A gradually descent method for discrete global optimization

In this paper, a new method named as the gradually descent method was proposed to solve the discrete global optimization problem. With the aid of an auxiliary function, this method enables to convert the problem of finding one discrete minimizer of the objective function f to that of finding another at each cycle. The auxiliary function can ensure that a point, except a prescribed point, is not its integer stationary point if the value of objective function at the point is greater than the scalar which is chosen properly. This property leads to a better minimizer of f found more easily by some classical local search methods. The computational results show that this algorithm is quite efficient and reliable for solving nonlinear integer programming problems.