The probability distribution and the expected value of a stopping variable associated with one-sided cusum procedures for non-negative integer valued random variables

The structure of a stopping variable N based on one-sided CUSUM procedures is analyzed. Stopping occurs when a Markovian sequence of maxima of partial sums {M } crosses a certain boundary. On the basis of a recursive relationship between the M_n+1 and M_n a recursive equation is derived for the determination of the defective distributions K_n(x) = P{M ≤ x, N ≤n} . This recursive equation yields a recursive algorithm for the determination of P {N > n} . The paper studies the case when the basic random variables are non-negative integers-valued. In these cases the values of P{N > n} and E{N} can be determined by solving proper systems of linear equations.