Optimal nonmyopic gambling strategy for the generalized Kelly criterion

We consider the optimal wagers to be made by a gambler who starts with a given initial wealth. The gambler faces a sequence of two-outcome games, i.e., “win” vs. “lose,” and wishes to maximize the expected value of his terminal utility. It has been shown by Kelly, Bellman, and others that if the terminal utility is of the form log x, where x is the terminal wealth, then the optimal policy is myopic, i.e., the optimal wager is always to bet a constant fraction of the wealth provided that the probability of winning exceeds the probability of losing. In this paper we provide a critique of the simple logarithmic assumption for the utility of terminal wealth and solve the problem with a more general utility function. We show that in the general case, the optimal policy is not myopic, and we provide analytic expressions for optimal wager decisions in terms of the problem parameters. We also provide conditions under which the optimal policy reduces to the simple myopic case. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 44: 639–654, 1997     

恒定应力加速寿命试验的非参数统计方法

在恒定应力加速寿命试验 (简称恒加试验 )的统计分析中 ,非参数统计方法具有一定的实际价值 .在一定的假定下 ,文中给出了两种新估计 ,并证明了它们的优良性     

寿命试验持续时间的预测

工程界中诸多电子元器件的寿命都可以看作或近似看作是服从指数分布的,只有经寿命试验掌握各类电子元器件寿命的分布情况,才能对整个电子系统的可靠度有较充分的认识,从而对整个电子系统中的电子设备进行合理布局,优化控制,使其在实际应用中最大程度地发挥其作用。分别给出服从单参数指数分布的样本在寿命试验的早期结果上预测寿命试验的总持续时间的精确与近似方法的证明,并对两种预测方法在不同情况下的预测结果进行比较。     

A comparative study of three tool replacement/operation sequencing strategies in a flexible manufacturing system

This paper studies three tool replacement/operation sequencing strategies for a flexible manufacturing system over a finite time horizon: (1) failure replacement—replace the tool only upon failure, (2) optimal preventive tool replacement for a fixed sequence of operations, and (3) joint scheduling of the optimal preventive tool replacement times and the optimal sequence of operations. Stochastic dynamic decision models are used for strategies 2 and 3. The optimization criterion for strategies 2 and 3 is the minimization of the total expected cost over the finite time horizon. We will show through numerical studies that, with the same amount of information, the total expected costs can be reduced considerably by choosing an optimal strategy. Our conclusion is that in flexible manufacturing, optimal tool replacement and optimal operations sequencing are not separate issues. They should be considered jointly to minimize the expected total cost. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 47: 479–499, 2000     

Distribution free bounds for service constrained (Q,r) inventory systems

A classical and important problem in stochastic inventory theory is to determine the order quantity (Q) and the reorder level (r) to minimize inventory holding and backorder costs subject to a service constraint that the fill rate, i.e., the fraction of demand satisfied by inventory in stock, is at least equal to a desired value. This problem is often hard to solve because the fill rate constraint is not convex in (Q, r) unless additional assumptions are made about the distribution of demand during the lead‐time. As a consequence, there are no known algorithms, other than exhaustive search, that are available for solving this problem in its full generality. Our paper derives the first known bounds to the fill‐rate constrained (Q, r) inventory problem. We derive upper and lower bounds for the optimal values of the order quantity and the reorder level for this problem that are independent of the distribution of demand during the lead time and its variance. We show that the classical economic order quantity is a lower bound on the optimal ordering quantity. We present an efficient solution procedure that exploits these bounds and has a guaranteed bound on the error. When the Lagrangian of the fill rate constraint is convex or when the fill rate constraint does not exist, our bounds can be used to enhance the efficiency of existing algorithms. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 47: 635–656, 2000     

Solving partially observable agent‐intruder games with an application to border security problems

In this paper, we introduce partially observable agent‐intruder games (POAIGs). These games model dynamic search games on graphs between security forces (an agent) and an intruder given possible (border) entry points and high value assets that require protection. The agent faces situations with dynamically changing, partially observable information about the state of the intruder and vice versa. The agent may place sensors at selected locations, while the intruder may recruit partners to observe the agent's movement. We formulate the problem as a two‐person zero‐sum game, and develop efficient algorithms to compute each player's optimal strategy. The solution to the game will help the agent choose sensor locations and design patrol routes that can handle imperfect information. First, we prove the existence of ?‐optimal strategies for POAIGs with an infinite time horizon. Second, we introduce a Bayesian approximation algorithm to identify these ?‐optimal strategies using belief functions that incorporate the imperfect information that becomes available during the game. For the solutions of large POAIGs with a finite time horizon, we use a solution method common to extensive form games, namely, the sequence form representation. To illustrate the POAIGs, we present several examples and numerical results.     

