Information processing method and information processing apparatus

• US 6,581,002 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2001
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ugajin, Ryuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GIBSON, ERIC M
• Application Number:
  US09/775,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20010034578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 701/209, 701/200, 701/201, 701/202, 701/206, 701/210, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3446 Details of route searching algorithms, e.g. Dijkstra, A*, arc-flags, using precalculated routes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem

Abstract

To obtain good approximate solutions of a combinatorial optimization problem such as traveling salesman problem and to enable its processing apparatus in form of massively parallel exclusive devices, an information carrier corresponding to the distribution of a plurality of points given on an n-dimensional space (n is an integer not smaller than 2), and time development and time reversal of the information carrier are used to process the information. The information carrier may be the density of particles or optical intensity corresponding to the distribution of the given points, and a diffusion process of the particles or a defocusing process is used as changes with time. The traveling salesman problem is solved by using this method.

Claims

1. An information processing method of finding a route minimizing a total length of lines each connecting two points among routes each once passing through all of a plurality of points given on an n-dimensional plane executed using an information processing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

preparing information from an information carrier corresponding to a distribution of a plurality of points given on an n-dimensional space (where n is an integer not smaller than

     2); and

using time development and time reversal of the information carrier to process the prepared information.

2. The information processing method according to claim 1 wherein said information carrier is a density of particles corresponding to the distribution of the given points, and the changes over time resulting from a diffusion process of the particles is used as the time development and time reversal.

3. The information processing method according to claim 1 wherein said information carrier is an optical intensity corresponding to the distribution of the given points, and the changes over time resulting from a defocusing process of the optical intensity is used as the time development and time reversal.

4. An information processing apparatus for finding a route minimizing a total length of lines each connecting two points among routes each once passing through all of a plurality of points given on an n-dimensional plane, comprising:

preparation means for preparing information from an information carrier corresponding to a distribution of a plurality of points given on an n-dimensional space (where n is an integer not smaller than

     2), and

processing means for processing the prepared information using time development and time reversal of the information carrier.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said information carrier is a density of particles corresponding to the distribution of the given points, and the changes over time resulting from a diffusion process of the particles is used as the time development and time reversal.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said information carrier is an optical intensity corresponding to the distribution of the given points, and the changes over time resulting from a defocusing process of the optical intensity is used as the time development and time reversal.