APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ORDER GENERATION AND MANAGEMENT TO FACILITATE SOLUTIONS OF DECISION-MAKING PROBLEMS

摘要

A system includes a plurality of hierarchical layers(202-208) configured to solve a decision-making problem. Eachhierarchical layer is configured to generate solution datarepre-senting a possible solution to a sub-problem associated with thedecision-making problem. Each hierarchical layer is alsoconfig-ured to receive orders and to use the orders during generation ofthe solution data. The orders include orders based on the solutiondata from a higher hierarchical layer, orders based on feedbackfrom a lower hierarchical layer, and/or orders that areexogenous-ly provided. Each hierarchical layer could be configured to usethe orders to simplify a search for the possible solution to thesub-problem being solved by that hierarchical layer, such as byex-cluding solutions inconsistent with the orders.