Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Daniel J Reaume

Jeffrey Morgan Alden

Pulak Bandyopadhyay

Guoxian Xiao

Craig A Jackson

Qing Chang

Randall J Urbance

Disclosed is a system and method for managing operations of a system. The method includes partitioning the system into a plurality of subsystems. The method further includes, for each subsystem, creating an agent to associate with the subsystem, providing to the agent one or more goals for the subsystem, and providing to the agent an overall objective function for the system. The method also includes using an optimization algorithm involving the agents to manage system operation based on the goals and the overall objective function. The system includes an agent module for providing a set of agents associated with the subsystems, a throughput target module for providing a throughput target for each agent, an objective module for providing, for each agent, a common production throughput objective.

Method for managing production system operations

Disclosed is a system and method for managing operations of a system. The method includes partitioning the system into a plurality of subsystems. The method further includes, for each subsystem, creating an agent to associate with the subsystem, providing to the agent one or more goals for the subsystem, and providing to the agent an overall objective function for the system. The method also includes using an optimization algorithm involving the agents to manage system operation based on the goals and the overall objective function. The system includes an agent module for providing a set of agents associated with the subsystems, a throughput target module for providing a throughput target for each agent, an objective module for providing, for each agent, a common production throughput objective, and a sampled fictitious play module for providing instructions of a sampled fictitious play algorithm.

System and method for production system operations timing

A process for analyzing a sub-model associated with a full system model as often depicted as an influence diagram. The process includes defining the sub-model as a collection of entities where some entities are calculation entities and some are data entities. The process converts the calculation entities in the sub-model that depend on entities in the fall model outside of the sub-model to temporary data entities. Further, the process deletes any data entity in the sub-model from which any converted temporary data entity depends. The process also determines if there are any isolated cycles in the sub-model, and, if so, which of the entities in the isolated cycle will be an output entity.

Automatic reconfiguration of system sub-models for independent analysis

A method for determining whether to provide automatic reset instructions to a machine with reset capability with respect to a fault code event, the method comprising, in a database, collecting records comprising the identification of the machine, a fault code associated therewith and the duration of a fault associated with the fault code that the machine experienced within a time period, and performing a statistical analysis on the records to analyze whether executing an automatic reset on the machine with respect to the fault code will probabilistically rectify the fault and to generate resultant data.

System and method for providing automatic resets

A system, method, and apparatus are disclosed for managing utility consumption. An embodiment is disclosed for reducing peak demand for a utility by staggering requests for that utility. Another embodiment is disclosed in which sensors monitor utility consumption throughout a facility. Those items of equipment not in active use, but still drawing utility resources, are shut down after a predetermined interval. Another embodiment is disclosed in which storage and conversion technologies are used to offset peak demand and the associated peak demand costs.

System and method for managing utility consumption

A method for providing a functional visualization of a spreadsheet. The method includes correlating spreadsheet cells with both data entities and calculation entities in an influence diagram, and then automatically updating the entities in the influence diagram in response to changes made to the spreadsheet, or automatically updating the spreadsheet in response to changes made to the entities in the influence diagram. The method includes identifying one or more cells in a spreadsheet as a data cell or a calculation cell, and then identifying corresponding data entities and calculation entities in the influence diagram. The entities in the influence diagram can have predetermined attributes (color, shape, images, etc.) depending on their function. Next, the method includes positioning the entities in the influence diagram by employing user interaction to configure the entities in a visually pleasing manner, or positioning the entities by employing an automatic design layout algorithm to determine the configuration of the entities. Once the equivalent influence diagram is generated for the particular spreadsheet, the method detects any change in the cells of the spreadsheet or any change in the entities of the influence diagram, and then updates the entities in the influence diagram or the spreadsheet corresponding to the detected change in the spreadsheet or influence diagram to maintain a functional equivalence between the spreadsheet and influence diagram.

Functional visualization of spreadsheets

A data analysis tool that provides a technique for visualizing changes of a system model. The analysis tool includes constructing an influence diagram consisting of a series of calculation entities and data entities interconnected by arrows, where the entities correspond to parameters of a system model being analyzed. Input values are assigned to each of the data entities for a particular scenario, and the corresponding values are computed for the calculation entities. A new scenario is implemented by changing one or more of the input values to the data entities, thus providing different results for some or all of the calculation entities. A mathematical function is applied to each entity to modify its appearance based on the values of the entities for current or other scenarios. Changes to each entity from the input of the new scenario can be in a variety of forms, such as size of the entity, color of the entity, shading of the entity, etc. Additionally, the arrows that connect the various entities can also be modified in appearance based on the new values of the entities for the new scenario. A rapid replay of the sequence of diagrams so generated provides a useful visual animating of system response to changing inputs and assists in controlling and improving the system under study.

Growing community of inventors

Livonia, MI, United States of America

Daniel J Reaume