A multi-objective lead time control problem in multi-stage assembly systems using genetic algorithms

In this paper, we develop a multi-objective model to optimally control the lead time of a multi-stage assembly system, using genetic algorithms. The multi-stage assembly system is modelled as an open queueing network. It is assumed that the product order arrives according to a Poisson process. In each service station, there is either one or infinite number of servers (machines) with exponentially distributed processing time, in which the service rate (capacity) is controllable. The optimal service control is decided at the beginning of the time horizon. The transport times between the service stations are independent random variables with generalized Erlang distributions. The problem is formulated as a multi-objective optimal control problem that involves four conflicting objective functions. The objective functions are the total operating costs of the system per period (to be minimized), the average lead time (min), the variance of the lead time (min) and the probability that the manufacturing lead time does not exceed a certain threshold (max). Finally, we apply a genetic algorithm with double strings using continuous relaxation based on reference solution updating (GADSCRRSU) to solve this multi-objective problem, using goal attainment formulation. The results are also compared against the results of a discrete-time approximation technique to show the efficiency of the proposed genetic algorithm approach.     

Poisson process with fuzzy rates

In a stochastic homogeneous Poisson process, interarrival times are independent and identically distributed (iid) exponential random variables whose parameter is called the rate of the process. By using fuzzy variables to describe the parameter, a Poisson process whose rates are fuzzy variables is established. Based on the random fuzzy theory, relationship between the renewal number and fuzzy rates is discussed. As an application, a random fuzzy compound Poisson process is investigated.     

Is the dying individual the oldest?

Consider a population in which the birth times are a Poisson process with rate γ lifetimes are independent and identically distributed and lifetimes are independent of the birth process. In the paper we provide methods for calculation of several quantities involving the oldest member (senior) of the population. In particular we study the senior's age process and the point process of seniors' deaths obtained by dependent thinning of a Poisson process.     

The universality of iterated hashing over variable-length strings

Iterated hash functions process strings recursively, one character at a time. At each iteration, they compute a new hash value from the preceding hash value and the next character. We prove that iterated hashing can be pairwise independent, but never 3-wise independent. We show that it can be almost universal over strings much longer than the number of hash values; we bound the maximal string length given the collision probability.     

A note on the hypercube model

We consider a variation of the hypercube model in which there are N distinguishable servers and R types of customers. Customers that find all servers busy (blocked customers) are lost. When service times are exponentially distributed and customers arrive according to independent Poisson streams, we show that the policy which always assigns customers to the fastest available server minimizes the long-run average number of lost customers. Furthermore, we derive an upper bound for the blocking probability and the long-run average number of customers lost.     

Sums of independent poisson subordinators and their connection with strictly α-stable processes of Ornstein-Uhlenbeck type

We describe a construction in which the discrete time of a sequence of independent, identically distributed random variables changes with the Poisson time. The Poisson time is independent of this sequence. The defined process with continuous time is called a random index process. We establish several properties of random index processes. We study asymptotics of sums of independent, identically distributed random index processes in the case where elements of the initial sequence have strictly α-stable distribution. By calculating characteristic functions we establish relationships of these sums with strictly α-stable processes of the Ornstein- Uhlenbeck type. Bibliography: 4 titles. Translated from Zapiski Nauchnykh Seminarov POMI, Vol. 361, 2008, pp. 123–137.     

Ruin probabilities for an insurance company based on some stochastic risk models

The paper is concerned with a stochastic risk model with independent random claims and premiums. Recurrence formulas for the ruin probabilities of an insurance company at times of claim payments are obtained. Both the random premiums and the insurance damages are assumed to be independent and identically distributed. The number of claims and premiums are independent Poisson processes, both of which are independent of the size of premiums and claims. We consider the case when the random premiums and insurance damages are exponentially distributed and the more general case when they are gamma distributed with integer parameters. Based on the probabilities obtained in this paper, it is possible to calculate the ruin probabilities on infinite and finite time intervals. Examples are given.     

Record values with constraints

Record values are very popular in probability and mathematical statistics. There are many books and papers concerned with classical record values and record times, i.e., records in sequences of independent equally distributed random variables. In recent times, new types of record values (records in the F ^α-scheme, record values in sequences of unequally distributed random variables, records with confirmations, exceedance record values) have been proposed and examined. The present paper proposes another record scheme (so-called “records with constraint”). Various cases are studied in which these records may be useful. For these record values, we give their joint density functions and discover some of their properties. For particular cases of utmost importance, when the initial random variables are independent and have equal exponential distribution, we obtain fairly simple representations of records with constraints as sums of independent equally distributed random terms.     

A Saddlepoint Approximation to the Distribution of Inhomogeneous Discounted Compound Poisson Processes

In this article we propose an accurate approximation to the distribution of the discounted total claim amount, where the individual claim amounts are independent and identically distributed and the number of claims over a specified period is governed by an inhomogeneous Poisson process. More precisely, we compute cumulant generating functions of such discounted total claim amounts under various intensity functions and individual claim amount distributions, and invert them by the saddlepoint approximation. We provide precise conditions under which the saddlepoint approximation holds. The resulting approximation is numerically accurate, computationally fast and hence more efficient than Monte Carlo simulation.     

On the maximal value of the expectation of record numbers

There are n independent identically distributed random variables with a continuous distribution function. The problem considered is, getting sequentially the values of these variables and selecting one of them as an initial point, how we can maximize the expected number of records among the rest of this sequence of random variables (without knowledge of the future values).     

