A dynamic programming approach to GA-based heuristic for multi-period CF problems

In this paper we have introduced a multi-period cell formation (CF) model which is more computationally challenging than the most comprehensive CF models in the literature. A dynamic programming (DP) based approach coupled with GA-based heuristic is proposed to solve the multi-period problem. Since, the introduced dynamic programming is general and can be applied to any GA-based heuristic with full rejuvenation cycles to solve the multi-period part of the model, we focused only on the DP approach in this paper but have explained the interface with the GA-based heuristic. Illustrative example has been provided that clarifies the application of DP-heuristic. The performance of the DP-heuristic has been evaluated against LINGO and multi period GA-based heuristic.     

A dynamic programming approach: Improving the performance of wireless networks

Traditional wireless networks focus on transparent data transmission where the data are processed at either the source or destination nodes. In contrast, the proposed approach aims at distributing data processing among the nodes in the network thus providing a higher processing capability than a single device. Moreover, energy consumption is balanced in the proposed scheme since the energy intensive processing will be distributed among the nodes. The performance of a wireless network is dependent on a number of factors including the available energy, energy–efficiency, data processing delay, transmission delay, routing decisions, security architecture etc. Typical existing distributed processing schemes have a fixed node or node type assigned to the processing at the design phase, for example a cluster head in wireless sensor networks aggregating the data. In contrast, the proposed approach aims to virtualize the processing, energy, and communication resources of the entire heterogeneous network and dynamically distribute processing steps along the communication path while optimizing performance. Moreover, the security of the communication is considered an important factor in the decision to either process or forward the data. Overall, the proposed scheme creates a wireless “computing cloud” where the processing tasks are dynamically assigned to the nodes using the Dynamic Programming (DP) methodology. The processing and transmission decisions are analytically derived from network models in order to optimize the utilization of the network resources including: available energy, processing capacity, security overhead, bandwidth etc. The proposed DP-based scheme is mathematically derived thus guaranteeing performance. Moreover, the scheme is verified through network simulations.     

PERIS: A programming environment for realistic image synthesis

A computer graphics system called PERIS is described. It offers two levels of user interfaces to serve both as a testbed to facilitate further research work and as a pragmatic system for CAD/CAM applications. Flexibility of the system is achieved by providing tools of solid modeling, surface modeling and procedural model representations for physical environment modeling and by including interfaces of immediate display, scan line rendering, ray tracing and two-way ray tracing for realistic image synthesis. A linear octree data structure is established to support the modeling and rendering processes, greatly reducing the computations involved. Meanwhile, we also introduce a new illumination model which unifies most of the existing models on a theoretical basis. An improved Cook-Torrance model is then derived. By examining the merits and limitations of the classic ray tracing methods, we propose a new rendering technique of two-way ray tracing that allows more accurate simulation of light propagation in the environment.     

Vivid: A framework for heterogeneous problem solving

We introduce Vivid, a domain-independent framework for mechanized heterogeneous reasoning that combines diagrammatic and symbolic representation and inference. The framework is presented in the form of a family of denotational proof languages (DPLs). We present novel formal structures, called named system states, that are specifically designed for modeling potentially underdetermined diagrams. These structures allow us to deal with incomplete information, a pervasive feature of heterogeneous problem solving. We introduce a notion of attribute interpretations that enables us to interpret first-order relational signatures into named system states, and develop a formal semantic framework based on 3-valued logic. We extend the assumption-base semantics of DPLs to accommodate diagrammatic reasoning by introducing general inference mechanisms for the valid extraction of information from diagrams, and for the incorporation of sentential information into diagrams. A rigorous big-step operational semantics is given, on the basis of which we prove that the framework is sound. We present examples of particular instances of Vivid in order to solve a series of problems, and discuss related work.     

