Resource scheduler for scheduling railway train resources
First Claim
1. A resource scheduler for performing globally optimized scheduling of train resources using an abstraction of train movement and resources using a Constraint Propagation Expert System (COPES) shell as the virtual engine for developing algorithms which may be implemented on one or more machines in a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) environment, said algorithms moving time intervals abstracted from train resources, thereby providing a realizable solution in near real-time.
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Abstract
A resource scheduler for scheduling railway train resources over a track system with a high degree of optimization. The scheduler is implemented in an expert system that employs simulated annealing techniques to approximate the optimum solution.
170 Citations
27 Claims
- 1. A resource scheduler for performing globally optimized scheduling of train resources using an abstraction of train movement and resources using a Constraint Propagation Expert System (COPES) shell as the virtual engine for developing algorithms which may be implemented on one or more machines in a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) environment, said algorithms moving time intervals abstracted from train resources, thereby providing a realizable solution in near real-time.
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6. A resource scheduler including a UNIX operating system with:
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means for receiving orders (batch or sequentially) for rail service, each of the orders including the identification of the time interval over which the service is to be provided and a cost function (e.g., penalties/incentives); means for receiving user-defined constraints; means for receiving data as to the availability and capability of resources including train action effects and associated costs; means for selecting resources to perform each activity in the orders; means for providing an activity list for the selected resources for each of the orders; means for converting the activity lists into time intervals; means for grouping the time intervals for the orders; means for moving the grouped time intervals relative to each other to effect scheduling consistent with user-defined constraints and minimum cost. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A train resource scheduler having
a Constraint Propagation Expert System (COPES) shell for developing a distributed algorithm in which train trips include a sequence of COPES class objects each representing a train resource having a time availability profile; - and including temporal logic means for manipulating said time availability profiles to reflect changes in train trips.
- View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A method of distribution of a simulated annealing process by which multiple train trips are scheduled comprising the steps of:
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(a) attaching constraint routines to each train trip; and (b) using the constraint routines to make decisions about the modification of the schedule for each train trip based on the utility of the modification to the overall solution. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method of scheduling resources to effect the movement of plural trains over a multitrack railway system including the steps of:
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(a) abstracting resources and train movement; (b) using simulated annealing techniques in a COPES shell to operate on the abstracts to thereby provide a schedule with the generation of move operators being influenced by the evaluation by the constraints attached to each trip of the usefulness of potential modifications of the schedule to the global solution constraints.
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18. A method of scheduling trips of multiple trains over a multitrack railway system comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a COPES based inference engine; (b) providing a plurality of constraint routines; (c) providing a plurality of class objects each having at least one variable; (d) binding one or more routines to each of the trips; (e) providing a database containing resource usage times for each train type using each resource and siding possibilities between track segments; (f) initializing search parameters; (g) performing a first phase search by randomly scheduling trip constraints for firing, firing a constraint, and either (i) determine that no change is required or (ii) determine that a change is required, lower the temperature and reinitialize the search parameters; (h) performing a second phase search using a reduced number of attempts at each temperature at the same or lower energy level to provide a schedule; (i) performing a directed search to refine the schedule; (j) alternatively reporting the schedule if all constraints are satisfied and reporting the best possible schedule with exceptions (including the identity of resources and activities involved in the exception) noted in the event that all constraints cannot be satisfied. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A resource scheduler comprising:
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means for receiving orders (batch or sequentially) for rail service, each of the orders including the identification of the time interval over which the service is to be provided and a cost function (e.g., penalties/incentives); means for receiving user-defined constraints; means for receiving data as to the availability and capability of resources including train action effects and associated costs; means for selecting resources to perform each activity in the orders; means for providing an activity list for the selected resources for each of the orders; means for converting the activity lists into time intervals; means for grouping the time intervals for the orders; moving the grouped time intervals relative to each other to effect scheduling consistent with user-defined constraints and minimum cost. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification