Patent ID: 7266549

Claim:
A system for optimization using multi-dimensional data, comprising: a server operable to: using a multidimensional data model, organize data stored at one or more data storage locations, the multi-dimensional data model including a plurality of data dimensions each including a hierarchy of members; receive input from a user specifying a problem instance to be solved using an optimization engine, the problem instance specified by the user in a multidimensional format and comprising an objective function, an optimization operator, and one or constraints, the optimization engine being unable to solve the problem instance comprising the objective function, the optimization operator, and the one or more constraints in the multi-dimensional format; and communicate the problem instance comprising the objective function, the optimization operator, and the one or more constraints in the multi-dimensional format to a transformation module, the transformation module is operable to: receive the problem instance comprising the objective function, the optimization operator, and the one or more constraints in the multi-dimensional format; transform the problem instance comprising the objective function, the optimization operator, and one or more constraints into a format appropriate for the optimization engine; communicate the transformed problem instance comprising the objective function, the optimization operator, and one or more constraints to the optimization engine to be solved; receive a solution associated with the problem instance from the optimization engine; transform the solution into the multi-dimensional format; and communicate the transformed solution to the server, wherein the server displays the transformed solution to the user on a display.