Global qualitative flow-path modeling for local state determination in simulation and analysis

A computer program product for controlling a computer to model and analyze flow configurations, the program product comprising:

• a recording medium readable by the computer,
• means recorded on the recording medium for qualitatively modeling flow transmission path elements for systems of connected components and their connections to an environment,
• means recorded on the recording medium for constructing flow transmission path structures from said path elements,
• means recorded on the recording medium for aggregating said flow transmission path structures into aggregate data structures that are circuits of sub-graphs,
• means recorded on the recording medium for inputting local flow state change data into said path structures from models in simulations or analyses,
• means recorded on the recording medium for evaluating effects of local flow changes from a simulation or analysis model on the global flow transmission path configuration and the local flow states of components of the system model in order to produce flow state information, and
• means recorded on the recording medium for outputting flow state information from the means for evaluating to local component models, and for using the flow state information and local component models in simulations and analyses.

A recording medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps of modeling and analysis of flow configurations in discrete event simulation, said method steps comprising:

• qualitatively modeling flow transmission path elements for systems of connected components and their connections to an environment,
• constructing flow transmission path structures from said path elements,
• aggregating said flow transmission path structures into aggregate data structures that are circuits of sub-graphs,
• inputting local flow state change data into said path structures from models in discrete event simulations,
• evaluating effects of local flow changes from a simulation or analysis model on the global flow transmission path configuration and the local flow states of components of the system model in order to produce flow state information, and
• outputting the flow state information to local component models, and using the flow state information and the local component models in discrete event simulations.

A computer program product for controlling a computer to model and analyze flow configurations in discrete event simulation, the program product comprising:

• a recording medium readable by the computer,
• means recorded on the recording medium for qualitatively modeling flow transmission path elements for systems of connected components and their connections to an environment,
• means recorded on the recording medium for constructing flow transmission path structures from said path elements,
• means recorded on the recording medium for aggregating said flow transmission path structures into aggregate data structures that are circuits of sub-graphs,
• means recorded on the recording medium for inputting local flow state change data into said path structures from models in discrete event simulations,
• means recorded on the recording medium for evaluating effects of local flow changes from a discrete event simulation model on the global flow transmission path configuration and the local flow states of components of the system model in order to produce flow state information, and
• means recorded on the recording medium for outputting the flow state information to local component models, and for using the flow state information and the local component models in discrete event simulations.

A recording medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps of modeling and analysis of flow configurations in a discrete event simulation, said method steps comprising:

• qualitatively modeling flow transmission path elements for systems of connected components and their connections to an environment,
• constructing flow transmission path structures from said path elements,
• aggregating said flow transmission path structures into aggregate data structures that are circuits of sub-graphs,
• inputting local flow state change data into said path structures from models in discrete event simulations,
• evaluating effects of local flow changes from a simulation model on the global flow transmission path configuration and the local flow states of components of the system model in order to produce flow state information, and
• outputting the flow state information to local component models, and using the flow state information and the local component models in the discrete event simulation,
• wherein the step of evaluating effects of local flow changes from a discrete event simulation model on the global flow transmission path configuration and the local flow states of components of the system model includes the steps of:
• identifying components that my be affected,
• collecting for each affected node, flow-related attributes favoring flow in the two possible directions, and
• determining flow-related properties for each affected path component, and
• wherein the step of collecting for each affected node, flow-related attributes favoring flow in the two possible directions, is completed for all of the components identified by the step of identifying components that may be affected, prior to the step of determining flow-related properties for each affected path element, in order to delay the step of determining flow-related properties for each affected path element until the end of a discrete-event time quantum for said discrete event simulations.

A recording medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps of modeling and analysis of flow configurations in discrete event simulation, said program of instructions comprising:

• a program executable by the computer for building models in the computer of physical components and a model of a physical system comprised of selected ones of the physical components;
• a program executable by the computer for performing a discrete event simulation of said physical system using said models of the physical system and the selected ones of the physical components in the physical system;
• and
• a flow path management program executable by the computer for:
• qualitatively modeling flow transmission path elements for the physical system and connections to and environment of the physical system,
• constructing flow transmission path structures from said path elements,
• aggregating said flow transmission path structures into aggregate data structures that are circuits of sub-graphs,
• inputting local flow state change data into said path structures from said models during a discrete event simulation by execution of said simulation program,
• evaluating effects of local flow changes from said models on the global flow transmission path configuration and the local flow states of components of the system model in order to produce flow state information, and
• outputting the flow state information to local component models,
• wherein the simulation program is executable by the computer for using the flow state information and the local component models in the discrete event simulation,
• wherein the flow management program is executable by the computer for evaluating effects of local flow changes from a discrete event simulation model on the global flow transmission path configuration and the local flow states of components of the system model by:
• identifying components that may be affected,
• collecting for each affected node, flow-related attributes favoring flow in the two possible directions, and
• determining flow-related properties for each affected path element, and
• wherein the collecting for each affected node, flow-related attributes favoring flow in the two possible directions, is completed for all of the components identified by the stop of identifying components that may be affected, prior to the determining of flow-related properties for each affected path element, in order to delay the determining of flow-related properties for each affected path element until the end of a discrete-event time quantum for said discrete event simulation.