An assignment problem for a parallel queueing system with two heterogeneous servers

In this paper, we consider an optimization problem for a parallel queueing system with two heterogeneous servers. Each server has its own queue and customers arrive at each queue according to independent Poisson processes. Each service time is independent and exponentially distributed. When a customer arrives at queue 1, the customers in queue 1 can be transferred to queue 2 by paying an assignment cost which is proportional to the number of moved customers. Holding cost is a function of the pair of queue lengths of the two servers. Our objective is to minimize the expected total discounted cost. We use the dynamic programming approach for this problem. Considering the pair of queue lengths as a state space, we show that the optimal policy has a switch over structure under some conditions on the holding cost.     

Distribution of size,structure and number of vacant regions in a high-intensity mosaic

Summary A mosaic is formed by centring independent and identically distributed random sets at points of a Poisson process in Euclidean space. We derive high-intensity approximations to the distributions of size, structure and number of uncovered regions in a mosaic. A limit theorem is proved for vacancy, and leads to a general approximation to the probability that a given region is completely covered by random shapes.     

Decompounding random sums: a nonparametric approach

A compound distribution is the distribution of a random sum, which consists of a random number N of independent identically distributed summands, independent of N. Buchmann and Grübel (Ann Stat 31:1054–1074, 2003) considered decompounding a compound Poisson distribution, i.e. given observations on a random sum when N has a Poisson distribution, they constructed a nonparametric plug-in estimator of the underlying summand distribution. This approach is extended here to that of general (but known) distributions for N. Asymptotic normality of the proposed estimator is established, and bootstrap methods are used to provide confidence bounds. Finally, practical implementation is discussed, and tested on simulated data. In particular we show how recursion formulae can be inverted for the Panjer class in general, as well as for an example drawn from the Willmot class.     

Sur les oscillations du processus de Poisson composéOn the oscillations of compound empirical processes

In this paper, we describe the local behaviour of compound Poisson processes based on a Poisson process and a sequence of independent and identically distributed random weights. These results are motived by their natural counterparts in the theory of empirical processes. To cite this article: M. Maumy, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 334 (2002) 705–708.     

Moderate deviations for a risk model based on the customer-arrival process

In this paper, we investigate the moderate deviations for a customer-arrival-based insurance risk model, in which customer’s actual claim sizes are described as independent and identically distributed heavy-tailed random variables multiplying a shot function, and the model can be treated as a Poisson shot noise process.     

Accuracy of approximation in the Poisson theorem in terms of the χ<Superscript>2</Superscript>-distance

We study the limit behavior of the χ²-distance between the distributions of the nth partial sum of independent not necessarily identically distributed Bernoulli random variables and the accompanying Poisson law. As a consequence in the i.i.d. case we make the multiplicative constant preciser in the available upper bound for the rate of convergence in the Poisson limit theorem.     

On stochastic stationarity of renewal processes

We shall consider point systems inR ₁ which are stationary renewal distributed. We let the points undergo random translations which are assumed to be independent identically distributed random variables with a non-degenerate distribution function. The translations are also independent of the starting positions. It is shown in theorem 3.1 that the only distribution of the points which is conserved after the random translations is the Poisson one. Finally in section 4 we give a characterization of renewal processes on the positive semiaxis in terms of conditional mean values.     

Poisson and compound Poisson distributions of order k and some of their properties

One investigates the Poisson distribution of orderk. One finds its generating function and with its aid one establishes that the sum of independent random variables, distributed according to the Poisson law of orderk, is distributed in the same manner. In addition, one considers a generalized compound Poisson distribution.Translated from Zapiski Nauchnykh Seminarov Leningradskogo Otdeleniya Matematicheskogo Instituta im. V. A. Steklova AN SSSR, Vol. 130, pp. 175–180, 1983.     

Self-crossing Points of a Line Segment Process

This paper is devoted to planar stationary line segment processes. The segments are assumed to be independent, identically distributed, and independent of the locations (reference points). We consider a point process formed by self-crossing points between the line segments. Its asymptotic variance is explicitly expressed for Poisson segment processes. The main result of the paper is the central limit theorem for the number of intersection points in expanding rectangular sampling window. It holds not only for Poisson processes of reference points but also for stationary point processes satisfying certain conditions on absolute regularity (β-mixing) coefficients. The proof is based on the central limit theorem for β-mixing random fields. Approximate confidence intervals for the intensity of intersections can be constructed.     

The Poisson aggregation process

In this paper we introduce and analyze the Poisson Aggregation Process (PAP): a stochastic model in which a random collection of random balls is stacked over a general metric space. The scattering of the balls’ centers follows a general Poisson process over the metric space, and the balls’ radii are independent and identically distributed random variables governed by a general distribution. For each point of the metric space, the PAP counts the number of balls that are stacked over it. The PAP model is a highly versatile spatial counterpart of the temporal M/G/∞ model in queueing theory. The surface of the moon, scarred by circular meteor-impact craters, exemplifies the PAP model in two dimensions: the PAP counts the number of meteor-impacts that any given moon-surface point sustained. A comprehensive analysis of the PAP is presented, and the closed-form results established include: general statistics, stationary statistics, short-range and long-range dependencies, a Central Limit Theorem, an Extreme Limit Theorem, and fractality.