Renewal theory

About: Renewal theory is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 2381 publications have been published within this topic receiving 54908 citations.

Application of perturbation analysis to a class of periodic review (s, S) inventory systems

Abstract: In this article we apply perturbation analysis (PA), combined with conditional Monte Carlo, to obtain derivative estimators of the expected cost per period with respect to s and S, for a class of periodic review (s, S) inventory systems with full backlogging, linear holding and shortage costs, and where the arrivals of demands follow a renewal process. We first develop the general form of four different estimators of the gradient for the finite-horizon case, and prove that they are unbiased. We next consider the problem of implementing our estimators, and develop efficient methodologies for the infinite-horizon case. For the case of exponentially distributed demand interarrival times, we implement our estimators using a single sample path. Generally distributed interarrival times are modeled as phase-type distributions, and the implementation of this more general case requires a number of additional off-line simulations. The resulting estimators are still efficient and practical, provided that the number of phases is not too large. We conclude by reporting the results of simulation experiments. The results provide further validity of our methodology and also indicate that our estimators have very low variance. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Optimal strategy policy in batch arrival queue with server breakdowns and multiple vacations

Abstract: This paper considers a like-queue production system in which server vacations and breakdowns are possible. The decision-maker can turn a single server on at any arrival epoch or off at any service completion. We model the system by an M[x]/M/1 queueing system with N policy. The server can be turned off and takes a vacation with exponential random length whenever the system is empty. If the number of units waiting in the system at any vacation completion is less than N, the server will take another vacation. If the server returns from a vacation and finds at least N units in the system, he immediately starts to serve the waiting units. It is assumed that the server breaks down according to a Poisson process and the repair time has an exponential distribution. We derive the distribution of the system size through the probability generating function. We further study the steady-state behavior of the system size distribution at random (stationary) point of time as well as the queue size distribution at departure point of time. Other system characteristics are obtained by means of the grand process and the renewal process. Finally, the expected cost per unit time is considered to determine the optimal operating policy at a minimum cost. The sensitivity analysis is also presented through numerical experiments.

On renewal theory, counter problems, and quasi-Poisson processes†

Abstract: The power and appropriateness of renewal theory as a tool for the solution of general problems concerning counters has been amply demonstrated by Feller (7), who considered a variety of counter problems and reduced them to special renewal processes. The use of what may be called renewal-type arguments had certainly been made by authors other than Feller (e.g. in § 3 of Domb (3)), but it was only in (7) that the simplicity of the renewal approach to counter problems was recognized and systematically applied. More recently, Hammersley (8) was concerned with the generalization of a counter problem previously studied by Domb (2). This problem may be introduced, mathematically, as follows. Let {xi}, {yi} be two independent sequences of independent non-negative random variables which are non-zero with probability one (i.e. two independent renewal processes). The {xi}, are distributed in a negative-exponential distribution with mean λ-1, and we write Eλ for their distribution function and say ≡ {xi} is a Poisson process to imply this special property of ; the {yi} have a distribution function ‡ B(x) with mean b1 ≤ ∞. Form the partial sums and define ni to be the greatest integer k such that Xk ≥ t, taking X0 0 and nt = 0 if x1 > t. Then define the stochastic processHammersley'sx counter problem concerns the stochastic process

Some New Results for Departure Process in the M X /G/1 Queueing System with a Single Vacation and Exhaustive Service

Abstract: A batch arrival queueing system with a single vacation between two successive busy periods and with exhaustive service is considered. The departure process h(t) is studied first on a single vacation cycle. The approach based on renewal theory is applied to obtain results in the general case. In particular, the explicit representation for the generating function of Laplace transform of the probability function of h(t) is derived. All formulae are written in terms of input parameters of the system and factors of a certain canonical factorization of Wiener–Hopf type. A numerical approach to results is discussed as well.

Strong Stochastic Bounds for the Stationary Distribution of a Class of Multicomponent Performability Models

Abstract: We consider a class of models for multicomponent systems in which components can break down and be repaired in a dependent manner and where breakdown and repair times can be arbitrarily distributed. The problem of calculating the equilibrium distribution and, from this, the expected performability for these models is intractable unless certain assumptions are made about breakdowns and repairs. In this paper we show that the performability of multicomponent systems that do not satisfy these rules can be bounded by tractable modifications. Our results are proved by stochastic comparability arguments and a Markov reward technique, which is of interest in itself as it enables one to prove that the equilibrium distribution of one process can be bounded by that of another even when the sample paths of the process are not. This is illustrated by an example.