Method and apparatus for designing molecules with desired properties by evolving successive populations
First Claim
1. A method of evolving a representation of a molecule with a set of desired properties by successively generating a sequence of populations, each of said populations comprising a plurality of member representations of the chemical composition and connectivity of member molecules, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) comparing each member representation of a present population of said sequence of populations with said set of desired properties to assign to each compared member representation a numerical value dependent on how closely said compared member representation corresponds with said set of desired properties;
b) selecting said member representations of said present population dependent on their respective numerical values and changing the chemical composition and connectivity of at least one of said selected member representations to be reproduced within a next population of member representations of said sequence of populations, said selecting and changing being performed on a computer; and
c) repetitively executing steps a) and b) at least one time, each execution of steps a) and b) producing said next population of said member representations within said sequence of populations.
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Abstract
A method of and apparatus are disclosed for evolving successive populations of molecular structures and evaluating each evolved structure of each population with desired physical and/or theoretical properties. An initial population of molecules is provided in terms of representations of a number of member molecules. Evaluation is performed by a fitness function, which compares the initial population and evolved generations of member representations with the set of desired properties to provide a numerical measure or value of fitness for each structure. That numerical value indicates how closely the compared member representation corresponds with the set of desired properties. The next population is generated by changing the structure of selected molecules of a population dependent upon the numerical measure of fitness, and the process repeats. Subsequent populations evolve towards ever-better fitness. The process is terminated when an acceptable molecule evolves.
195 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method of evolving a representation of a molecule with a set of desired properties by successively generating a sequence of populations, each of said populations comprising a plurality of member representations of the chemical composition and connectivity of member molecules, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) comparing each member representation of a present population of said sequence of populations with said set of desired properties to assign to each compared member representation a numerical value dependent on how closely said compared member representation corresponds with said set of desired properties; b) selecting said member representations of said present population dependent on their respective numerical values and changing the chemical composition and connectivity of at least one of said selected member representations to be reproduced within a next population of member representations of said sequence of populations, said selecting and changing being performed on a computer; and c) repetitively executing steps a) and b) at least one time, each execution of steps a) and b) producing said next population of said member representations within said sequence of populations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification