On the uncapacitated K‐commodity network design problem with zero flow‐costs

Extending Sastry's result on the uncapacitated two‐commodity network design problem, we completely characterize the optimal solution of the uncapacitated K‐commodity network design problem with zero flow costs for the case when K = 3. By solving a set of shortest‐path problems on related graphs, we show that the optimal solutions can be found in O(n³) time when K = 3, where n is the number of nodes in the network. The algorithm depends on identifying a list of “basic patterns”; the number of basic patterns grows exponentially with K. We also show that the uncapacitated K‐commodity network design problem can be solved in O(n³) time for general K if K is fixed; otherwise, the time for solving the problem is exponential. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2004     

A general approach to the shape of failure rate and MRL functions

Failure rate and mean residual life are two important characteristics for studying reliability of products. In literature, some work studied the shape of failure rate function based on the knowledge of the associated probability density function; some other work investigated the shape of mean residual life function based on the shape of the associated failure rate function separately for continuous case and discrete case. In this article, a general approach is developed which can be applied to the aforementioned studies. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2004     

Higher‐order Markov chain models for categorical data sequences*

In this paper we study higher‐order Markov chain models for analyzing categorical data sequences. We propose an efficient estimation method for the model parameters. Data sequences such as DNA and sales demand are used to illustrate the predicting power of our proposed models. In particular, we apply the developed higher‐order Markov chain model to the server logs data. The objective here is to model the users' behavior in accessing information and to predict their behavior in the future. Our tests are based on a realistic web log and our model shows an improvement in prediction. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2004     

Optimization of schedule stability and efficiency under processing time variability and random machine breakdowns in a job shop environment

The ability to cope with uncertainty in dynamic scheduling environments is becoming an increasingly important issue. In such environments, any disruption in the production schedule will translate into a disturbance of the plans for several external activities as well. Hence, from a practical point of view, deviations between the planned and realized schedules are to be avoided as much as possible. The term stability refers to this concern. We propose a proactive approach to generate efficient and stable schedules for a job shop subject to processing time variability and random machine breakdowns. In our approach, efficiency is measured by the makespan, and the stability measure is the sum of the variances of the realized completion times. Because the calculation of the original measure is mathematically intractable, we develop a surrogate stability measure. The version of the problem with the surrogate stability measure is proven to be NP‐hard, even without machine breakdowns; a branch‐and‐bound algorithm is developed for this problem variant. A tabu search algorithm is proposed to handle larger instances of the problem with machine breakdowns. The results of extensive computational experiments indicate that the proposed algorithms are quite promising in performance. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2011     

A spatial rank‐based multivariate EWMA control chart

Nonparametric control charts are useful in statistical process control when there is a lack of or limited knowledge about the underlying process distribution, especially when the process measurement is multivariate. This article develops a new multivariate self‐starting methodology for monitoring location parameters. It is based on adapting the multivariate spatial rank to on‐line sequential monitoring. The weighted version of the rank‐based test is used to formulate the charting statistic by incorporating the exponentially weighted moving average control scheme. It is robust to non‐normally distributed data, easy to construct, fast to compute and also very efficient in detecting multivariate process shifts, especially small or moderate shifts which occur when the process distribution is heavy‐tailed or skewed. As it avoids the need for a lengthy data‐gathering step before charting and it does not require knowledge of the underlying distribution, the proposed control chart is particularly useful in start‐up or short‐run situations. A real‐data example from white wine production processes shows that it performs quite well. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 59: 91–110, 2012     

Optimal pricing for a short life‐cycle product when customer price‐sensitivity varies over time

Technology products often experience a life‐cycle demand pattern that resembles a diffusion process, with weak demand in the beginning and the end of the life cycle and high demand intensity in between. The customer price‐sensitivity also changes over the life cycle of the product. We study the prespecified pricing decision for a product that exhibits such demand characteristics. In particular, we determine the optimal set of discrete prices and the times to switch from one price to another, when a limited number of price changes are allowed. Our study shows that the optimal prices and switching times show interesting patterns that depend on the product's demand pattern and the change in the customers' price sensitivity over the life cycle of the product. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2012     

弹载星敏感器应用方案比较研究

简述了弹载星敏感器几种应用方案的原理,从视场大小、导航星等、观星方式、像元分辨率、三轴姿态精度、动态性能、惯性基准误差分离等方面分析、比较了各种方案的优缺点.除平台方案外,捷联星图方案和单(双)星方案的技术参数相当,动态性能均有待提高.星图方案较单(双)星方案在2个方面占优势:一是星图方案不要求调整星敏感器光轴对准导航星,星跟踪算法等技术能快速识别星图;二是星图方案可同时、连续观测6～8颗星,解算出弹体三轴姿态,可以采用先进的滤波技术准确地分离惯性基准误差.     

基于AdaBoost-SVM算法的某火炮炮闩技术状态评估

针对现役装备技术状态评估多依赖于手工拆卸的现状,提出一种基于AdaBoost-SVM模式识别算法的在线技术状态评估方法。利用人工后坐在线检测设备对炮闩装置技术状态参数进行检测,在对检测数据进行相关性分析特征提取的基础上,引入支持向量机模式识别方法,建立炮闩装置技术状态评估模型。通过将评估模型与Ada-Boost算法相结合,每次迭代都根据测试精度对分类错误的样本点和各分量分类器的权重重新赋值,在下一次迭代中形成新的分量分类器以优化分类结果,最终将各分量分类器依其权重综合完成评估。实例分析结果验证了评估模型的正确性和有效性。     

Are non‐lethal weapons a viable military option to strengthen the hearts and minds approach in Afghanistan?

Commanders of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) have repeatedly stressed the hearts and minds approach in Afghanistan, in saying that the human terrain is decisive for a successful outcome of the mission. Avoidance of civilian casualties is considered of strategic importance, and by nature highly dependent on the management of tactical level Escalation of Force (EoF) situations. Non‐lethal weapons (NLWs) are expected to enable tactical commanders to avoid innocent civilian casualties in such situations. This article considers a selected NLW on its potential to accomplish this requirement. It uses a defence technology assessment approach to analyse EoF situations experienced by Dutch ISAF forces in which the NLW is inserted. The analysis demonstrates that a range of contextual factors in the Afghanistan high‐risk environment tend to narrow down the window of opportunity for the NLW to help defuse the risk of unintended civil casualties.     

基于循环频域滤波及Schmidt正交对消的单通道信号分离算法

单通道盲信号分离是信号处理领域中的研究热点和难点.分析了循环频域滤波用于单通道时频重叠信号分离的可行性,提出了基于循环平稳频移滤波器及Schmidt正交对消的信号分离方法.利用频移滤波器提取一个源信号,通过Schmidt正交化法从观测信号中消去已提取的源信号获得另一个源信号.仿真表明,本文算法可有效分离时频重叠的雷达通信信号,相比时域维纳滤波,分离性能提高了10dB以上.