Predictive and preemptive planning and scheduling for different job priorities system and method

• US 6,895,292 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2003
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Bobrow, Daniel G., Fromherz, Markus P. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US10/424,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20040225394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 700/99, 700/100, 700101-108, 700/97, 700/29, 705 7- 10, 234 23- 24
• US Class Current: 700/101
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

For an automated manufacturing system having a number of modules with numerous alternative capabilities, a computer-controlled system provides for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs. The computer-controlled system includes at least one system controller for planning and scheduling utilization of selected module capabilities in the production of jobs having not less than one work unit. Module capabilities include the relative costs of the module capabilities.

Claims

1. A computer controlled system far configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable production system having a plurality of modules with a plurality of alternative capabilities for processing work units, the system comprising:

a system controller;

at least one centralized planning function for planning utilization of selected module capabilities in the production of jobs having not less than one work unit, wherein said module capabilities include the relative costs of said module capabilities, and wherein said centralized planning function has knowledge of module capabilities and of all planning and scheduling decisions; and

at least one centralized scheduling function for scheduling utilization of said selected module capabilities in the production of said jobs having not less than one work unit, wherein said centralized scheduling function includes a resource constraint solver for balancing of production time and cost across the entire reconfigurable production system and for resolving resource contention prior to job production.

2. The system for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable production system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one function for identifying performance failure of not less than one of said selected module capabilities in the production of said jobs having not less than one work unit.

3. The system for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable production system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one function for recovering from performance failure of not less than one of said selected module capabilities in the production of said jobs having not less than one work unit.

4. The system for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable production system according to claim 1, wherein said function for planning utilization of selected module capabilities comprises:

means for selecting not less than one work unit to be planned; and

means for determining capabilities associated with said not less than one work unit to be planned.

5. The system for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable production system according to claim 4, wherein said not less than one work unit to be planned is associated with not less than one priority.

6. The system for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable production system according to claim 5, wherein said not less than one priority is expressed in a cost model.

7. The system for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable production system according to claim 1, wherein said not less than one work unit comprises not less than one new work unit.

8. The system for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable production system according to claim 1, wherein said planning function further comprises:

at least one function for determining module capabilities available in the reconfigurable production system;

at least one function for posting timing constraints modified by selection variables;

at least one function for posting constraints on selection variables and common modules;

at least one function for posting real-time constraints and order constraints;

at least one function for posting cost values for all selected capabilities; and

at least one function for removing subsequent work units of the same job temporarily from consideration.

9. The system for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable production system according to claim 1, wherein said selected module capabilities include capabilities necessary to produce said not less than one work unit.

10. The system for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable production system according to claim 1, wherein said selected module capabilities include capabilities necessary to repair said not less than one work unit.

11. The system for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable production system according to claim 1, wherein said selected module capabilities include capabilities necessary to purge and reproduce the work unit.

12. A method for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a computer-controlled reconfigurable production system having a plurality of modules with a plurality of alternative capabilities for processing work units and including a centralized planning and scheduling function, the method comprising:

selecting not less than one work unit to be planned by the centralized planning and scheduling function in the production of at least one job, wherein said job includes not less than one work unit and not less than one priority, and wherein said centralized planning and scheduling function has knowledge of module capabilities and of all planning and scheduling decisions;

determining capabilities necessary for executing said work unit;

determining whether sufficient module capabilities are available for executing said work unit and resolving resource contention prior to job production;

repeating selecting not less than one work unit to be planned, determining capabilities necessary for executing said work unit, and determining whether sufficient module capabilities are available for executing said work unit until all work units have been planned; and

removing temporarily from consideration any work unit of a job for which sufficient module capabilities for executing said job are not available.

13. The method for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable computer controlled production system having a plurality of modules according to claim 12, wherein determining capabilities necessary for executing said work unit comprises identifying capabilities necessary to produce said work unit.

14. The method for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable computer controlled production system having a plurality of modules according to claim 12, wherein determining capabilities necessary for executing said work unit comprises identifying capabilities necessary to repair said work unit.

15. The method for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable computer controlled production system having a plurality of modules according to claim 12, wherein determining capabilities necessary for executing said work unit comprises identifying capabilities necessary to purge and reproduce said work unit.

16. The method for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable computer controlled production system having a plurality of modules according to claim 12, wherein each of said capabilities is assigned a cost.

17. The method for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable computer controlled production system having a plurality of modules according to claim 12, further comprising:

selecting capabilities to be scheduled;

reserving exit resources for planned capabilities with the same jobs; and

solving for timing and selection variables of planned capabilities.

18. The method for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable computer controlled production system having a plurality of modules according to claim 17, wherein solving for timing and selection variables of planned capabilities further comprises optimizing for cost.

19. The method for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable computer controlled production system having a plurality of modules according to claim 12, wherein determining capabilities necessary for executing said work unit further comprises limiting the module capabilities compared to a pre-identified subset of module capabilities.

20. The method for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable computer controlled production system having a plurality of modules according to claim 12, wherein said work unit comprises not less than one new work unit.

21. The method for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable computer controlled production system having a plurality of modules according to claim 12, wherein said work unit comprises not less than one in-process work unit.

22. The method for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable computer controlled production system having a plurality of modules according to claim 12, further comprising:

posting tuning constraints modified by selection variables;

posting constraints on selection variables and common modules;

posting real-time constraints and order constraints; and

posting cost values for all selected capabilities.

23. An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium which, when said program code is executed by said computer causes said computer to perform method steps for configuration-specific reprioritization of jobs in a reconfigurable computer controlled production system having a plurality of modules with a plurality of alternative capabilities for processing work units and including a centralized planning and scheduling function, the method comprising:

selecting not less than one work unit to be planned by the centralized planning and scheduling function in the production of at least one job, wherein said job includes not less than one work unit and not less than one priority, and wherein said centralized planning and scheduling function has knowledge of module capabilities and of all planning and scheduling decisions;

determining capabilities necessary for executing said work unit;

determining whether sufficient module capabilities are available for executing said work unit and resolving resource contention prior to job production;

repeating selecting not less than one work unit to be planned, determining capabilities necessary for executing said work unit, and determining whether sufficient module capabilities are available for executing said work unit until all work units have been planned; and

removing temporarily from consideration any work unit of a job for which sufficient module capabilities for executing said job are not available.