User configured optimizer

• US 8,055,598 B1
• Filed: 08/08/2007
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Inventors: Kumar, Rakesh, Scott, Tara, Berman, Marjorie, Kidd, Amy, Marazzi, Marcelo, Lane, Thomas Paul, Freeman, Mary Ann Branch
• Primary Examiner(s): Starks; Wilbert L
• Application Number:
  US11/891,140
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 706/45
• US Class Current: 706/45
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/10 Complex mathematical operations function generation by table look-up G06F1/03; evaluation of elementary functions by calculation G06F7/544
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/11 for solving equations , e.g. nonlinear equations, general mathematical optimization problems optimization specially adapted for a specific administrative, business or logistic context G06Q10/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202

Abstract

An adaptable graphical user interface is provided. The interface may include a setup region to display a group of available solvers to a user and to display parameters for at least one of the group of solvers to the user. The interface may include an options region to display a first group of active options to a user without requiring a user input for the first group of active options, where the first group of active options is determined based on a selected one of the group of solvers. The options region may further display a second group of active options to the user when another one of the solvers is selected by the user, where the second group of active options differs from the first group of active options.

Claims

1. A computing device, comprising:

a processor for executing;

an interactive optimizer comprising;

a graphical user interface to;

display a first pane to a user, the first pane to;

 

display information about a plurality of available solvers, where one or more of the plurality of solvers are run against a problem to produce a result, display a second pane to the user, the second pane to;

 

display options, where the options are displayed based on a selected one of the plurality of solvers, and wherein the options are displayed to the user without accepting a user input related to the second pane, and

display reference information that assists the user when the user interacts with the interactive optimizer, wherein the reference information or the options are dynamically updated, and

display the result to the user.

2. The computing device of claim 1, the processor further executing as part of the interactive optimizer:

optimizer logic to;

access the selected one of the plurality of solvers,

read the options, and

process the problem using the selected one of the plurality of solvers and the options to produce the result.

3. The interactive device of claim 1, the processor further executing:

a code generator to;

generate executable code using the selected one of the plurality of solvers, the options, or the result.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the first pane and the second pane are displayed in a window.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the second pane is displayed prior to displaying the first pane.

6. The computing device of claim 1, where the problem is displayed to the user after the options are displayed to the user.

7. A computing device, comprising:

a processor for executing;

an interactive optimizer;

comprising;

a graphical user interface to;

display a first pane to a user, the first pane to;

 

display information about a plurality of available solvers, where one or more of the plurality of solvers are run against a problem to produce a result, display a second pane to the user, the second pane to;

 

display options, where the options are displayed based on a selected one of the plurality of solvers, and wherein the options are displayed to the user without accepting a user input related to the second pane, and

display reference information that assists the user when the user interacts with the interactive optimizer, wherein the reference information or the options are dynamically updated,

display the result to the user;

a first window that includes the first pane; and

a second window that includes the second pane;

display the result to the user;

wherein the first window and the second window are displayed on a single display device or where the first window is displayed on a first display device and the second window is displayed on a second display device.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable instructions for optimizing a problem, when the instructions are executed, the instructions causing a computing device to perform the following:

displaying a first pane to a user, where the first pane displays solvers to the user;

for displaying a second pane to the user, where the second pane displays options that are related to one or more of the solvers, and wherein the options are displayed to the user without requiring a user input related to the second pane,

displaying reference information to the user based on the selected solver or the displayed options,

identifying options related to a selected one of the solvers;

updating the reference information based on a user selection related to the solvers or the option;

running the selected solver against a problem to produce a result; and

displaying the result to the user or for storing the result in a memory.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, further storing instructions for:

receiving another user input that identifies another one of the solvers;

displaying the another one of the solvers to the user; and

updating the displayed options based on the another one of the solvers.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further storing instructions for:

generating the result using the another one of the solvers.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, further storing instructions for:

generating code for the result, the selected solver, or the options.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the displayed options include active options that can be used with the selected solver and inactive options that are not used with the selected solver, and wherein the active options and the inactive options change based on a user input related to the solvers.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the selected solver is displayed to the user via a setup region and the options are displayed to the user via an options region, and wherein at least a portion of the information in the setup region is explicitly linked to displayed options in the options region.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, further storing instructions for:

displaying a reference region that includes help information, where the help information is updated based on displayed solvers, displayed options, or information related to the displayed solvers.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, further storing instructions for:

identifying a number of units of execution; and

instructions for running the selected solver or another solver against the problem using the identified number of execution units to produce the result.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, further storing instructions for:

displaying the first pane in a first window.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, further storing instructions for:

displaying the second pane in a second window.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, further storing instructions for:

instructions for displaying the first pane to the user via a first display device; and

instructions for displaying the second pane or the result to the user via a second display device.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, further storing instructions for:

instructions for running the selected solver in a distributed environment.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, further storing instructions for:

instructions for running the selected solver in a multi-core environment.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable instructions for optimizing a problem, when the instructions are executed, the instructions causing a computing device to perform the following:

displaying a first pane to a user, where the first pane displays solvers to the user;

displaying a second pane to the user, where the second pane displays options that are related to one or more of the solvers, and wherein the options are displayed to the user without requiring a user input related to the second pane,

displaying reference information to the user based on the selected solver or the displayed options,

identifying options related to a selected one of the solvers;

updating the reference information based on a user selection related to the solvers or the options,

running the selected solver against a problem to produce a result;

displaying the result to the user or for storing the result in a memory; and

wherein one of the solvers is a system defined solver and wherein another one of the solvers is a user defined solver.

22. A computing device comprising a processor for executing an adaptable graphical user interface, the graphical user interface comprising:

a setup region to;

display a plurality of available solvers to a user,

display parameters for at least one of the plurality of solvers to the user; and

an options region to;

display a first group of active options to a user without requiring a user input related to the first group of active options, where the first group of active options is determined based on a selected one of the plurality of solvers, and

display a second group of active options to the user when another one of the plurality of solvers is selected by the user, where the second group of active options differs from the first group of active options;

wherein the displaying of the second group of active options represents adaptation of the graphical user interface based on a user input.

23. The computing device of claim 22, the adaptable graphical user interface of, further comprising:

a reference region to;

display first help information to the user when the first group of active options are displayed to the user, and

display second help information to the user when the second group of active options are displayed to the user.

24. The computing device of claim 22, wherein the graphical user

interface interacts with a dynamically typed language to produce a result on behalf of the user using one or more of the plurality of available solvers.