On stochastic dynamic programming for solving large-scale planning problems under uncertainty

The stochastic dynamic programming approach outlined here, makes use of the scenario tree in a back-to-front scheme. The multi-period stochastic problems, related to the subtrees whose root nodes are the starting nodes (i.e., scenario groups), are solved at each given stage along the time horizon. Each subproblem considers the effect of the stochasticity of the uncertain parameters from the periods of the given stage, by using curves that estimate the expected future value (EFV) of the objective function. Each subproblem is solved for a set of reference levels of the variables that also have nonzero elements in any of the previous stages besides the given stage. An appropriate sensitivity analysis of the objective function for each reference level of the linking variables allows us to estimate the EFV curves applicable to the scenario groups from the previous stages, until the curves for the first stage have been computed. An application of the scheme to the problem of production planning with logical constraints is presented. The aim of the problem consists of obtaining the planning of tactical production over the scenarios along the time horizon. The expected total cost is minimized to satisfy the product demand. Some computational experience is reported. The proposed approach compares favorably with a state-of-the-art optimization engine in instances on a very large scale.     

A spectrally based framework for realistic image synthesis

Published online: 2 October 2001     

A flexible framework for consistency management

Recent distributed shared memory (DSM) systems provide increasingly more support for the sharing of objects rather than portions of memory. However, like earlier DSM systems these distributed shared object systems (DSO) still force developers to use a single protocol, or a small set of given protocols, for the sharing of application objects. This limitation prevents the applications from optimizing their communication behaviour and results in unnecessary overhead. A current general trend in software systems development is towards customizable systems, for example frameworks, reflection, and aspect‐oriented programming all aim to give the developer greater flexibility and control over the functionality and performance of their code. This paper describes a novel object‐oriented framework that defines a DSM system in terms of a consistency model and an underlying coherency protocol. Different consistency models and coherency protocols can be used within a single application because they can be customized, by the application programmer, on a per‐object basis. This allows application specific semantics to be exploited at a very fine level of granularity and with a resulting improvement in performance. The framework is implemented in JAVA and the speed‐up obtained by a number of applications that use the framework is reported. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Computing a Pareto-optimal solution for multi-objective flexible linear programming in a bipolar framework

In this paper, we study the multi-objective flexible linear programming (MOFLP) problems (or fuzzy multi-objective linear programming problems) in the heterogeneous bipolar framework. Bipolarity allows us to distinguish between the negative and the positive preferences. Negative preferences denote what is unacceptable while positive preferences are less restrictive and express what is desirable. This viewpoint enables us to handle fuzzy sets representing constraints and objective functions separately and combine them in distinct ways. In this paper, a solution concept of Pareto-optimality for MOFLP problems is defined and an approach is proposed to single out such a solution for MOFLP with highest possible degree of feasibility.     

A dynamic programming approach to solving the assortment planning problem with multiple quality levels

While the assortment planning problem, in which a firm selects a set of products to offer, has been widely studied, several problem instances exist which have not yet been solved to optimality. In particular, we consider an assortment planning problem under a locational choice model for consumer choice with both vertical and horizontal differentiation. We present a combined dynamic programming/line search approach which finds an optimal solution when customer preference for the horizontal attributes are distributed according to a unimodal distribution. The dynamic program makes use of new analytical results, which show that high quality products will be distributed near the mode. This enables significant state reduction and therefore efficient solution times. Efficient computation times allow us to study the solution for a wide range of system parameters and thereby draw several managerial conclusions.     

A genetic programming framework for content-based image retrieval

The effectiveness of content-based image retrieval (CBIR) systems can be improved by combining image features or by weighting image similarities, as computed from multiple feature vectors. However, feature combination do not make sense always and the combined similarity function can be more complex than weight-based functions to better satisfy the users’ expectations. We address this problem by presenting a Genetic Programming framework to the design of combined similarity functions. Our method allows nonlinear combination of image similarities and is validated through several experiments, where the images are retrieved based on the shape of their objects. Experimental results demonstrate that the GP framework is suitable for the design of effective combinations functions.     

