Method for Determining an Optimal Mode of Operation and for Operating a Portfolio of Technical Equipment
First Claim
1. A computer-aided method for determining the optimal modes of operation of operating assets in a portfolio of a plurality of technical operating assets;
- wherein the following steps are carried out by a data-processing system comprised of at least one computing device, a means to store electronic data and information, a computer-readable medium containing executable program instructions, and at least one display device;
the method comprising the steps of;
a. Step 1;
i. Define a set of possible combinations of modes of operation for the portfolio of operating assets, wherein this set is a sub-set of all possible combinations of different modes of operation of the individual operating assets;
ii. Define a failure function which expresses a failure or malfunction rate of all the operating assets over time, dependent upon a chosen combination of modes of operation;
iii. Define a utility function for the portfolio that assigns a total benefit to each combination of modes of operation, wherein the total benefit depends at least on the failure rate of the operating assets; and
iv. Define a cost function for the portfolio that assigns a total resource usage to each combination of modes of operation.b. Step 2;
i. Solve an optimization problem to determine an optimal combination of modes of operation, by eitherMaximizing the total benefit of the portfolio, under the constraint that a given total resource usage not be exceeded (hereinafter, step 2a), OrMinimizing the resource usage, under the constraint that the total benefit of the portfolio does not fall short of a specified value (hereinafter step 2b); and
ii. Display, by means of an output device, the optimal combination of modes of operation as a solution of the optimization problem, wherein the respective optimal mode of operation is made visible for each operating asset.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The inventive disclosure relates to a method for determining the optimal modes of operation for the operating assets in a portfolio of technical operating assets. With this method, portfolios of resources, particularly those that produce a non-monetary benefit, and in particular public sector network infrastructure, can be optimally operated in the long term. The method is based on the identification of possible combinations of modes of operation (rules) of the portfolio of all operating assets over their entire or remaining service life, and on a benefit and resource usage function defined at the portfolio level. The method results in the identification, for each respective reporting asset, of the mode of operation that either causes the maximum benefit with lowest total resource usage or that has the minimal resource usage to achieve a given benefit. A resource usage-benefit relationship can be derived for the total portfolio.
7 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A computer-aided method for determining the optimal modes of operation of operating assets in a portfolio of a plurality of technical operating assets;
- wherein the following steps are carried out by a data-processing system comprised of at least one computing device, a means to store electronic data and information, a computer-readable medium containing executable program instructions, and at least one display device;
the method comprising the steps of;a. Step 1; i. Define a set of possible combinations of modes of operation for the portfolio of operating assets, wherein this set is a sub-set of all possible combinations of different modes of operation of the individual operating assets; ii. Define a failure function which expresses a failure or malfunction rate of all the operating assets over time, dependent upon a chosen combination of modes of operation; iii. Define a utility function for the portfolio that assigns a total benefit to each combination of modes of operation, wherein the total benefit depends at least on the failure rate of the operating assets; and iv. Define a cost function for the portfolio that assigns a total resource usage to each combination of modes of operation. b. Step 2; i. Solve an optimization problem to determine an optimal combination of modes of operation, by either Maximizing the total benefit of the portfolio, under the constraint that a given total resource usage not be exceeded (hereinafter, step 2a), Or Minimizing the resource usage, under the constraint that the total benefit of the portfolio does not fall short of a specified value (hereinafter step 2b); and ii. Display, by means of an output device, the optimal combination of modes of operation as a solution of the optimization problem, wherein the respective optimal mode of operation is made visible for each operating asset. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 21)
- wherein the following steps are carried out by a data-processing system comprised of at least one computing device, a means to store electronic data and information, a computer-readable medium containing executable program instructions, and at least one display device;
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16. A data-processing system for determining the optimal modes of operation of operating assets in a portfolio of a plurality of technical operating assets, wherein the data processing system comprises:
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at least one computing device; a means to store electronic data and information; at least one display device; and a computer-readable medium containing executable program instructions to execute a method comprising the steps of; a. Step 1; i. Define a set of possible combinations of modes of operation for the portfolio of operating assets, wherein this set is a sub-set of all possible combinations of different modes of operation of the individual operating assets; ii. Define a failure function which expresses a failure or malfunction rate of all the operating assets over time, dependent upon a chosen combination of modes of operation; iii. Define a utility function for the portfolio that assigns a total benefit to each combination of modes of operation, wherein the total benefit depends at least on the failure rate of the operating assets; and iv. Define a cost function for the portfolio that assigns a total resource usage to each combination of modes of operation. b. Step 2; i. Solve an optimization problem to determine an optimal combination of modes of operation, by either Maximizing the total benefit of the portfolio, under the constraint that a given total resource usage not be exceeded (hereinafter, step 2a), Or Minimizing the resource usage, under the constraint that the total benefit of the portfolio does not fall short of a specified value (hereinafter step 2b); and ii. Display, by means of an output device, the optimal combination of modes of operation as a solution of the optimization problem, wherein the respective optimal mode of operation is made visible for each operating asset. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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17. A computer-readable medium containing a computer program for determining optimal modes of operation of operating assets in a portfolio of a plurality of technical operating assets, which is able to be loaded and executed on a data-processing unit, and which when executed implements the method comprising the steps of:
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a. Step 1; i. Define a set of possible combinations of modes of operation for the portfolio of operating assets, wherein this set is a sub-set of all possible combinations of different modes of operation of the individual operating assets; ii. Define a failure function which expresses a failure or malfunction rate of all the operating assets over time, dependent upon a chosen combination of modes of operation; iii. Define a utility function for the portfolio that assigns a total benefit to each combination of modes of operation, wherein the total benefit depends at least on the failure rate of the operating assets; and iv. Define a cost function for the portfolio that assigns a total resource usage to each combination of modes of operation. b. Step 2; i. Solve an optimization problem to determine an optimal combination of modes of operation, by either Maximizing the total benefit of the portfolio, under the constraint that a given total resource usage not be exceeded (hereinafter, step 2a), Or Minimizing the resource usage, under the constraint that the total benefit of the portfolio does not fall short of a specified value (hereinafter step 2b); and ii. Display, by means of an output device, the optimal combination of modes of operation as a solution of the optimization problem, wherein the respective optimal mode of operation is made visible for each operating asset. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification