Systems and methods for simulating a resource constrained process

• US 9,141,936 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2011
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAS Institute Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SAS Institute Incorporated
• Inventors: Chen, Hong, Lada, Emily
• Primary Examiner(s): Saxena, Akash
• Application Number:
  US13/046,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20120035903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for simulation of a resource constrained process. Controlling entity definition data is received, wherein a controlling entity is configured to control resources using a control hierarchy. Resource definition data is received and populated into a resource data structure, wherein the resource is configured to control other resources using the control hierarchy. The resource constrained process is simulated, wherein simulating the resource constrained process includes propagating the controlling entity through the simulation of the resource constrained process, wherein the resource constrained process contains a plurality of stages, at a stage, associating a first resource with the controlling entity using the control hierarchy when the first resource is not allocated to another entity and the first resource fulfills the one or more resource rules, and generating simulation metrics as the controlling entity propagates through the simulation of the resource constrained process.

Claims

1. A computer program product for object-oriented event simulation of a resource-constrained process including a resource entity object and a controlling entity object comprising a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium that includes instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations including:

receiving a request for a resource entity object, wherein the request is associated with fulfilling a demand of a controlling entity for a resource, wherein the resource entity object is stored in a resource pool, and wherein the resource entity object includes one or more attributes corresponding to service providing capabilities of the resource;

executing a query to the resource pool using one or more resource rules that describe the demand;

determining that the resource entity object is configured to fulfill the demand, wherein the determination is made based upon the one or more attributes;

allocating the resource entity object to a controlling entity object to form an entity object hierarchy when the one or more attributes of the resource entity object fulfills the one or more resource rules that describe the demand;

scheduling an adjustment action of the resource entity object, wherein the adjustment action is associated with a change in a capacity attribute of the resource entity object or a change in an availability attribute of the resource entity object, and wherein adjustment actions include allocating the resource entity object to the controlling entity object or deallocating the resource entity object from the controlling entity object; and

using the resource entity object in accordance with the adjustment action.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations including:

disposing of the resource entity object.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations including:

returning the resource entity object to the resource pool.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations including:

generating simulation metrics.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the one or more resource rules relate to resource entity object attributes and controlling entity object attributes.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the one or more resource rules include Boolean rules.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations including:

placing the controlling entity object in a queue when the resource entity object is not configured to fulfill the one or more resource rules.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the adjustment action is scheduled according to a resource agenda.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations including:

identifying a task for the resource entity object that is a higher priority than the demand of the controlling entity object according to the adjustment action, wherein the adjustment action is associated with the task, and wherein the adjustment action is determined by a resource agenda;

deallocating the resource entity object from the controlling entity object and allocating the resource entity object to the task based on the higher priority, wherein deallocating the resource entity object;

placing the controlling entity object in a queue while the resource entity object performs the task; and

reallocating the resource entity object to the controlling entity object upon completion of the task.

10. A computer-implemented system for object-oriented event simulation of a resource-constrained process including a resource entity object and a controlling entity object, comprising:

one or more data processors; and

one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media containing instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including;

receiving a request for a resource entity object, wherein the request is associated with fulfilling a demand of a controlling entity for a resource, wherein the resource entity object is stored in a resource pool, and wherein the resource entity object includes one or more attributes corresponding to service providing capabilities of the resource;

executing a query to the resource pool using one or more resource rules that describe the demand;

determining that the resource entity object is configured to fulfill the demand, wherein the determination is made based upon the one or more attributes;

allocating the resource entity object to a controlling entity object to form an entity object hierarchy when the one or more attributes of the resource entity object fulfills the one or more resource rules that describe the demand;

scheduling an adjustment action of the resource entity object, wherein the adjustment action is associated with a change in a capacity attribute of the resource entity object or a change in an availability attribute of the resource entity object, and wherein adjustment actions include allocating the resource entity object to the controlling entity object or deallocating the resource entity object from the controlling entity object; and

using the resource entity object in accordance with the adjustment action.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

disposing of the resource entity object.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

returning the resource entity object to the resource pool.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

generating simulation metrics.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more resource rules relate to resource entity object attributes and controlling entity object attributes.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more resource rules include Boolean rules.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

placing the controlling entity object in a queue when the resource entity object is not configured to fulfill the one or more resource rules.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the adjustment action is scheduled according to a resource agenda.

18. The system of claim 10, further comprising instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

identifying a task for the resource entity object that is a higher priority than the demand of the controlling entity object according to the adjustment action, wherein the adjustment action is associated with the task, and wherein the adjustment action is determined by a resource agenda;

deallocating the resource entity object from the controlling entity object and allocating the resource entity object to the task based on the higher priority, wherein deallocating the resource entity object;

placing the controlling entity object in a queue while the resource entity object performs the task; and

reallocating the resource entity object to the controlling entity object upon completion of the task.

19. A computer-implemented method for object-oriented event simulation of a resource-constrained process including a resource entity object and a controlling entity object, the method comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, a request for a resource entity object, wherein the request is associated with fulfilling a demand of a controlling entity for a resource, wherein the resource entity object is stored in a resource pool, and wherein the resource entity object includes one or more attributes corresponding to service providing capabilities of the resource;

executing a query to the resource pool using one or more resource rules that describe the demand;

determining that the resource entity object is configured to fulfill the demand, wherein the determination is made based upon the one or more attributes;

allocating the resource entity object to a controlling entity object to form an entity hierarchy when the one or more attributes of the resource entity object fulfills the one or more resource rules that describe the demand;

scheduling an adjustment action for the resource entity object, wherein the adjustment action is associated with a change in a capacity attribute of the resource entity object or a change in an availability attribute of the resource entity object, and wherein adjustment actions include allocating the resource entity object to the controlling entity object or deallocating the resource entity object from the controlling entity object; and

using the resource entity object in accordance with the adjustment action.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

disposing of the resource entity object.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

returning the resource entity object to the resource pool.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

generating simulation metrics.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the one or more resource rules relate to resource entity object attributes and controlling entity object attributes.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the one or more resource rules include Boolean rules.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

placing the controlling entity object in a queue when the resource entity object is not configured to fulfill the one or more resource rules.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the adjustment action is scheduled according to a resource agenda.

27. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

identifying a task for the resource entity object that is a higher priority than the demand of the controlling entity object according to the adjustment action, wherein the adjustment action is associated with the task, and wherein the adjustment action is determined by a resource agenda;

deallocating the resource entity object from the controlling entity object and allocating the resource entity object to the task based on the higher priority, wherein deallocating the resource entity object;

placing the controlling entity object in a queue while the resource entity object performs the task; and

reallocating the resource entity object to the controlling entity object upon completion of the task.