A concern-oriented framework for dynamic measurements

Evolving software programs requires that software developers reason quantitatively about the modularity impact of several concerns, which are often scattered over the system. To this respect, concern-oriented software analysis is rising to a dominant position in software development. Hence, measurement techniques play a fundamental role in assessing the concern modularity of a software system. Unfortunately, existing measurements are still fundamentally module-oriented rather than concern-oriented. Moreover, the few available concern-oriented metrics are defined in a non-systematic and shared way and mainly focus on static properties of a concern, even if many properties can only be accurately quantified at run-time. Hence, novel concern-oriented measurements and, in particular, shared and systematic ways to define them are still welcome. This paper poses the basis for a unified framework for concern-driven measurement. The framework provides a basic terminology and criteria for defining novel concern metrics. To evaluate the framework feasibility and effectiveness, we have shown how it can be used to adapt some classic metrics to quantify concerns and in particular to instantiate new dynamic concern metrics from their static counterparts.     

Mate Marote: A flexible automated framework for large-scale educational interventions

There is big consensus that computer games may be an effective way of learning and many initiatives are being developed where aspects from cognitive sciences are being applied in the development of these games. In this article, we present Mate Marote, a flexible framework for large-scale educational interventions. Based on the delivery programs of computers to each student in Argentinian schools, we developed an environment that provides activities/games and registers usage statistics. This framework keeps installation up-to-date connecting with a central server as Internet connection is detected, synchronizing new activities, version updates and usage history. As a first testbed intervention, we deployed three games in La Rioja province (Argentina), where OLPC is the official program. These games were focused on training inhibitory control, working memory and planning skills. We found that usage statistics of games replicate previous results found at the laboratory, showing that this platform works as an intervention framework despite its unsupervised nature.     

A framework for knowledge-based temporal abstraction

A new domain-independent knowledge-based inference structure is presented, specific to the task of abstracting higher-level concepts from time-stamped data. The framework includes a model of time, parameters, events and contexts. A formal specification of a domain's temporal abstraction knowledge supports acquisition, maintenance, reuse and sharing of that knowledge.

The knowledge-based temporal abstraction method decomposes the temporal abstraction task into five subtasks. These subtasks are solved by five domain-independent temporal abstraction mechanisms. The temporal abstraction mechanisms depend on four domain-specific knowledge types: structural, classification (functional), temporal semantic (logical) and temporal dynamic (probabilistic) knowledge. Domain values for all knowledge types are specified when a temporal abstraction system is developed.

The knowledge-based temporal abstraction method has been implemented in the RÉSUMÉ system and has been evaluated in several clinical domains (protocol-based care, monitoring of children's growth and therapy of diabetes) and in an engineering domain (monitoring of traffic control), with encouraging results.     

A framework for computing extrasentential references

We are concerned with developing a computational method for selecting possible antecedents of referring expressions over sentence boundaries. Our stratified model which uses a Λ-categorial language for meaning representation incorporates valuable features of Fregean-type semantics (a la Lewis, Montague, Partee, and others) along with features of situation semantics developed by Barwise and Perry. We consider a series of selected two-sentence stories which we use to illustrate referential interdependencies between sentences. We explain the conditions under which such dependencies arise, explain the conditions under which various translations can be performed, and formalize a set of rules which specify how to compute the reference. We restrict our discussion to two-sentence stories to avoid most of the problems inherent in where to look for the reference, that is, how to determine the proper antecedent. We restrict our considerations in this paper to situations where a reference, if it can be computed at all, has a unique antecedent. Thus we consider examples such as John wants to catch a fish. He (John) wants to eat it. and John interviewed a man. The man killed him (John). We then summarize the transformation which encompasses these rules and relate it to the stratified model. We discuss three aspects of this transformation that merit special attention from the computational viewpoint and summarize the contributions we have made. We also discuss the computational characteristics of the stratified model in general and present our ideas for a computer realization; there is no implementation of the _t"ratified model at this time.     

