Decision support system, method and article of manufacture

A decision support system for use with a controlled process or system, comprising:

• means to store a model of said process or system, said model comprising a plurality of factors which are to be considered in controlling said process or system, each said factor having a weight assigned thereto;
• means to assign a score to each of said plurality of factors, each said score providing an indication of how said system or process meets criteria associated with said respective factor;
• means to determine a contribution score for each of said plurality of factors;
• means to store at least two benchmark patterns representing a possible alternative for controlling said process or system;
• means to pattern match the contribution pattern with said at least two benchmark patterns and to provide an indication of the degree of correspondence between said contribution pattern and each of said at least two predefined benchmark patterns and to select the possible alternative with the highest degree of said correspondence;
• and
• output means to output a signal indicating said selected possible alternative.

A computer-readable storage medium for storing a program which, when processed by a computer, cause the computer to compare two alternatives, the program causing the computer to perform the following functions:

• storing a decision data structure having a plurality of decision factors, each decision factor having a weight assigned thereto, the plurality of weighted factors comprising a predetermined two-dimensional benchmark pattern;
• inputting a first plurality of scores for a first competing alternative to the decision factors of said decision data structure;
• inputting a second plurality of scores for a second competing alternative to the decision factors of said decision data structure;
• transforming the first plurality of scores into a first two-dimensional contribution pattern;
• transforming the second plurality of scores into a second two-dimensional contribution pattern;
• pattern-matching the first contribution pattern and the benchmark pattern to produce a first matching index;
• pattern-matching the second contribution pattern and the benchmark pattern to produce a second matching index;
• and
• outputting at least one output signal corresponding to at least one of the first and second matching indexes to provide a comparision of said competing alternatives.

A decision support method for comparing two alternatives, comprising the steps of:

• storing a decision data structure having a plurality of decision factors, each decision factor having a weight assigned thereto, the plurality of weighted factors comprising a predetermined two-dimensional benchmark pattern;
• inputting a first plurality of scores for a first competing alternative to the decision factors of said decision data structure;
• inputting a second plurality of scores for a second competing alternative to the decision factors of said decision data structure;
• transforming the first plurality of scores into a first two-dimensional contribution pattern;
• transforming the second plurality of scores into a second two-dimensional contribution pattern;
• pattern-matching the first contribution pattern and the benchmark pattern to produce a first matching index;
• pattern-matching the second contribution pattern and the benchmark pattern to produce a second matching index;
• comparing each contribution pattern to the benchmark pattern to determine an indication of the quality of distribution and bias of each contribution pattern relative to the benchmark pattern;
• and
• outputting on a computer display at least one output signal corresponding to at least one of the first and second matching indexes and said determined indication to provide a comparision of said competing alternatives.

A machine for comparing the attributes of two objects of a single class of objects, comprising:

• an input device for inputting a first plurality of scores corresponding to attributes of a first object, and for inputting a plurality of scores corresponding to attributes of a second object;
• a memory for storing a predetermined two-dimensional benchmark pattern corresponding to a predetermined plurality of attributes for the single class of objects;
• a processor for (i) transforming the first plurality of scores into a first two-dimensional contribution pattern, (ii) transforming the second plurality of scores into a second two-dimensional contribution pattern, (iii) two-dimensional pattern-matching the first contribution pattern and the benchmark pattern to produce a first matching index, (iv) two-dimensional pattern-matching the second contribution pattern and the benchmark pattern to produce a second matching index, (v) calculating a first weighted average corresponding to the first plurality of scores, (vi) calculating a second weighted average corresponding to the second plurality of scores;
• and
• an output connected to said processor and operable to output to a signal representing the first and second matching indexes and the first and second weighted averages.