economic data. We avoid the probability distribution estimation of stochastic programming. The constraints in our approach are intuitive and meaningful. This representation of uncertainty is applied to capacity planning and inventory optimization problems in supply chains. The representation of uncertainty is the unique feature that drives this research. It has led us to explore different problems in capacity/inventory planning under this new paradigm. A decision support system package has been developed, which can conveniently interface to manufacturing/firm data warehouses, inferring and analyzing constraints from historical data, analyzing performance (worst case/best case), and optimizing plans.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1-30. -30. (canceled)
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31. A Computer implemented Decision Support method, comprising the step of feeding information in the form of at least one constraint set defined over a space of parameters, with a parameter being a multidimensional vector, with a constraint set having at least one constraint defined over said parameters, with allowable parameters satisfying all the constraints in at least one said constraint set, and offering facilities for at least one of:
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a. determining at least one of set-theoretic relations, inclusive of subset, disjoint, and intersection, or at least one of metric relations, inclusive of maximum and minimum distances, between a first said constraint set and a said second constraint set, in an extended relational algebra engine; b. transformation of a first said constraint set to obtain a second said constraint set having the same, greater, or smaller multidimensional volume using at least one of scaling, rotation, translations, and volume preserving, respectively volume increasing, respectively volume decreasing, general linear or non-linear transformations; c. determining information content of a said constraint set by determining the volume of said constraint set in an information theory engine; and d. and having a facility to determine a parameter, which satisfies all constraints in a first constraint set, and where a specified objective function defined over said parameters is maximized over all parameters satisfying all constraints in same said first constraint set. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A Computer implemented Decision Support system, comprising the means of feeding information in the form of at least one constraint set defined over a space of parameters, with a parameter being a multidimensional vector, with a constraint set having at least one constraint defined over said parameters, with allowable parameters satisfying all the constraints in at least one said constraint set, and means to invoke facilities for at least one of:
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a. determining at least one of set-theoretic (subset, disjoint, and intersection) and metric relations, inclusive of distances between a first said constraint set and a said second constraint set, in an extended relational algebra engine; b. transformation of a first said constraint set to obtain a second said constraint set having the same, greater, or smaller multidimensional volume using at least one of scaling, rotation, translations, and volume preserving, respectively volume increasing, respectively volume decreasing, general linear or non-linear transformations; c. determining Information content of a said constraint set by determining the volume of said constraint set in an information theory engine; d. and having a facility to determine a parameter, which satisfies all constraints in a first constraint set, and where a specified objective function defined over said parameters is maximized over all parameters satisfying all constraints in same said first constraint set.
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Specification