Software system utilizing a filtered priority queue and method of operation

• US 5,630,123 A
• Filed: 09/28/1994
• Issued: 05/13/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: JDA Software Group Incorporated (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: i2 Technologies Incorporated (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hogge, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kriess, Kevin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Toplu, Lucien
• Application Number:
  US08/314,073
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 364/401, 395/800, 395/700, 395/607
• US Class Current: 718/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/24 Sorting, i.e. extracting data from one or more carriers, rearranging the data in numerical or other ordered sequence, and rerecording the sorted data on the original carrier or on a different carrier or set of carriers sorting methods in generalG06F7/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

A software system (2) utilizing a filtered priority queue (10) is provided. A filtering module (4) is operable to access a plurality of data records of entities (16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28) of a priority queue and to filter and arrange the data records in a memory storage device (8) to form the filtered priority queue (10). The filtered priority queue (10) comprises a remaining set (12) and a filtered set (14). The filtered set (14) contains a first subset of data records (20, 22, 24, 26, and 28). The first subset of data records (20, 22, 24, 26, and 28) form sublevels of a lattice. The remaining set (12) contains a second subset of data records (16 and 18). The second subset of data records (16 and 18) comprise lattice heads of the lattice. A sorting module (6) is coupled to the filtering module (4). The sorting module (6) is operable to access the remaining set (12) and to order the data records (16 and 18) in the second subset of data records to identify a data record (16) of a most critical entity.

Claims

1. A software system utilizing a filtered priority queue to identify a most critical entity from a plurality of entities, comprising:

a plurality of data records stored in a memory storage device, each data record representing one of a plurality of entities from which a most critical entity is to be identified based upon defined sorting criteria;

a filtering module operable to access the plurality of data records and to arrange the data records to form a filtered priority queue based upon a first part of the sorting criteria, the filtered priority queue being a lattice where each data record in the lattice is more critical than those data records it is positioned ahead of based upon the first part of the sorting criteria, such that the lattice comprises;

a filtered set of data records containing those data records that are positioned in sublevels of the lattice; and

a remaining set of data records containing those data records that are lattice heads of the lattice; and

a sorting module coupled to the filtering module, the sorting module operable to access the remaining set of data records and to order data records in the remaining set of data records based upon a second part of the defined sorting criteria, where a highest ordered data record from the remaining set is identified as representing the most critical entity.

2. The software system of claim 1, wherein the first part of the defined sorting criteria comprises positioning a first data record ahead of a second data record in the lattice only if the first data record beats the second data record in all of a plurality of fixed preferences associated with the represented entity.

3. The software system of claim 2, wherein the second part of the defined sorting criteria comprises ordering the remaining set of data records as a function of the plurality of fixed preferences where the data records are known not to beat one another in all of the fixed preferences.

4. The software system of claim 3, wherein the second part of the defined sorting criteria further comprises ordering the remaining set of data records based upon variable preferences that change with time.

5. The software system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of entities comprise a plurality of unique tasks to be performed and the plurality of fixed preferences define characteristics of each unique task.

6. The software system of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of unique tasks comprises planning an order for a product to be manufactured by a factory.

7. The software system of claim 6, wherein the second part of the defined sorting criteria comprises ordering the remaining set of data records as a function of the plurality of fixed preferences, where the data records are known not to beat one another in all of the fixed preferences.

8. The software system of claim 7, wherein the second part of the defined sorting criteria further comprises ordering the remaining set of data records based upon variable preferences that change with time.

9. The software system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of fixed preferences associated with each unique task define characteristics of planning each order.

10. The software system of claim 9, wherein the fixed preferences comprise a quantity ordered, a due date and a customer priority factor associated with each order.

11. A method of operating a software system to filter and sort a plurality of data records representing a plurality of entities to identify a most critical entity, comprising:

storing a plurality of data records in a memory storage device, each data record representing one of a plurality of entities from which a most critical entity is to be identified based upon defined sorting criteria;

arranging the plurality of data records to build a lattice interrelating the plurality of data records based upon a first part of the sorting criteria, where each data record in the lattice is more critical than those data records it is positioned ahead of based upon the first part of the sorting criteria;

identifying a remaining set of data records containing those data records that are lattice heads and identifying a filtered set of data records containing those data records that are positioned in sublevels of the lattice; and

sorting the remaining set of data records, based upon a second part of the defined sorting criteria, to identify a highest ordered data record from the remaining set as representing the most critical entity.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first part of the defined sorting criteria comprises positioning a first data record ahead of a second data record in the lattice only if the first data record beats the second data record in all of a plurality of fixed preferences associated with the represented entity.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second part of the defined sorting criteria comprises ordering the remaining set of data records as a function of the plurality of fixed preferences in which the data records are known not to beat one another in all of the fixed preferences.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second part of the defined sorting criteria further comprises ordering the remaining set of data records based upon variable preferences that change with time.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising selecting, quantifying and storing the plurality of fixed preferences associated with each entity.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of entities comprise a plurality of unique tasks to be performed.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each unique task comprises planning an order for a product manufactured by a factory.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of fixed preferences associated with each unique task define characteristics of planning each order.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the fixed preferences comprise a quantity ordered, a due date and a customer priority factor associated with each order.

20. A method of operating a software system to process a plurality of data records each representing an order for products to be manufactured, comprising:

storing a plurality of data records in a memory storage device, each data record representing an order for products to be manufactured;

arranging the plurality of data records to build a lattice interrelating the plurality of data records based upon a plurality of fixed preferences by positioning a first data record ahead of a second data record in the lattice only if the first data record beats the second data record in all the plurality of fixed preferences, where the fixed preferences define characteristics of each order;

identifying a remaining set of data records containing those data records that are lattice heads and identifying a filtered set of data records containing those data records that are positioned in sublevels of the lattice;

sorting the remaining set of data records to identify a highest ordered data record from the remaining set as representing a most critical order, where the remaining set of data records is ordered as a function of the plurality of fixed preferences where the data records are known not to beat one another in all of the fixed preferences;

removing the data record of the most critical order from the lattice;

planning manufacture of the most critical order; and

repeating the steps of identifying, sorting, removing and planning until each data record in the plurality of data records is processed.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the plurality of fixed preferences associated with each order are define characteristics of planning the order.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the fixed preferences comprise a quantity ordered, a due date and a customer priority factor associated with each order.