Abstract text

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that solves a parametric multi-objective optimization problem in a combined design space and parameter space using interval techniques, wherein the design space contains design-space variables which are fixed for a selected design, and wherein the parameter space contains parameters which are variables for the selected design. During operation, the system first receives a design-optimization problem at a computer system, wherein the problem is specified by multiple-objective functions which are to be optimized in the combined design space and parameter space. Next, the system initializes a design-variable box spanning the design space. The system then performs an interval optimization process on the parameter space by subdividing the design-variable box in the design space into design-variable sub-boxes, and iteratively: (1) determining a parametric Pareto fronts for a design-variable sub-box using an interval optimization technique; (2) comparing a set of parametric Pareto fronts associated with a set of design-variable sub-boxes to determine which parametric Pareto fronts are certainly dominated by other parametric Pareto fronts; (3) eliminating the design-variable sub-boxes associated which the parametric Pareto fronts which are certainly dominated by other parametric Pareto fronts; and (4) subdividing remaining design-variable sub-boxes. After the interval optimization process, the system produces an optimized solution for the design-optimization problem from the remaining design-variable sub-boxes and the associated parametric Pareto fronts.