Two-step method constructing large-area facilities and small-area intrafacilities equipments optimized by user population density

• US 5,402,335 A
• Filed: 09/24/1992
• Issued: 03/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: O'Brien, Francis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Gail O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): POINVIL, FRANTZY
• Application Number:
  US07/950,362
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 364/401, 364/406, 364/408, 395/905-907
• US Class Current: 703/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/2321 using statistics or function optimisation, e.g. modelling of probability density functions
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A two-step method is disclosed that enables in the first step to optimize facilities layout on the scale of miles with regard to, among others, population density and that enables in the second step to optimize intrafacilities layout on the scale of feet with regard to, among others, population density using non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS) matrices in both the first and second steps.

Claims

1. A method for constructing a facility comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a first area where the facility is to be built;

(b) selecting a first set of objects that are to make up the facility;

(c) arranging a depiction of said first set of object within a representation of the first area using a predetermined scale for representation of said first area and a predetermined scale and object symbol system for said first set of objects to be placed in said first area;

(d) constructing a non-metric MDS matrix representing a first population density of said first set of objects in said first area;

(e) constructing at least one non-metric MDS matrix representative of at least one inter-object matrix other than population density using said depiction of said first set of objects within said representation of said first area;

(f) combining the matrix of step (d) with the at least one matrix of step (e);

(g) optimizing the arrangement of the first set of objects in said first area using the combined matrices; and

(h) building the facility by placing the first set of objects in the first area in accord with the optimized arrangement of the first set of objects in the first area.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:

(i) selecting a sub-area of said first area containing at least one of the objects in said first set of objects;

(j) selecting a second set of objects to be placed in the sub-area;

(k) arranging a depiction of said second set of objects in a representation of the sub-area using a predetermined scale and object symbol system for said objects in said second set;

(l) determining a second population density of the second objects arranged in the sub-area and expressing said population density of the second objects in the sub-area as a non-metric MDS matrix using the aforesaid predetermined scale and object symbol system for the objects in the second set of objects;

(m) determining at least one inter-object metric other than population density of the second set of objects arranged in the sub-area and expressing said at least one inter-object metric as at least one non-metric MDS matrix using the aforesaid predetermined scale and object symbol system for the objects in the second set of objects;

(n) optimizing the depiction of said second set of objects in the sub-area using the non-metric MDS matrix expressing said second population density and the at least one non-metric MDS matrix expressing said at least one inter-object metric other than population density of the second set of objects; and

(o) placing the second set of objects in the sub-area in accord with the optimized representation of the second set of objects in the sub-area.

3. The method of claim 1, further including the step of:

(p) making adjustments to the optimized arrangement.

4. The method of claim 2, further including the step of:

(g) making adjustments to the optimized representation of the second set of objects in the sub-area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of constructing at least one non-metric MDS matrix comprises expressing said at least one inter-object metric in the form of an inter-object transition frequency matrix.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of constructing at least one non-metric MDS matrix comprises expressing said at least one inter-object metric other than population density in the form of a sequential activity dependencies matrix.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of constructing at least one non-metric MDS matrix comprises expressing said at least one inter-object metric other than population density as a shared object matrix.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said optimizing step is performed using a stress function.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said stess function is a non-linear stress function.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of expressing said at least one inter-object metric comprises expressing said at least one inter-object metric of the second set of objects in the form of an inter-object transition frequency matrix.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of expressing said at least one inter-object metric comprises expressing said at least one inter-object metric other than population density of the second set of objects in the form of a sequential activity dependencies matrix.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of expressing said at least one inter-object metric comprises expressing said at least one inter-object metric other than population density of the second set of objects as a shared object matrix.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein said optimizing step of the second set of objects in the sub-area is performed using a stress function.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said stress function is a non-linear stress function.

15. The method claim 1, wherein the step of placing the second set of objects in the sub-area is performed empirically.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of placing the second set of objects in the sub-area is further performed in a rapidly paced fashion.