Patent ID: 7941296

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of comparing an output variable value of a target unit with a corresponding output variable value of a peer unit comprising the steps of: (a) determining a value of a first composite performance variable for a plurality of base units, wherein the plurality of base units is a set of units that meet a predefined set of parameters, comprising the steps of: performing a non-linear optimization with at least one expert constraint, wherein the first composite performance variable comprises: at least one base unit input variable; (b) determining a value of a second composite performance variable for the plurality of base units, wherein the second composite performance variable comprises: at least one base unit output variable; (c) selecting at least two outstanding base units dependent on: the value of the first composite performance variable, and the value of the second composite performance variable; (d) determining a peer unit based on all outstanding base units, wherein determining a peer unit comprises: calculating output variable values for the peer unit based on the output variable values of the outstanding base units; (e) selecting a target unit for comparison to the peer unit, wherein the target unit may be an outstanding base unit; (f) selecting an output variable value for the target unit that corresponds to an output variable value for the peer unit; and (g) comparing the output variable value for the target unit with the corresponding output variable value for the peer unit, wherein steps (a), (b), (d), and (g) are performed by one or more computers.