Multiple project scheduling system
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for scheduling a project, comprising the steps of:
- i) determining resources required to perform the project and an amount of time to be allocated to each resource;
ii) calculating, in a computer, a first flow time value for completing the project when there are no inter-project constraints on the resources;
iii) defining a flow expansion coefficient value for the project;
iv) designating a proposed start time for the project;
v) calculating, in the computer, a second flow time value for completing the project from said proposed start time, in accordance with existing inter-project constraints on the resources;
vi) determining, in the computer, whether said second flow time is greater than the product of said first flow time and said coefficient value;
vii) determining a new proposed start time if said second flow time is greater than said product;
viii) iteratively repeating steps v–
vii until said second flow time is less than or equal to said product; and
ix) setting the start time for the project in accordance with the proposed start time designated during the final iteration of steps v–
vii.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for determining where in time to schedule a project in a computerized system for scheduling multiple projects operates in conjunction with a database composed of schedules for individual projects with resources assigned to some tasks. A user specifies the resources to be used for a new project, the loading caused by projects whose dates are already determined, the earliest possible start times for the new project, and the maximum amount of expansion in flow time (start to finish time) allowed for the new project, with considering inter-project resource contention. The new project is delayed only long enough to allow contention for the selected resources to be resolved, while not violating the flow time expansion restriction.
77 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for scheduling a project, comprising the steps of:
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i) determining resources required to perform the project and an amount of time to be allocated to each resource; ii) calculating, in a computer, a first flow time value for completing the project when there are no inter-project constraints on the resources; iii) defining a flow expansion coefficient value for the project; iv) designating a proposed start time for the project; v) calculating, in the computer, a second flow time value for completing the project from said proposed start time, in accordance with existing inter-project constraints on the resources; vi) determining, in the computer, whether said second flow time is greater than the product of said first flow time and said coefficient value; vii) determining a new proposed start time if said second flow time is greater than said product; viii) iteratively repeating steps v–
vii until said second flow time is less than or equal to said product; andix) setting the start time for the project in accordance with the proposed start time designated during the final iteration of steps v–
vii. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for determining the start time of a project in a multiple project environment, comprising:
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means for storing an amount of time to be allocated to each resource required to perform the project; means for receiving a user-defined flow expansion coefficient value; means for calculating whether the product of said flow expansion coefficient value and a first flow time for completing the project in the absence of inter-project constraints on the resources is greater than a second flow time for completing the project when existing inter-project constraints on the resources are considered, for a given start time; and means for designating a different start time if said product is not greater than or equal to said second flow time. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer-readable medium containing a program for determining the start time of a project in a multiple project environment, that causes a computer to execute the following steps:
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calculating whether the product of a user-defined flow expansion coefficient value and a first flow time for completing the project in the absence of inter-project constraints on resources required to perform the project is greater than a second flow time for completing the project when existing inter-project constraints on the resources are considered, for a given start time; and calculating a different start time if said product is not greater than or equal to said second flow time. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification