MultiPass scheduling system

• US 20060143061A1
• Filed: 12/29/2004
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sharper, Roderick, Kegge, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US11/027,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20060143061A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06393 Score-carding, benchmarking or key performance indicator [KPI] analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/20 Education

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating schedules are disclosed. Method includes executing a current algorithm in a sequence of algorithms performing specified scheduling functions and determining a level of progress made by the current algorithm. Method further includes executing the current algorithm while the level of progress meets predetermined criteria and invoking a next algorithm in the sequence if the level of progress does note meet the predetermined criteria.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

executing a current algorithm in a sequence of algorithms performing specified scheduling functions;

determining a level of progress made by the current algorithm;

executing the current algorithm while the level of progress meets predetermined criteria; and

invoking a next algorithm in the sequence if the level of progress does note meet the predetermined criteria.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sequence of algorithms comprises a plurality of algorithms to schedule courses for a plurality of students based on a master course schedule.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sequence of algorithms is executed based on a set of user predefined rules.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sequence of algorithms is executed based on dynamic rules.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising characterizing course requests and prioritizing students and the course requests.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising dividing objects to be scheduled into groups and invoking the sequence of algorithms for each group.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising executing a first pass algorithm in the sequence of algorithms, wherein the first pass algorithm identifies complimentary course sections for each student.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising executing a second pass algorithm in the sequence of algorithms, wherein the second pass algorithm identifies closed course sections, un-schedules fully scheduled students from the closed course sections and schedules partially scheduled students in the closed course sections.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second pass algorithm further determines a number of fully schedules students to un-schedules based on a number of partially schedules students and a rate of un-scheduling.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising executing a swapper algorithm from the plurality of algorithms, wherein the swapper algorithm identifies fully scheduled students, un-schedules the identifies students and schedules partially scheduled students.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the swapper algorithm further determines a number of fully schedules students to un-schedules based on a number of partially schedules students and a rate of un-scheduling.

12. The method of claim 2, further comprising executing a tree search algorithm.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the tree search algorithm is branch limited and time limited.

14. The method of claim 2, further comprising executing a re-balancer algorithm from the plurality of algorithms, wherein the re-balancer algorithm un-schedules fully scheduled students from closed course sections and schedules partially schedules students.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a number of fully schedules students to be schedules is based on a ratio of a number of fully schedules students over a number of partially schedules students and a number of closed course sections over a number of open course sections.

16. The method of claim 2, further comprising executing a de-gapper algorithm from the plurality of algorithms wherein the de-gapper algorithm identifies students with gaps in schedules and re-schedules the students with fewer gaps in schedules.

17. The method of claim 2, further comprising enabling the user to invoke a student request analyzer to request scheduling statistics information.

18. The method of claim 2, further comprising enabling the user to invoke a scavenger algorithm, wherein the scavenger algorithms eliminates scheduling problems due to closed course sections.

19. The method of claim 2, further comprising enabling the user to invoke a schedule-by-period algorithm, wherein the schedule-by-period algorithm schedules partially schedules students based on degree of difficulty of course requests and periods.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying scheduling statistics to a user while the sequence of algorithms is executed and displaying final scheduling statistics to the user at the end of execution of the sequence of algorithms.

21. A computer-implemented scheduling system comprising:

a first engine to execute a current algorithm in a sequence of algorithms performing specified scheduling functions;

a progress monitor to determine a level of progress made by the current algorithm monitor; and

a second engine to invoke a next algorithm in the sequence if the level of progress does not meet the predetermined criteria.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the sequence of algorithms comprises a plurality of algorithms to schedule courses for a plurality of students based on a master course schedule.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the sequence of algorithms is executed based on a set of user predefined rules.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the sequence of algorithms is executed based on a set of dynamic rules.

25. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer-readable medium having stored therein a computer program executable by a processor, the computer program comprising instructions for;

executing a current algorithm in a sequence of algorithms performing specified scheduling functions;

determining a level of progress made by the current algorithm;

executing the current algorithm while the level of progress meets predetermined criteria; and

invoking a next algorithm in the sequence if the level of progress does not meet the predetermined criteria.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 25, wherein the sequence of algorithms is executed based on a set of user predefined rules.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 25, wherein the sequence of algorithms is executed based on a set of dynamic rules.

28. A computer-implemented scheduling system comprising:

means for executing a current algorithm in a sequence of algorithms performing specified scheduling functions;

means for determining a level of progress made by the current algorithm;

means for executing the current algorithm while the level of progress meets predetermined criteria; and

means for invoking a next algorithm in the sequence if the level of progress does note meet the predetermined criteria.

29. The computer-implemented scheduling system of claim 28, wherein the sequence of algorithms comprises a plurality of algorithms to schedule courses for a plurality of students based on a master course schedule.