Transportation scheduling system
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of generating a schedule for a transportation operation, comprising:
- a) providing one or more lists of available resources and an ordered list of a plurality of demands for transportation between a plurality of origins and a plurality of destinations in a memory of a computer, each demand being associated with an origin, a destination and a departure time;
b) using a processor of the computer to set a schedule fragment to satisfy one of the demands in the ordered list, the step of setting the schedule fragment including assigning a resource from the one or more lists of available resources by;
(i) selecting a resource from the one or more lists of available resources and determining whether the selected resource will be available at the departure time associated with the demand;
(ii) evaluating a result function associated with assignment of the selected resource to satisfy the demand, such evaluation including, based on a determination that the selected resource is not available at the departure time associated with the demand, modifying the departure time associated with the demand so that the selected resource is available at the modified departure time, and evaluating an effect of the modified departure time on the result function, the step of evaluating an effect of the modified departure time including evaluating load for the demand as a function of departure time;
(iii) repeating steps (i)-(ii) for a plurality of resources; and
(iv) assigning to the demand that resource which yields a minimum value or a maximum value of the result function of the resources selected in steps (i)-(iii), andc) using the processor of the computer to modify the one or more lists of available resources in the memory to indicate a revised state based on the assignment of resources in step (b); and
d) using the processor of the computer to repeat steps (b) and (c) so that steps (b) and (c) are performed for the plurality of demands according to the order of the demands in the list and so that step (b) for each demand is performed using the state resulting from step (c) for the immediately previous demand.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods for scheduling a transportation operation such as the operation of an airline. The method desirably selects a demand (100) for transportation specifying an origin, destination, and time of arrival or departure, and selects resources from a database of available resources such as aircraft (508), crew, and departure gates. The resource selection desirably is conducted so as to optimize a result function such as contribution to margin or other financial result from the particular operation specified in the demand. Upon developing a schedule fragment (108), the specified resources are committed, and the database of available resources is modified (110) to indicate that the resources are no longer available at the relevant times. The system then treats another demand and repeats the process so as to develop a full schedule. The system can develop a feasible schedule, even for a complex transportation operation in a brief time, typically in minutes or less. Schedules can be developed using alternative strategies and assumptions, and tested against one another.
58 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of generating a schedule for a transportation operation, comprising:
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a) providing one or more lists of available resources and an ordered list of a plurality of demands for transportation between a plurality of origins and a plurality of destinations in a memory of a computer, each demand being associated with an origin, a destination and a departure time; b) using a processor of the computer to set a schedule fragment to satisfy one of the demands in the ordered list, the step of setting the schedule fragment including assigning a resource from the one or more lists of available resources by; (i) selecting a resource from the one or more lists of available resources and determining whether the selected resource will be available at the departure time associated with the demand; (ii) evaluating a result function associated with assignment of the selected resource to satisfy the demand, such evaluation including, based on a determination that the selected resource is not available at the departure time associated with the demand, modifying the departure time associated with the demand so that the selected resource is available at the modified departure time, and evaluating an effect of the modified departure time on the result function, the step of evaluating an effect of the modified departure time including evaluating load for the demand as a function of departure time; (iii) repeating steps (i)-(ii) for a plurality of resources; and (iv) assigning to the demand that resource which yields a minimum value or a maximum value of the result function of the resources selected in steps (i)-(iii), and c) using the processor of the computer to modify the one or more lists of available resources in the memory to indicate a revised state based on the assignment of resources in step (b); and d) using the processor of the computer to repeat steps (b) and (c) so that steps (b) and (c) are performed for the plurality of demands according to the order of the demands in the list and so that step (b) for each demand is performed using the state resulting from step (c) for the immediately previous demand. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A computer-implemented method of generating a schedule for a transportation operation, comprising:
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a) providing in a memory of a computer a list of a plurality of demands for transportation between a plurality of origins and a plurality of destinations, each demand being associated with an origin, a destination and a departure time, and a list of resources including a plurality of vehicles and information specifying location of each vehicle versus time; b) using a processor of the computer to select a vehicle from the vehicles identified in the list of resources; c) using the processor of the computer to set a schedule fragment, the step of setting a schedule fragment including assigning the selected vehicle to a demand by; (i) selecting a demand from the list of demands and determining whether the selected vehicle will be available at the departure time associated with the demand; (ii) evaluating a result function associated with assignment of the selected vehicle to satisfy the demand, such evaluation including, based on a determination that the selected vehicle is not available at the departure time associated with the selected demand, modifying the departure time associated with the demand so that the selected resource is available at the modified departure time, and evaluating an effect of the modified departure time on the result function, the step of evaluating an effect of the modified departure time including evaluating load for the demand as a function of departure time; (iii) repeating steps (i)-(ii) for a plurality of demands; and (iv) assigning the selected vehicle to the demand which yields a minimum value or a maximum value of the result function of the demands selected in steps (i)-(iii), and d) using a processor of the computer to modify the list of resources and list of demands in the memory to indicate a revised state based on the use of vehicles and demands in step (c); and e) using a processor of the computer to repeat steps (b) through (d) so that steps (b) through (d) are performed for the plurality of demands and so that step (c) for each repetition is performed using the state resulting from step (d) for the immediately previous repetition. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A scheduling system for a transportation operation, comprising:
