Planning and scheduling reconfigurable systems with alternative capabilities
First Claim
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1. A computer controlled system for planning and scheduling the work flow, received in the form of work units, for reconfigurable production systems having a plurality of modules with a plurality of alternative capabilities, the system comprising:
- a system controller for integrating resource constraints and time constraints to identify optimal work flow schedules, wherein said controller receives descriptions of at least one work unit with its desired attributes, capability models from each of the plurality of modules, and the current state of the system, including operations currently being performed by the modules and capabilities previously planned and scheduled, wherein said capability models include timing constraints, feature constraints, and commands, wherein said timing constraints include the duration of execution of a capability, the time during which a module is occupied, or the reservation of a module, wherein said feature constraints include limits on the size of the work units being processed and transformation of the work units, and wherein said commands include the names or identifications of the operations corresponding to the capabilities, together with timing information;
at least one planning function, wherein said planning function uses said capability models to determine how to produce the said desired attributes of the work units; and
at least one scheduling function, wherein said scheduling function utilizes global optimization to schedule selected capabilities and provide a set of scheduled capabilities in the form of commands to the plurality of modules.
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Abstract
A system is provided to allow automated planning and scheduling of the work flow for reconfigurable production systems having a plurality of modules, with each module having alternative capabilities. The system includes a system controller, at least one planning function, and at least one scheduling function.
28 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A computer controlled system for planning and scheduling the work flow, received in the form of work units, for reconfigurable production systems having a plurality of modules with a plurality of alternative capabilities, the system comprising:
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a system controller for integrating resource constraints and time constraints to identify optimal work flow schedules, wherein said controller receives descriptions of at least one work unit with its desired attributes, capability models from each of the plurality of modules, and the current state of the system, including operations currently being performed by the modules and capabilities previously planned and scheduled, wherein said capability models include timing constraints, feature constraints, and commands, wherein said timing constraints include the duration of execution of a capability, the time during which a module is occupied, or the reservation of a module, wherein said feature constraints include limits on the size of the work units being processed and transformation of the work units, and wherein said commands include the names or identifications of the operations corresponding to the capabilities, together with timing information; at least one planning function, wherein said planning function uses said capability models to determine how to produce the said desired attributes of the work units; and at least one scheduling function, wherein said scheduling function utilizes global optimization to schedule selected capabilities and provide a set of scheduled capabilities in the form of commands to the plurality of modules. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for planning and scheduling the work flow for reconfigurable production systems having a plurality of modules and including a system controller, comprising:
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utilizing the system controller to integrate resource constraints and time constraints to identify optimal work flow schedules, wherein said controller receives descriptions of at least one work unit with its desired attributes, capability models from each of the plurality of modules, and the current state of the system, including operations currently being performed by the modules and capabilities previously planned and scheduled, wherein said capability models include timing constraints, feature constraints, and commands, wherein said timing constraints include the duration of execution of a capability, the time during which a module is occupied, or the reservation of a module, wherein said feature constraints include limits on the size of the work units being processed and transformation of the work units, and wherein said commands include the names or identifications of the operations corresponding to the capabilities, together with timing information; planning the work flow for at least one reconfigurable production system, wherein said planning utilizes said capability models to determine how to produce the said desired attributes of the work units; and scheduling the work flow for the plurality of modules in the reconfigurable production system, wherein said scheduling utilizes global optimization to schedule selected capabilities and provide a set of scheduled capabilities in the form of commands to the plurality of modules. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. 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 a computer causes said computer to perform method steps for planning and scheduling reconfigurable systems having a plurality of modules, said method comprising:
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utilizing the system controller for integrating resource constraints and time constraints to identify optimal work flow schedules, wherein said controller receives descriptions of at least one work unit with its desired attributes, capability models from each of the plurality of modules, and the current state of the system, including operations currently being performed by the modules and capabilities previously planned and scheduled, wherein said capability models include timing constraints, feature constraints, and commands, wherein said timing constraints include the duration of execution of a capability, the time during which a module is occupied, or the reservation of a module, wherein said feature constraints include limits on the size of the work units being processed and transformation of the work units, and wherein said commands include the names or identifications of the operations corresponding to the capabilities, together with timing information; planning the work flow for at least one reconfigurable production system, wherein said planning utilizes said capability models to determine how to produce the said desired attributes of the work units; and scheduling the work flow for the plurality of modules in the reconfigurable production system, wherein said scheduling utilizes global optimization to schedule selected capabilities and provide a set of scheduled capabilities in the form of commands to the plurality of modules. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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Specification
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Current AssigneeXerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
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Original AssigneePalo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
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InventorsFromherz, Markus P. J.
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Primary Examiner(s)Poon; King Y.
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Assistant Examiner(s)Lett; Thomas J.
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Application NumberUS10/284,561Publication NumberTime in Patent Office1,686 DaysField of Search358/1.13, 358/1.15, 703/22, 703/16, 703/19, 703/27, 340/853.2, 700/100, 700/103, 700/96, 700/6US Class Current358/1.16CPC Class CodesG06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human...Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g....
