Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a design for a system (2) that comprises a plurality of subsystems (4, 6) is provided. Criteria to be satisfied by the system (2) are identified. For each subsystem (4, 6), further criteria that are to be satisfied by that subsystem (4, 6) are determined and a parametric model (8, 16) is then determined. These comprise inputs (10, 18) and outputs (14, 22) that are dependent on the inputs (10, 18). A systems engineering model (100) comprising, as inputs, parametric model inputs (10, 18) is then determined. System model outputs (28) are dependent on the system model inputs. Groups consisting of some of the system model inputs are formed and an optimization process is performed, for each group, to determine inputs that optimize the system model outputs (28). A set of inputs that optimize the system model outputs (28) provides a design for the system.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining a route for a vehicle (2), the method comprising: providing a set of routes, each route from a starting location to a terminal location and determined using a first algorithm; acquiring, by a processor (6), a starting location (A); acquiring, by the processor (6), a terminal location (B); using the starting and terminal locations, selecting, by the processor (6), one or more routes from the provided set of routes dependent upon the starting location (A) and the terminal location (B); and, using the acquired starting and terminal locations, and the selected routes, performing, by the processor (6), a second algorithm to determine a route for the vehicle (2) from the starting location (A) to the terminal location (B), the second algorithm comprising an optimization process (with respect to certain objectives) using the selected routes as at least part of an initiator set of routes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a design for a system (2) that comprises a plurality of subsystems (4, 6) is provided. Criteria to be satisfied by the system (2) are identified. For each subsystem (4, 6), further criteria that are to be satisfied by that subsystem (4, 6) are determined and a parametric model (8, 16) is then determined. These comprise inputs (10, 18) and outputs (14, 22) that are dependent on the inputs (10, 18). A systems engineering model (100) comprising, as inputs, parametric model inputs (10, 18) is then determined. System model outputs (28) are dependent on the system model inputs. Groups consisting of some of the system model inputs are formed and an optimisation process is performed, for each group, to determine inputs that optimise the system model outputs (28). A set of inputs that optimise the system model outputs (28) provides a design for the system.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining a route for a vehicle (2), the method comprising: providing a set of routes, each route from a starting location to a terminal location and determined using a first algorithm; acquiring, by a processor (6), a starting location (A); acquiring, by the processor (6), a terminal location (B); using the starting and terminal locations, selecting, by the processor (6), one or more routes from the provided set of routes dependent upon the starting location (A) and the terminal location (B); and, using the acquired starting and terminal locations, and the selected routes, performing, by the processor (6), a second algorithm to determine a route for the vehicle (2) from the starting location (A) to the terminal location (B), the second algorithm comprising an optimization process (with respect to certain objectives) using the selected routes as at least part of an initiator set of routes.

Abstract: A method of generating a set of solutions to a route-planning problem includes iteratively applying a Probability Collective (PC) method, each iteration including sampling from a probability distribution defined over a set of decision variables relating to a route-planning problem and using an archive set of decision variables and a set of the sampled decision variables to update the probability distribution for use in a subsequent PC method iteration. A set of solutions, each including at least one decision variable with an associated objective function result evaluated by the PC method iterations, is output.