Importance

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Abstract

A stochastic simulation method and system are provided. The invention eliminates the need for the use of subroutine calls in a user-written simulation program, and of option flags to direct execution via decision trees, by allowing the user to configure the simulator through choices of options at run-time. The options are presented via a user interface as radio buttons or checkboxes which the user activates. The simulator sets itself up to incorporate only those options. The programmer (that is, the author of software according to the invention) only makes the objects available and ensures that they work together. It is the user who actually configures the simulator. The invention provides a highly extendable structure. By use of inheritance and dynamic allocation of memory, and by design of self-contained objects to represent various components of the simulation system, a simulation program according to the invention incorporates new features and options with a minimum of new code. This enables creation of a single simulation package that efficiently handles a wide variety of physical situations, useable for calculations as diverse as starved feed reactors, multi-compartment pharmacokinetics and heat flow, using single reaction volumes or multiply linked compartments. The efficiency is gained by minimizing the amount of memory required to run the program, and by eliminating repetitive and time-consuming progression through decision trees.

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First Claim