COMPARING CONTRACTS WITH DIFFERENT LENGTHS USING UNCERTAINTY INFORMATION

1 . A method performed by at least one processing system, the method comprising:

comparing at least first and second contracts having different lengths using uncertainty information corresponding to a non-overlap period between the first and the second contracts; and

providing an output that represents a comparison between the first and the second contract in view of the uncertainty information.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining an optimal contract between the first contract and the second contract using the output.

3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating first cost information corresponding to the first contract using the uncertainty information;

generating second cost information corresponding to the second contract; and

generating the output based on the first and the second cost information.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the uncertain information includes at least one of price uncertainty, demand uncertainty, or discount rate uncertainty.

5 . The method of claim 4 wherein the uncertain information includes at least two of price uncertainty, demand uncertainty, or discount rate uncertainty.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a user interface that allows a user to enter the uncertainty information.

7 . The method of claim 6 wherein the user interface allows the user to enter first and second sets of terms for the first and second contracts, respectively.

8 . A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processing system, perform a method comprising:

providing a user interface that allows a user to enter uncertainty information corresponding to a non-overlap period between first and second contracts having different contract lengths; and

providing an output that represents a comparison between the first and the second contracts in view of the uncertainty information.

9 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the user interface allows the user to enter first and second sets of terms corresponding to the first and the second contracts.

10 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the user interface allows the user to adjust the uncertainty information subsequent to the output being provided.

11 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the uncertain information includes at least one of price uncertainty, demand uncertainty, or discount rate uncertainty.

12 . A method performed by at least one processing system, the method comprising:

generating a first aggregate expected cost of a first contract having a first length;

generating a second aggregate expected cost of a second contract having a second length using uncertainty information, the uncertainty information corresponding to a period between an end of the first length and an end of the second length; and

providing an output that represents a comparison of the first and the second aggregate expected costs.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the output allows a user to identify an optimal contract between the first contract and the second contract.

14 . The method of claim 12 wherein the uncertain information includes at least one of price uncertainty, demand uncertainty, or discount rate uncertainty

15 . The method of claim 12 further comprising:

providing a user interface that allows a user to enter first and second sets of terms for the first and second contracts, respectively, and the uncertainty information.