系统可靠寿命的不确定性分析及其高效方法

为了分析元器件失效率的不确定性对系统可靠性的影响,借鉴Borgonovo的矩独立灵敏度分析思想,在充分考虑了系统可靠寿命完整不确定性信息的情况下,提出了基于系统可靠寿命的矩独立重要性测度,用来分析不确定性条件下系统元器件失效率对其可靠寿命的平均影响。但由于系统可靠寿命函数是系统可靠度函数的反函数,一般无法解析表达而以隐函数的形式存在,致使该矩独立重要性测度难以高效准确求解。为了解决这一问题,文章提出了一种新的Kriging自适应代理模型的高效算法,该算法以Kriging代理模型预测值的变异系数作为自适应学习函数,通过自主增加新的试验样本,增强代理模型的预测准确性。阀门控制系统和民用飞机电液舵机系统两个算例分析表明,在保证计算精度的情况下,通过变异系数自适应学习函数,仅需添加少量系统可靠寿命试验样本,就能够构建用来充分近似系统可靠寿命函数的Kriging代理模型,解决了重要性测度的高效求解问题,从而验证了所提方法的合理性和算法的高效性。     

基于微惯导随机误差时间序列建模的改进组合导航方法

针对低精度、低成本微机电惯性测量单元随机误差建模效果不理想会极大影响组合导航性能的难题,采用时间序列分析方法建立了微机电惯性测量单元随机误差的自回归滑动平均模型,通过对卡尔曼滤波器的状态变量进行增广,建立系统动力学方程和观测方程,实现对零偏误差的在线估计。实测数据分析验证了该随机误差建模的有效性。实测数据处理结果表明,该方法能够显著提高低成本微惯性解算外推精度,增强微惯性/卫星组合导航可靠性。     

多体动力学仿真车辆传动齿轮疲劳寿命灵敏度分析

齿轮是机械传动中重要的传力构件,由于测试手段和试验方法的限制,齿轮设计的时候多采用静强度设计理论,无法准确地反应实际情况下的动态特性,导致齿轮的实际寿命和设计寿命有较大的差距。基于多体动力学仿真分析方法建立履带式车辆传动系统虚拟行驶试验平台,获得齿轮在不同工况下的动载荷谱。基于疲劳分析软件MSC.Fatigue获得了齿轮的疲劳寿命,进而改变齿轮的结构参数分析不同结构齿轮的疲劳寿命,得到其疲劳寿命随不同结构参数变化的规律,进行齿轮疲劳寿命的灵敏度分析,为齿轮的结构优化作了一定的探索。     

Stochastic call center staffing with uncertain arrival,service and abandonment rates: A Bayesian perspective

In this article, we introduce staffing strategies for the Erlang‐A queuing system in call center operations with uncertain arrival, service, and abandonment rates. In doing so, we model the system rates using gamma distributions that create randomness in operating characteristics used in the optimization formulation. We divide the day into discrete time intervals where a simulation based stochastic programming method is used to determine staffing levels. More specifically, we develop a model to select the optimal number of agents required for a given time interval by minimizing an expected cost function, which consists of agent and abandonment (opportunity) costs, while considering the service quality requirements such as the delay probability. The objective function as well as the constraints in our formulation are random variables. The novelty of our approach is to introduce a solution method for the staffing of an operation where all three system rates (arrival, service, and abandonment) are random variables. We illustrate the use of the proposed model using both real and simulated call center data. In addition, we provide solution comparisons across different formulations, consider a dynamic extension, and discuss sensitivity implications of changing constraint upper bounds as well as prior hyper‐parameters. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 63: 460–478, 2016