Machine, method and medium for dynamic optimization for resource allocation

• US 6,049,774 A
• Filed: 07/08/1996
• Issued: 04/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roy, Romanath
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, Tod R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Myhre, James W.
• Application Number:
  US08/676,757
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7, 705/8, 705/9
• US Class Current: 705/7.22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors

Abstract

A machine, method and medium for allocating resources over given time periods. Various requests (e.g., from customers) are received for products and/or services, and a preferred scheme for allocating resources, over a plurality of time periods, to provide the requested products and/or services, is determined. Marketing, procurement and production processes are taken into account in the analysis. The end result is a set of systems indicating how the resources should be deployed over the various time periods to satisfy customer demand.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for allocating available communication system resources used within a communication system over a plurality of time periods t, comprising the steps of:

(1) receiving at a computer, communication system resource requirements required for each of the plurality of time periods t;

(2) receiving at said computer, communication system resource availability information indicating anticipated communication system resource availability during each of the plurality of time periods t;

(3) configuring communication system resources at each time period t based upon said steps (1) and (2) so as to match communication system resources to communication system resource demands during each time period t, wherein the communication system resources used at each time period t are interdependent with the other plurality of time periods;

(4) assigning to a plurality of communication system resources of said communication system, prices determined using a virtual pricing technique, to be charged to use said plurality of communication system resources during said plurality of time periods t, said prices being based upon availability of the communication system resources at each time period t; and

(5) delivering to customers of said communication system resources, said communication system resources at said prices during said plurality of time periods t.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein step (3) comprises, the steps of:

(a) determining, for said available communication system resources, which of all available communication system resources are classified as primary and secondary communication system resources;

(b) determining which of said secondary communication system resources are required in conjunction with said primary communication system resources to provide said available communication system resources;

(c) for each of said required secondary communication system resource, determining whether said secondary communication system resource is available at each time period t; and

(d) for each primary communication system resource, determining whether the primary communication system resources are available at each time period t.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

(e) determining which available communication system resources can be classified as tertiary communication system resources;

(f) determining which tertiary communication system resources are required in conjunction with said primary communication system resources or said secondary communication system resources, to provide said available communication system resources over a plurality of time periods t; and

(g) for each of said required tertiary communication system resource, determining whether said tertiary communication system resource is available.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein step (g) comprises the step of:

(i) determining amounts of the tertiary communication system resources in inventory that can be assembled with primary and secondary communication system resources.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein step (g) comprises the step of:

(i) determining amounts of the secondary communication system resources in inventory that can be assembled with primary communication system resources.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein step (3) comprises the step of:

(a) determining the lowest cost for providing the communication system resources by minimizing an objective function.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein step (2) comprises the step of:

(a) determining the optimal amount of communication system resources to be purchased or leased.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein step (2) further comprises the step of:

(b) determining the required number of tertiary resource components required to support a communication service.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein step (2) further comprises the step of:

(c) determining the number of tertiary resource components which can be assembled with primary resource components.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein step (2) further comprises the step of:

(d) determining the number of secondary resource components which can be assembled with primary resource components.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein step (2) further comprises the step of:

(b) determining the number of primary resource components to be purchased or leased.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein step (2) comprises the step of:

(a) determining usage of each of the communication system resources.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein step (a) includes the step of determining the usage of resource components selected from the group consisting of tertiary, secondary and primary resource components.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein step (2) comprises the step of:

(a) determining amounts of the communication system resources in inventory for a plurality of time periods t.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein step (1) comprises the step of:

(a) determining customer demand for the communication system resources.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 15, wherein step (a) includes the step of determining customer demand based on variables selected from the group consisting of time period, customer demand locations, type of product, and type of service.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein step (3) comprises the step of:

(a) determining which communication system resources can be rearranged from one location to another.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein step (3) further comprises the step of:

(b) determining whether to rearrange the communication system resources.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

step (1) comprises the step of (a) determining customer demand for the communication system resources;

step (2) comprises the steps of (a) determining usage of each of the communication system resources; and

(b) determining amounts of the communication system resources in inventory; and

step (3) comprises the steps of (a) determining the lowest cost for providing the communication system resources by minimizing an objective function;

(b) determining the optimal amount of communication system resources to be purchased or leased;

(c) determining which communication system resources should be rearranged from one location to another; and

(d) determining whether to rearrange the communication system resources.

20. A computer-readable medium for allocating communications system resources of a communication system over a plurality of time periods t, comprising:

a first module of computer program instructions, within a computer, receiving communication system resource requirements information for each of the plurality of time periods t;

a second module of computer program instructions receiving communication system resource availability information indicating anticipated communication system resource availability during each of the plurality of time periods t;

a third module of computer program instructions configuring the communication system resources of a communication system at each time period t to match communication system resources to communication system resource demand based upon input information from said first and second modules received by said third module wherein the communication system resources of a communication system are used at each time period t are interdependent with the other plurality of time periods t; and

a fourth module of computer program instructions assigning a price to use the communication system resources of said communication system based at least upon availability of the communication system resources at each time period t.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein said third module comprises, at each time period t:

a fifth module of computer program instructions determining which communication system resources can be classified as primary and secondary communication system resources;

a sixth module of computer program instructions wherein said sixth module determines which of said secondary communication system resources are required in conjunction with said primary communication system resources, to provide said communication system resource;

a seventh module of computer program instructions, wherein said seventh module determines, for each of said required secondary communication system resource, whether said secondary communication system resource is available; and

an eighth module of computer program instructions, wherein said eighth module determines, for each of said primary communication system resource, whether the primary communication system resource is available.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 further comprising:

a ninth module of computer program instructions, determining which communication system resources can be classified as tertiary communication system resources;

a tenth module of computer program instructions, determining which of said tertiary communication system resources are required in conjunction with said primary communication system resources or said secondary communication system resources to provide said communication system resources; and

an eleventh module of computer program instructions, determining for each of said required tertiary communication system resource, whether said tertiary communication system resource is available.

23. A machine for allocating and pricing communication system resources of a communication system over a plurality of time periods t, comprising:

first means for receiving communication system resource requirements required by said communication system in each of the plurality of time periods t;

second means for receiving communication system resource availability information indicating anticipated communication system resource availability in said communication system during each of the plurality of time periods;

third means for configuring a communication system at each time period t based upon signals from said first and second means, wherein the communication system resources of said communication system used at each time period t are interdependent with the other plurality of time periods; and

fourth means for assigning a price to said communication system resources based upon a virtual pricing technique, including the availability of the communication system resources at each time period t.

24. The machine of claim 23, wherein said third means comprises, at each time period t:

fifth means for determining, which communication system resources can be classified as primary and secondary communication system resources;

sixth means for determining which of said secondary communication system resources are required, in conjunction with said primary communication system resources;

seventh means for determining, for each said required secondary communication system resource, whether said secondary communication system resource is available; and

eighth means for determining, for each primary communication system resource, whether the primary communication system resource is available.

25. The machine of claim 24, further comprising:

ninth means for determining which communication system resources can be classified as tertiary communication system resources;

tenth means for determining which of said tertiary communication system resources are required, in conjunction with said primary communication system resources or said secondary communication system resources, to provide said communication service; and

eleventh means for each said required tertiary communication system resource, determining whether said tertiary communication system resource is available.