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a) at least one input node operable to receive input information at least partially defining services to be provided in the transportation operation; b) a computer connected to the at least one input node so that input information received by the input node will be supplied to the computer, the computer being operable in response to the input information to; (1) maintain one or more lists of available resources and an ordered list of a plurality of demands for transportation between a plurality of origins and a plurality of destinations, each demand specifying a particular origin, a particular destination and a time for departure from the particular origin; (2) set a schedule fragment to satisfy one of the demands in the ordered list, the step of setting the schedule fragment including assigning a resource from the one or more lists of available resources, by; (i) selecting a resource from the one or more lists of available resources and determining whether the selected resource will be available at the departure time associated with the demand; (ii) evaluating a result function associated with assignment of the selected resource to satisfy the demand, such evaluation including, based on a determination that the selected resource is not available at the departure time associated with the demand, modifying the departure time associated with the demand so that the selected resource is available at the modified departure time, and evaluating an effect of the modified departure time on the result function, the step of evaluating an effect of the modified departure time including evaluating load for the demand as a function of departure time; and (iii) repeating steps (i)-(ii) for a plurality of resources; and (iv) assigning to the demand that resource which yields the best value of the result function of the resources selected in steps (i)-(iii); (3) modify the one or more lists of available resources to indicate a revised state based on the use of resources in step (2); and (4) repeating steps (2) and (3) so that steps (2) and (3) are performed for the plurality of demands according to the order of the demands in the list and so that step (2) for each demand is performed using the state resulting from step (3) for the immediately previous demand; and c) at least one output node connected to the computer so that output information representing at least some of the resources assigned to schedule fragments will be supplied to the at least one output node. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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42. A scheduling system for a transportation operation, comprising:
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a) at least one input node operable to receive input information at least partially defining services to be provided in the transportation operation; b) a computer connected to the at least one input node so that input information received by the input node will be supplied to the computer, the computer being operable in response to the input information to; (1) maintain a list of a plurality of demands for transportation between a plurality of origins and a plurality of destinations, each demand being associated with an origin, a destination and a departure time and one or more lists of resources including a plurality of vehicles and information specifying location of each vehicle versus time; (2) select a vehicle from the one or more vehicles identified in the list of vehicles; (3) set a schedule fragment by assigning the selected vehicle to one of the demands from the list, the step of assigning the selected vehicle including; (i) selecting a demand from the list of demands and determining whether the selected vehicle will be available at the departure time associated with the demand; (ii) evaluating a result function associated with assignment of the selected vehicle to satisfy the demand, such evaluation including, based on a determination that the selected vehicle is not available at the departure time associated with the selected demand, modifying the departure time associated with the demand so that the selected resource is available at the modified departure time, and evaluating an effect of the modified departure time on the result function, the step of evaluating an effect of the modified departure time including evaluating load for the demand as a function of departure time; (iii) repeating steps (i)(ii) for a plurality of demands; and (iv) assigning the selected vehicle to the demand which yields the best value of the result function of the demands selected in steps (i)-(iii); (4) modify the one or more lists of vehicles and list of demands to indicate a revised state based on the use of vehicles and demands in step (3); and (5) repeat steps (2) through (4) so that steps (2) through (4) are performed for the plurality of demands and so that step (3) for each repetition is performed using the state resulting from step (4) for the immediately previous repetition. - View Dependent Claims (43)
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44. A transportation system comprising:
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a) a plurality of vehicles; b) a plurality of terminal locations; c) at least one input node operable to receive input information at least partially defining services to be provided in the transportation operation; d) a computer connected to the at least one input node so that input information received by the input node will be supplied to the computer, the computer being operable in response to the input information to perform either; A. a method including steps
1) through
4) of;1) providing one or more lists of available vehicles and an ordered list of a plurality of demands for transportation between a plurality of origins and a plurality of destinations in a memory of the computer, each demand being associated with an origin, a destination and a departure time; using a processor of the computer to; 2) set a schedule fragment to satisfy one of the demands in the ordered list, the step of setting the schedule fragment including assigning a vehicle from the one or more lists of available resources by; (i) selecting a vehicle from the one or more lists of available vehicles and determining whether the selected vehicle will be available at the departure time associated with the demand; (ii) evaluating a result function associated with assignment of the selected vehicle to satisfy the demand, such evaluation including, based on a determination that the selected vehicle is not available at the departure time associated with the demand, modifying the departure time associated with the demand so that the selected vehicle is available at the modified departure time, and evaluating an effect of the modified departure time on the result function, the step of evaluating an effect of the modified departure time including evaluating load for the demand as a function of departure time; and (iii) repeating steps (i)-(ii) for a plurality of vehicles; and (iv) assigning to the demand that vehicle which yields the best value of the result function of the vehicles selected in steps (i)-(iii), and 3) modifying the one or more lists of available vehicles in the memory to indicate a revised state based on the assignment of vehicles in step (2); and 4) repeating steps (2) and (3) so that steps (2) and (3) are performed for the plurality of demands according to the order of the demands in the list and so that step (2) for each demand is performed using the state resulting from step (3) for the immediately previous demand;
orB. a method including steps
5) through
9) of;5) providing in a memory of the computer a list of a plurality of demands for transportation between a plurality of origins and a plurality of destinations, each demand being associated with an origin, a destination and a departure time, and a list of vehicles and information specifying location of each vehicle versus time; using a processor of the computer to; 6) select a vehicle from the vehicles identified in the list of vehicles; 7) set a schedule fragment, the step of setting a schedule fragment including assigning the selected vehicle to a demand by; (v) selecting a demand from the list of demands and determining whether the selected vehicle will be available at the departure time associated with the demand; (vi) evaluating a result function associated with assignment of the selected vehicle to satisfy the demand, such evaluation including, based on a determination that the selected vehicle is not available at the departure time associated with the selected demand, modifying the departure time associated with the demand so that the selected vehicle is available at the modified departure time, and evaluating an effect of the modified departure time on the result function, the step of evaluating an effect of the modified departure time including evaluating load for the demand as a function of departure time; (vii) repeating steps (v)-(vi) for a plurality of demands; and (viii) assigning the selected vehicle to the demand which yields the best value of the result function of the demands selected in steps (v)-(vii), and 8) modifying the list of vehicles and list of demands to indicate a revised state based on the use of vehicles and demands in step (7); and 9) repeating steps (6) through (8) so that steps (6) through (8) are performed for the plurality of demands and so that step (7) for each repetition is performed using the state resulting from step (8) for the immediately previous repetition; and e) at least one output node disposed at one or more of the terminal locations and connected to the computer so that output information representing vehicles assigned to schedule fragments by the process will be supplied to the at least one output node. - View Dependent Claims (45)
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46. A computer-readable storage medium having a program stored thereon, the program being operative to cause a computer to perform either:
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A. a method including steps
1) through
4) of;1) providing one or more lists of available vehicles and an ordered list of a plurality of demands for transportation between a plurality of origins and a plurality of destinations in a memory of the computer, each demand being associated with an origin, a destination and a departure time; using a processor of the computer to; 2) set a schedule fragment to satisfy one of the demands in the ordered list, the step of setting the schedule fragment including assigning a vehicle from the one or more lists of available vehicles by; (i) selecting a vehicle from the one or more lists of available vehicles and determining whether the selected vehicle will be available at the departure time associated with the demand; (ii) evaluating a result function associated with assignment of the selected vehicle to satisfy the demand, such evaluation including, based on a determination that the selected vehicle is not available at the departure time associated with the demand, modifying the departure time associated with the demand so that the selected vehicle is available at the modified departure time, and evaluating an effect of the modified departure time on the result function, the step of evaluating an effect of the modified departure time including evaluating load for the demand as a function of departure time; and (iii) repeating steps (i)-(ii) for a plurality of vehicles; and (iv) assigning to the demand that vehicle which yields the best value of the result function of the vehicles selected in steps (i)-(iii), and 3) modifying the one or more lists of available vehicles in the memory to indicate a revised state based on the assignment of vehicles in step (2); and 4) repeating steps (2) and (3) so that steps (2) and (3) are performed for the plurality of demands according to the order of the demands in the list and so that step (2) for each demand is performed using the state resulting from step (3) for the immediately previous demand;
orB. a method including steps
5) through
9) of;5) providing in a memory of the computer a list of a plurality of demands for transportation between a plurality of origins and a plurality of destinations, each demand being associated with an origin, a destination and a departure time, and a list of vehicles and information specifying location of each vehicle versus time; using a processor of the computer to; 6) select a vehicle from the vehicles identified in the list of vehicles; 7) set a schedule fragment, the step of setting a schedule fragment including assigning the selected vehicle to a demand by; (v) selecting a demand from the list of demands and determining whether the selected vehicle will be available at the departure time associated with the demand; (vi) evaluating a result function associated with assignment of the selected vehicle to satisfy the demand, such evaluation including, based on a determination that the selected vehicle is not available at the departure time associated with the selected demand, modifying the departure time associated with the demand so that the selected vehicle is available at the modified departure time, and evaluating an effect of the modified departure time on the result function, the step of evaluating an effect of the modified departure time including evaluating load for the demand as a function of departure time; (vii) repeating steps (v)-(vi) for a plurality of demands; and (viii) assigning the selected vehicle to the demand which yields the best value of the result function of the demands selected in steps (v)-(vii), and 8) modifying the list of vehicles and list of demands to indicate a revised state based on the use of vehicles and demands in step (7); and 9) repeating steps (6) through (8) so that steps (6) through (8) are performed for the plurality of demands and so that step (7) for each repetition is performed using the state resulting from step (8) for the immediately previous repetition.
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Specification