Systems and methods for determining optimal utilization levels in a fixed capacity system

• US 7,797,178 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2005
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Morgan Stanley Services Group Inc. (Morgan Stanley)
• Original Assignee: Morgan Stanley
• Inventors: Kim, Jung-bae, Cherubini, James C., Dabagian, Edmund G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boswell; Beth V
• Assistant Examiner(s): FEACHER, LORENA R
• Application Number:
  US11/133,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20060265297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,943 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705 7- 10
• US Class Current: 705/7.22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A method. The method includes includes determining a hardware efficiency factor for an asset having a fixed capacity and a predictable capacity consumption rate, and determining a touch efficiency factor for the asset. The touch efficiency factor represents a measurement of the frequency of touch of the asset, and touch represents a disruption of the asset occurring when the asset reaches the fixed capacity. The method further includes determining an optimal utilization level based on both the hardware efficiency factor and the touch efficiency factor.

Claims

1. A method, implemented at least in part by a computing device, the method comprising:

determining, by the computing device, a hardware efficiency factor for an asset having a fixed capacity and a predictable capacity consumption rate, wherein the computing device comprises at least one processor and an operatively associated computer-readable storage medium, and wherein determining the hardware efficiency factor comprises determining the hardware efficiency factor based on the following function;

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the hardware efficiency factor includes determining the predictable capacity consumption rate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the hardware efficiency factor includes determining a predictable price decrease of the asset.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the hardware efficiency factor includes plotting the hardware efficiency factor over a range of utilization values.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the touch efficiency factor includes determining the predictable capacity consumption rate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the touch efficiency factor includes determining a predictable price decrease of the asset.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the touch efficiency factor includes plotting the hardware efficiency factor over a range of utilization values.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the touch efficiency factor includes determining the touch efficiency factor based on the following function:

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the optimal utilization level includes determining a maximum value of the sum of the hardware efficiency factor and the touch efficiency factor over a range of utilization values.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the optimal utilization level includes determining the optimal utilization by finding a maximum value of the following function:

E_S =E_H +E_T

where

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the hardware efficiency factor and the touch efficiency factor over a range of utilization levels.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a sum of the hardware efficiency factor and the touch efficiency factor over a range of utilization levels.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an asset purchasing decision based at least in part on the optimal utilization level.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an asset-related staffing decision based at least in part on the optimal utilization level.

15. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to,

determine a hardware efficiency factor for an asset having a fixed capacity and a predictable capacity consumption rate, and wherein determining the hardware efficiency factor comprises determining the hardware efficiency factor based on the following function:

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises at least one of a disk and a device.

17. A system comprising at least one computing device, wherein the computing device comprises:

a microprocessor; and

an operatively associated computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises instructions thereon that, when executed by the microprocessor, cause the microprocessor to;

determine a hardware efficiency factor for an asset having a fixed capacity and a predictable capacity consumption rate, wherein determining the hardware efficiency factor comprises determining the hardware efficiency factor based on the following function;

18. A method, implemented at least in part by a computing device, the method comprising:

determining, by the computing device, a hardware efficiency factor for an asset having a fixed capacity and a predictable capacity consumption rate, wherein the computing device comprises at least one processor and an operatively associated computer-readable storage medium;

determining, by the computing device, a touch efficiency factor for the asset, the touch efficiency factor representing a measurement of frequency of touch of the asset, where touch represents a disruption of the asset occurring when the asset reaches the fixed capacity, wherein the disruption is pursuant to providing additional capacity; and

wherein determining the touch efficiency factor comprises determining the touch efficiency factor based on the following function;

19. A system comprising at least one computing device, wherein the computing device comprises:

a microprocessor; and

an operatively associated computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises instructions thereon that, when executed by the microprocessor, cause the microprocessor to;

determine, a hardware efficiency factor for an asset having a fixed capacity and a predictable capacity consumption rate;

wherein the computing device comprises at least one processor and an operatively associated computer-readable storage medium;

determine a touch efficiency factor for the asset, the touch efficiency factor representing a measurement of frequency of touch of the asset, where touch represents a disruption of the asset occurring when the asset reaches the fixed capacity, wherein the disruption is pursuant to providing additional capacity; and

wherein determining the touch efficiency factor comprises determining the touch efficiency factor based on the following function;