Patent attributes
A method of identifying a configuration of an object, the method comprising the steps of: specifying a plurality of different object configurations; for each specified object configuration, using a first simulation procedure to simulate the specified conditions so as to generate data that can be used to evaluate the object configuration against the optimisation criterion; identifying a functional relationship between data generated for each specified object configuration; using the functional relationship and the optimisation criterion to select a data point, and identifying an object configuration corresponding thereto; and using a second simulation procedure, wherein the second simulation procedure comprises iteratively calculating values of variables characterising the object configuration until the values satisfy a convergence criterion, wherein for at least one of the specified object configurations, the first simulation procedure is completed before the values calculated therein satisfy the convergence criterion used in the second simulation procedure.
