Patent ID: 8086327

Claim:
A computerized method for estimating a design space of input factors and output responses for a physical process, comprising: (a) receiving, via a processor, data for one or more input factors for a physical process, one or more output responses for the process, and criteria, the criteria comprising: a target response criterion for each of the one or more output responses; an estimated optimal value for each of the one or more input factors to achieve the target response criteria; and an experimented range of input values for each of the one or more input factors, where each input value in the experimented range of input values is determinative of an output response value for each of the one or more output responses; (b) calculating, using the processor, for each of the one or more input factors, a calculated range of input values within the corresponding experimented range of input values, wherein calculating comprises: selecting a first range of input values for each of the one or more input factors; predicting values of the one or more output responses based on the first range of input values to determine a first performance metric for each of the one or more output responses; and creating the calculated range of input values for each of the one or more input factors by adjusting the first range of input values based on a comparison of the first performance metric and a predetermined performance metric; (c) calculating, using the processor, a modified range of input values for each of the one or more input factors, comprising, for each input factor of the one or more input factors: selecting a second range of input values by expanding the calculated range of input values by a predetermined percentage; predicting values of the one or more output responses based on the second range of input values to determine a second performance metric for each of the one or more output responses; and creating the modified range of input values for the input factor by adjusting the second range of input values based on a comparison of the second performance metric and the predetermined performance metric; and (d) predicting, using the processor, a design space estimate based at least on the modified ranges of input values, wherein the modified ranges of input values each comprise a largest region of variability where the criteria are fulfilled for one or more of the input factors.