Representative Path Mapping for Combinatorial Plan Transitions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing combinatorial optimization problems often lack solutions that satisfy all constraint conditions, and changes in setting values require new plans with minimal constraint violations and change amounts, necessitating improved methods for generating and explaining solution transitions.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus that detects an approximation pair of solutions and traces a representative path between an initial and target solution, outputting candidate solutions and transition information to facilitate user selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If optimization processing is executed to minimize constraint violation amount and change amount from original plan, then solution quality improves, but computational complexity and processing time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the solution space by identifying approximation pairs (solutions with similar characteristics) and grouping them into clusters. This segmentation allows the system to process and evaluate solutions in manageable groups rather than examining all possible solutions individually, reducing computational complexity while maintaining solution quality through representative path analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-identifying approximation pairs and constructing representative paths between them before final solution selection. This preliminary structuring of the solution space enables more efficient optimization processing later, as the system has already organized solutions into meaningful groups with understood relationships.
2Ease of operation
If multiple solutions are presented with detailed change information, then user selection capability improves, but information processing and presentation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and highlights only the essential change information between approximation pairs, removing redundant details. By taking out only the critical differences and representing them through concise path descriptions, the system provides users with sufficient information for selection without overwhelming them with excessive data processing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of presenting all possible solutions and their complete details, the patent inverts the approach by presenting a curated set of representative solutions (approximation pairs) with focused change information. This inversion reduces information complexity while maintaining user selection capability by showing only the most relevant options.
3Loss of information
If detailed transition information is provided to explain plan changes, then user understanding and acceptance improve, but data processing and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing detailed transition information only where necessary - specifically for the representative paths between approximation pairs. Rather than uniformly providing exhaustive details for all solutions, the system focuses explanatory information on the critical transitions that users need to understand, reducing overall data volume while maintaining user comprehension.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating simplified representations (copies) of the transition information that capture the essential changes without replicating all underlying data. These copied representations provide users with understandable transition explanations while requiring minimal storage space compared to storing complete solution datasets.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a hardware processor connected to a memory. The hardware processor detects an approximation pair constituted by two solutions from among multiple solutions of a combinatorial optimization problem. The two solutions approximate to each other within a predetermined approximation range. The hardware processor detects, as a representative path, a path that traces the approximation pair in the multiple solutions from an initial solution among the multiple solutions to a target solution different from the initial solution among the multiple solutions.