Method for managing production system operations
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorDaniel J. Reaume
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
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.
Claims18
A method for managing operations of a production system, comprising:
- partitioning the system into a plurality of subsystems;
- executing, on at least one computing device coupled to a memory, for each subsystem, instructions for:
- creating an agent to associated with the subsystem;
- providing to the agent a set of one or more goals for the subsystem;
- providing to the agent an overall objective function for the system;
- and
- executing, using the at least one computing device, an optimization algorithm involving the agents to manage system operations based on the set of goals and the overall objective function, wherein the optimization algorithm implements a heuristic algorithm for an agent comprising:
- providing a policy for the agent that controls start and stop times and operation speed of the associated subsystems;
- ordering the set of goals from a highest goal to a lowest goal, the ordering being in order of a value rate, to create a set of ordered goals;
- selecting the highest goal as a current goal;
- and
- in an iteration over the goals:
- identifying a value of achieving the current goal;
- and
- searching for a time period where a speed reduction of the subsystem to which the agent is associated yields a smaller loss in overall function value than the value of achieving the current goal;
- if a time period if found, adding the speed reduction of the subsystem during the time period to the policy of the agent;
- checking whether the current goal is the lowest goal;
- if the current goal is the lowest goal, ending the iteration over goals in order to apply the heuristic algorithm to the next agent available;
- if the current goal is not the lowest goal, selecting the next ordered goal as the current goal;
- and
- continuing the iteration over goals.
A method for optimizing the timing and duration of speed reductions of a plurality of subsystems of a production system, wherein at least one computing device coupled to a memory performs the steps of:
- providing a set of agents associated with the subsystems, one agent corresponding to one subsystem;
- providing a policy for each agent, where the policy controls start and stop times and operation speed of the associated subsystem, wherein the agent policies are configured to make decisions as to the number, time of occurrence and duration of stopping times for its corresponding subsystem;
- providing a throughput target for each agent;
- and
- providing a common production throughput objective for the agents;
- executing an optimization algorithm, which includes applying a heuristic that develops an algorithm configured to manage system speed reductions while maintaining the throughput targets and the common production throughput objective by adjusting each agent policy;
- and
- applying an agent policy to the corresponding subsystem once the optimization algorithm is complete.
A system for managing the timing and duration of speed reductions of a plurality of subsystems of a production system, the system comprising:
- at least one computing device coupled to a memory having stored thereon a plurality of modules that include:
- an agent module for providing a set of agents associated with the subsystems, one agent corresponding to one subsystem, where each agent has a policy that controls start and stop times and operation speed of the associated subsystems, wherein the agent policies are configured to make decisions as to the number, time of occurrence and duration of stopping times for its corresponding subsystem;
- a throughput target module for providing a throughput target for an agent;
- an objective module for providing, for the agents, a common production throughput objective;
- a module for executing an optimization algorithm, which includes applying a heuristic that develops an algorithm configured to manage system speed reductions while maintaining the throughput targets and the common production throughput objective by adjusting each agent policy;
- and
- a control interface module for controlling a subsystem of the production system with the corresponding agent policy once the optimization algorithm is complete.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.