Stochastic regret minimization for revenue management problems with nonstationary demands

We study an admission control model in revenue management with nonstationary and correlated demands over a finite discrete time horizon. The arrival probabilities are updated by current available information, that is, past customer arrivals and some other exogenous information. We develop a regret‐based framework, which measures the difference in revenue between a clairvoyant optimal policy that has access to all realizations of randomness a priori and a given feasible policy which does not have access to this future information. This regret minimization framework better spells out the trade‐offs of each accept/reject decision. We proceed using the lens of approximation algorithms to devise a conceptually simple regret‐parity policy. We show the proposed policy achieves 2‐approximation of the optimal policy in terms of total regret for a two‐class problem, and then extend our results to a multiclass problem with a fairness constraint. Our goal in this article is to make progress toward understanding the marriage between stochastic regret minimization and approximation algorithms in the realm of revenue management and dynamic resource allocation. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 63: 433–448, 2016     

Analysis of down times of jib cranes—A stochastic approach

In this paper a case study dealing with the maintenance problem of jib cranes is presented. A jib crane is viewed as a complex system whose performance is observed as a single realization over period of time. After pointing out limitations of existing stochastic models to analyze the observed realization a new family of bivariate stochastic processes is introduced. The data of jib crane is analyzed using new model and cross‐validated using part of the data set. It is noted that the new family of stochastic processes is useful to analyze bivariate data where one of the variables is finitely valued and the other is nonnegative and continuous. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 49: 231–243, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/nav.10006     

两个单周期的备件存储模型

在工作寿命和修理时间之一服从一般的连续型分布,另一个服从指数分布的情形下讨论了单周期的备件存储问题,通过适当地划分系统的状态,利用Markov更新过程的理论进行了分析,建立了概率型模型,并由模型得到了最佳备件数的求法。     

模糊随机过程的可分性与可测性

本文证明了一个模糊随机过程{_t(ω)t∈T}必存在一个与之等价的可分模糊随机过程{_t(ω)t∈T};且若模糊随机过程{_t(ω)t∈T}随机连续,则它存在等价的,可分且可测的模糊随机过程{■_t(ω)t∈T}。     

Using a birth‐and‐death process to estimate the steady‐state distribution of a periodic queue

If the number of customers in a queueing system as a function of time has a proper limiting steady‐state distribution, then that steady‐state distribution can be estimated from system data by fitting a general stationary birth‐and‐death (BD) process model to the data and solving for its steady‐state distribution using the familiar local‐balance steady‐state equation for BD processes, even if the actual process is not a BD process. We show that this indirect way to estimate the steady‐state distribution can be effective for periodic queues, because the fitted birth and death rates often have special structure allowing them to be estimated efficiently by fitting parametric functions with only a few parameters, for example, 2. We focus on the multiserver M_t/GI/s queue with a nonhomogeneous Poisson arrival process having a periodic time‐varying rate function. We establish properties of its steady‐state distribution and fitted BD rates. We also show that the fitted BD rates can be a useful diagnostic tool to see if an M_t/GI/s model is appropriate for a complex queueing system. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 62: 664–685, 2015     

Life distribution analysis based on Lévy subordinators for degradation with random jumps

For a component or a system subject to stochastic degradation with sporadic jumps that occur at random times and have random sizes, we propose to model the cumulative degradation with random jumps using a single stochastic process based on the characteristics of Lévy subordinators, the class of nondecreasing Lévy processes. Based on the inverse Fourier transform, we derive a new closed‐form reliability function and probability density function for lifetime, represented by Lévy measures. The reliability function derived using the traditional convolution approach for common stochastic models such as gamma degradation process with random jumps, is revealed to be a special case of our general model. Numerical experiments are used to demonstrate that our model performs well for different applications, when compared with the traditional convolution method. More importantly, it is a general and useful tool for life distribution analysis of stochastic degradation with random jumps in multidimensional cases. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 62: 483–492, 2015     

The dynamic and stochastic knapsack Problem with homogeneous‐sized items and postponement options

This article generalizes the dynamic and stochastic knapsack problem by allowing the decision‐maker to postpone the accept/reject decision for an item and maintain a queue of waiting items to be considered later. Postponed decisions are penalized with delay costs, while idle capacity incurs a holding cost. This generalization addresses applications where requests of scarce resources can be delayed, for example, dispatching in logistics and allocation of funding to investments. We model the problem as a Markov decision process and analyze it through dynamic programming. We show that the optimal policy with homogeneous‐sized items possesses a bithreshold structure, despite the high dimensionality of the decision space. Finally, the value (or price) of postponement is illustrated through numerical examples. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 62: 267–292, 2015     

（S，S）策略随机存储系统库存极限分布研究

首先给出了（s,s）策略随机存储系统极限库存分布的概念及更新过程的一些基本知识。利用更新过程的理论给出了极限库存分布的解析表达,并讨论了需求分布为指数分布的情形。然后利用系统仿真的方法进行验证,表明解析方法与仿真方法的结果完全一致。论文结果说明了解析推导的正确性和系统仿真方法的科学性。     

基于Neumann谱和PM谱的海浪感应磁场能量分布计算

结合前人在海浪功率谱以及海浪产生磁场两方面的研究 ,求出了海浪 磁场系统的传递函数 ,分析了该系统的性质 ,并利用该传递函数和Neumann谱、PM谱计算了磁场功率谱 ;在此基础上 ,根据实际观测我国海区的海浪高度 周期分布 ,求解海浪分布参数 ,模拟实际的海浪过程 ,求出了实际情况下的海浪感应磁场功率谱 ,并分析了其特性 .     

An optimal structured policy for maintenance of partially observable aircraft engine components

This paper considers the maintenance of aircraft engine components that are subject to stress. We model the deterioration process by means of the cumulative jump process representation of crack growth. However, because in many cases cracks are not easily observable, maintenance decisions must be made on the basis of other information. We incorporate stress information collected via sensors into the scheduling decision process by means of a partially observable Markov decision process model. Using this model, we demonstrate the optimality of structured maintenance policies, which support practical maintenance schedules. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 45: 335–352, 1998