一种求解整数规划与混合整数规划非线性罚函数方法

证明了任何一个变量有界的整数规划问题（IP）和混合整数规划问题（MIP）都可以转化为一个等价的非整数（或连续化）规划问题（NIP），并给出一个用非线性精确罚函数法来求解该等价NIP的方法，从而达到求解IP或MIP的目的，数值实验表明了算法的可行性。该方法可广泛用于各应用领域里IP和MIP的求解，特别是为非线性IP和MIP问题提供了一条通用 的求解途径，对解决许多实际优化问题具有重要意义。     

A unified hyper-heuristic framework for solving bin packing problems

One- and two-dimensional packing and cutting problems occur in many commercial contexts, and it is often important to be able to get good-quality solutions quickly. Fairly simple deterministic heuristics are often used for this purpose, but such heuristics typically find excellent solutions for some problems and only mediocre ones for others. Trying several different heuristics on a problem adds to the cost. This paper describes a hyper-heuristic methodology that can generate a fast, deterministic algorithm capable of producing results comparable to that of using the best problem-specific heuristic, and sometimes even better, but without the cost of trying all the heuristics. The generated algorithm handles both one- and two-dimensional problems, including two-dimensional problems that involve irregular concave polygons. The approach is validated using a large set of 1417 such problems, including a new benchmark set of 480 problems that include concave polygons.     

Voronoi diagrams of polygons: A framework for shape representation

This paper describes an efficient shape representation framework for planar shapes using Voronoi skeletons.This paper makes the following significant contributions. First a new algorithm for the construction of the Voronoi diagram of a polygon with holes is described. The main features of this algorithm are its robustness in handling the standard degenerate cases (colinearity of more than two points; co-circularity of more than three points), and its ease of implementation. It also features a robust numerical scheme to compute non-linear parabolic edges that avoids having to solve equations of degree greater than two. The algorithm has been fully implemented and tested in a variety of test inputs.Second, the Voronoi diagram of a polygon is used to derive accurate and robust skeletons for planar shapes. The shape representation scheme using Voronoi skeletons possesses the important properties of connectivity as well as Euclidean metrics. Redundant skeletal edges are deleted in a pruning step which guarantees that connectivity of the skeleton will be preserved. The resultant representation is stable with respect to being invariant to perturbations along the boundary of the shape. A number of examples of shapes with and without holes are presented to demonstrate the features of this approach.     

A neural network approach for solving nonlinear bilevel programming problem

A neural network model is presented for solving nonlinear bilevel programming problem, which is a NP-hard problem. The proposed neural network is proved to be Lyapunov stable and capable of generating approximal optimal solution to the nonlinear bilevel programming problem. The asymptotic properties of the neural network are analyzed and the condition for asymptotic stability, solution feasibility and solution optimality are derived. The transient behavior of the neural network is simulated and the validity of the network is verified with numerical examples.     

HeteroPP: A directive-based heterogeneous cooperative parallel programming framework

Heterogeneous platforms composed of multiple different types of computing devices (such as CPUs, GPUs, and Intel MICs) have been widely used recently. However, most of parallel applications developed in such a heterogeneous platform usually only utilize a certain kind of computing device due to the lack of easy-to-use heterogeneous cooperative parallel programming models. To reduce the difficulty of heterogeneous cooperative parallel programming, a directive-based heterogeneous cooperative parallel programming framework called HeteroPP is proposed. HeteroPP provides an easier way for programmers to fully exploit multiple different types of computing devices to concurrently and cooperatively perform data-parallel applications on heterogeneous platforms. An extension to OpenMP directives and clauses is proposed to make it possible for programmers to easily offload a data-parallel compute kernel to multiple different types of computing devices. A source-to-source compiler is designed to help programmers to automatically generate multiple device-specific compute kernels that can be concurrently and cooperatively performed on heterogeneous platforms. Many experiments are conducted with 12 typical data-parallel applications implemented with HeteroPP on a heterogeneous CPU-GPU-MIC platform. The results show that HeteroPP not only greatly simplifies the heterogeneous cooperative parallel programming, but also can fully utilize the CPUs, GPU, and MIC to efficiently perform these applications.