Method and apparatus for automatic configuration of meta-heuristic algorithms in a problem solving environment

摘要

A method and system are presented for configuring a search algorithm for solving a combinatorial optimization problem. The search algorithm has a number of procedural components. Each procedural component is configured using a respective data structure. The data structure has a tree structure, including traversal split nodes, each of which represents a choice to be made when configuring the procedural component of the search algorithm. Configuring the procedural component corresponds to traversing the tree structure, and the traversal is performed automatically. At each of the traversal split nodes, the choice of which direction to take through the tree structure is made randomly, using a respective probabilistic function. Thus, a population of candidate algorithms is generated. These are evaluated, and the probabilistic functions modified.