Resource allocation

• US 20030014293A1
• Filed: 07/13/2001
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Shetty, Ravindra K., Thyagarajan, Venkatesan
• Granted Patent: US 6,954,931 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations

Abstract

In a first embodiment, the present invention provides computer-implemented methods for allocating resources to items are provided. Methods according to the present invention first determine one or more assignment scores for each item/resource pair by applying one or more application-specific strategies to each item/resource pair using game theory. A cost matrix is created by first summing the assignment scores for each item/resource pair and then multiplying each assignment score sum by an assignment cost associated with assignment a particular resource to a particular item. Finally, an assignment solution is found by applying the Hungarian method to the cost matrix. In a second embodiment, the present invention provides a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a methods of the present invention.

The present invention can be advantageously utilized to allocate or schedule a wide variety of processes or outputs competing for a resource. The present invention finds utility in a wide variety of applications. For example, the present invention can be advantageously utilized for scheduling of processes in chemical refineries and other manufacturing operations, scheduling of airline crews, supply chain management, and work flow management, distributed power management system, and decision making intelligent machines for self scheduling.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for assigning resources to items, comprising:

identifying one or more assignment strategies for assigning one or more resources to one or more items;

for each identified assignment strategy, determining an assignment score for each item/resource pair;

summing the assignment scores for each item/resource pair;

multiplying each assignment score sum by an assignment cost associated with the sum'"'"'s corresponding item/resource pair to produce a cost matrix; and

applying the Hungarian method to the cost matrix.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the resources are buffers.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the assignment strategies is chosen from the group consisting of strategies based on the storage level of the buffers, strategies based on the set-up time requirements of the buffers, strategies based on the priorities of storing items in the buffers, and strategies based on the compatibility of multiple items in a single buffer.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein all of the assignment strategies are chosen using Game theory from the group consisting of strategies based on the storage level of the buffers, strategies based on the set-up time requirements of the buffers, strategies based on the priorities of storing items in the buffers, and strategies based on the compatibility of multiple items in a single buffer.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the resources are storage tanks.

6. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

identifying one or more assignment strategies for assigning one or more resources to one or more items;

for each identified assignment strategy, determining an assignment score for each item/resource pair;

summing the assignment scores for each item/resource pair;

multiplying each assignment score sum by an assignment cost associated with the sum'"'"'s corresponding item/resource pair to produce a cost matrix; and

applying the Hungarian method to the cost matrix.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the resources are buffers.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein at least on of the assignment strategies is chosen from the group consisting of strategies based on the storage level of the buffers, strategies based on the set-up time requirements of the buffers, strategies based on the priorities of storing items in the buffers, and strategies based on the compatibility of multiple items in a single buffer.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein all of the assignment strategies are chosen from the group consisting of strategies based on the storage level of the buffers, strategies based on the set-up time requirements of the buffers, strategies based on the priorities of storing items in the buffers, and strategies based on the compatibility of multiple items in a single buffer.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the resources are storage tanks.