p-Median and p-dispersion problems: A bi-criteria analysis

Given a collection of n locations and a symmetric measure of distance (difference) between each pair of locations, we seek to identify (select) a subset of p locations so as to achieve two distinct objectives. The first objective is to use the selected locations as centers (medians) of p groups that would partition the entire collection and minimize the total distance between the locations and their respective group medians. The second objective is to maximize the minimum distance (diversity) among the selected locations themselves. We study this problem as a multi-objective optimization problem and propose an iterative algorithm to obtain its non-dominated frontier. At each iteration we construct and solve a 0–1 integer programming problem. Through a computational experiment we show that this algorithm is computationally effective for small to medium size instances of the problem. We also propose a Lagrangian heuristic algorithm for solving larger instances of this problem.     

Efficient multicast search under delay and bandwidth constraints

The issue of a multicast search for a group of users is discussed in this study. Given the condition that the search is over only after all the users in the group are found, this problem is called the Conference Call Search (CCS) problem. The goal is to design efficient CCS strategies under delay and bandwidth constraints. While the problem of tracking a single user has been addressed by many studies, to the best of our knowledge, this study is one of the first attempts to reduce the search cost for multiple users. Moreover, as oppose to the single user tracking, for which one can always reduce the expected search delay by increasing the expected search cost, for a multicast search the dependency between the delay and the search cost is more complicated, as demonstrated in this study. We identify the key factors affecting the search efficiency, and the dependency between them and the search delay. Our analysis shows that under tight bandwidth constraints, the CCS problem is NP-hard. We therefore propose a search method that is not optimal, but has a low computational complexity. In addition, the proposed strategy yields a low search delay as well as a low search cost. The performance of the proposed search strategy is superior to the implementation of an optimal single user search on a group of users. Amotz Bar-Noy received the B.Sc. degree in 1981 in Mathematics and Computer Science and the Ph.D. degree in 1987 in Computer Science, both from the Hebrew University, Israel. From October 1987 to September 1989 he was a post-doc fellow in Stanford University, California. From October 1989 to August 1996 he was a Research Staff Member with IBM T. J. Watson Research Center, New York. From February 1995 to September 2001 he was an associate Professor with the Electrical Engineering-Systems department of Tel Aviv University, Israel. From September 1999 to December 2001 he was with AT research labs in New Jersey. Since February 2002 he is a Professor with the Computer and Information Science Department of Brooklyn College - CUNY, Brooklyn New York. Zohar Naor received the Ph.D. degree in Computer Science from Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel, in 2000. Since 2003 he is with the University of Haifa, Israel. His areas of interests include wireless networks, resource management of computer networks, mobility, search strategies, and multiple access protocols.     

Efficient primal-dual heuristic for a dynamic location problem

In this paper the dynamic location problem with opening, closure and reopening of facilities is formulated and an efficient primal-dual heuristic that computes both upper and lower limits to its optimal solution is described. The problem here studied considers the possibility of reconfiguring any location more than once over the planning horizon. This problem is NP-hard (the simple plant location problem is a special case of the problem studied). A primal-dual heuristic based on the work of Erlenkotter [A dual-based procedure for uncapacitated facility location. Operations Research 1978;26:992–1009] and Van Roy and Erlenkotter [A dual-based procedure for dynamic facility location. Management Science 1982;28:1091–105] was developed and tested over a set of randomly generated test problems. The results obtained are quite good, both in terms of the quality of lower and upper bounds calculated as in terms of the computational time spent by the heuristic. A branch-and-bound procedure that enables to optimize the problem is also described and tested over the same set of randomly generated problems.     

Experience with Siberian Centralized Dispatch Regulation regarding location determination of damages sustained by intersystem high-voltage transmission lines

A set of measures that can be implemented by the Relay-Protection and Automated-Equipment Service for Centralized Dispatch Regulation (CDR) in Siberia to determine the location of damage sustained by inter-system 550-and 220-kV transmission lines maintained by the United Power System (UPS) of Siberia, and the methodology and technology of damage-location determination (DLD) are described. The damage sustained by the 500-kV high-voltage lines (HL), and the accuracy of DLD relative to zero-sequence emergency parameters are analyzed statically. __________ Translated from élektricheskie Stantsii, No. 5, pp. 59–62, May, 2006.     

Reverse logistics network design with stochastic lead times

This work is concerned with the efficient design of a reverse logistics network using an extended version of models currently found in the literature. Those traditional, basic models are formulated as mixed integer linear programs (MILP-model) and determine which facilities to open that minimize the investment, processing, transportation, disposal and penalty costs while supply, demand and capacity constraints are satisfied. However, we show that they can be improved when they are combined with a queueing model because it enables to account for (1) some dynamic aspects like lead time and inventory positions, and (2) the higher degree of uncertainty inherent to reverse logistics. Since this extension introduces nonlinear relationships, the problem is defined as a mixed integer nonlinear program (MINLP-model). Due to this additional complexity, the MINLP-model is presented for a single product-single-level network. Several examples are solved with a genetic algorithm based on the technique of differential evolution.     

加速器磁场测量的霍尔多探头装置

描述了用于加速器磁场测量的霍尔多探头装置,它包括一个具有三只恒温盒(内有58只霍尔片)的测磁长臂,高精度磁场检定系统以及数据自动获取系统。分别叙述了霍尔片的定位、恒温、校准、数据采集、处理等内容。并提出了多探头装置测量中霍尔片稳定性的重要性。给出了在我们条件下的一些具体数据。本装置已应用在兰州重离子研究装置(HIRFL)的建造过程中,实践证明它能有效地高质量地满足加速器磁场测量的要求。     

基于RSSI和智能天线的联合定位算法

研究提高室内定位精度问题,终端定位是无线传感器网络中的关键技术之一,由于室内环境复杂,遮挡物较多,使定位信号减弱。传统RSSI的定位算法使目前室内定位不能满足要求。为解决RSSI测量方法误差较大的问题,提出一种将RSSI测量值与波束切换智能天线相结合的联合定位算法。同时引入了网格和半波瓣的概念,利用波束切换智能天线将信号最强的波束对准终端,同时终端上报RSSI值来联合定位。仿真结果表明,在获得相同定位精度的条件下,方法避免了样本采集,不需要训练时间,为定位精度设计提供了借鉴。     

声发射源定位不确定度的计算

针对声发射检测中的声发射源定位的不确定性问题，就其影响因素，在常用的16MnR钢制板件上进行了检测实验，并开展了实验数据的计算、分析与讨论。