Facility Planning Apparatus Partial Problem Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large-scale facility planning problems, such as creating long-term facility plans, are challenging due to increased calculation times, especially when multiple facilities are combined, and existing approximate solution methods often result in significant errors, making them unsuitable for high-cost scenarios.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus that creates partial problems by replacing a set of facilities with a partial set, applies conditions based on solutions to these partial problems, and seeks solutions to the facility planning problem, thereby reducing the search range and accelerating the creation of facility plans.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a large-scale facility planning problem is solved using exact optimization methods, then solution accuracy is improved, but calculation time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the large-scale facility planning problem into multiple smaller sub-problems by separating facility selection decisions from operation planning decisions. The facility selection sub-problem determines which facilities to operate, while the operation planning sub-problem optimizes how selected facilities are operated. This segmentation allows each sub-problem to be solved more efficiently than the original large-scale problem, reducing overall calculation time while maintaining solution accuracy.
2Reliability
If multiple facilities are combined and operated together, then evaluation values such as cost and profit are improved, but the complexity of the planning problem increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the facility selection aspect from the overall facility planning problem, creating a separate facility selection sub-problem. This extraction allows the system to first determine the optimal set of facilities to operate based on evaluation functions (cost, profit), and then separately optimize the operation plans for those selected facilities. This reduces the complexity of the overall problem while still considering the combined effects of multiple facilities.
3Loss of time
If approximate solution methods such as heuristics are used, then calculation time is reduced, but solution accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the facility planning problem into two sub-problems that can be solved using appropriate methods for each. The facility selection sub-problem can use efficient selection algorithms, while the operation planning sub-problem can use optimization methods. This segmentation allows the system to achieve better solution accuracy compared to pure heuristic approaches while maintaining reasonable calculation time, avoiding the need to use approximate methods on the entire large-scale problem.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a processor. The processor is configured to create, by replacing a plurality of facilities with some of the plurality of facilities in a facility planning problem for creating a facility plan for operating any facility selected from the plurality of facilities, a partial problem of the facility planning problem, create a condition to be applied to the facility planning problem based on a solution to the created partial problem, and create the facility plan by seeking to solve a facility planning problem to which the created condition is added.