Method and system for routing mobile vehicles and scheduling maintenance for those vehicles related application

A method for routing and scheduling maintenance for aircraft, comprising:

• receiving information describing a possible flight of an aircraft and a possible maintenance schedule of the aircraft;
• generating a set of aircraft routing proposals and maintenance scheduling proposals based on the received information;
• inputting the proposals into an optimization-based model;
• and
• producing a flight assignment plan and maintenance scheduling plan by solving the optimization-based model.

An apparatus for routing and scheduling maintenance for aircraft, comprising:

• means for receiving information describing a possible flight of an aircraft and a possible maintenance schedule of the aircraft;
• means for generating a set of aircraft routing proposals and maintenance scheduling proposals based on the received information;
• means for inputting the proposals into an optimization-based model;
• and
• means for producing a flight assignment plan and maintenance scheduling plan by solving the optimization-based model.

A method for routing and scheduling maintenance for aircraft, comprising:

• generating an aircraft routing proposal based on information describing a possible flight of an aircraft;
• generating a maintenance scheduling proposal that corresponds to the aircraft based on information describing a possible maintenance schedule of the aircraft;
• determining a proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment based on the aircraft routing proposal and maintenance scheduling proposal;
• and
• producing a flight assignment plan and maintenance scheduling plan using the proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment when the proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment meet a decision criterion describing requirements for aircraft routing and maintenance scheduling.

22 An apparatus for routing and scheduling maintenance for aircraft, comprising:

• means for generating an aircraft routing proposal based on information describing a possible flight of an aircraft;
• means for generating a maintenance scheduling proposal that corresponds to the aircraft based on information describing a possible maintenance schedule of the aircraft;
• means for determining a proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment based on the aircraft routing proposal and maintenance scheduling proposal;
• means for determining whether the proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment meet a decision criterion describing requirements for aircraft routing and maintenance scheduling;
• means for optimizing, based on a determination that the decision criterion is not met, the proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment so that the decision criterion is met;
• and
• means for generating a flight assignment plan and maintenance scheduling plan using the proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance schedule that met the decision criterion.

The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for optimizing comprises:

• means for producing refinement information;
• means for generating an additional aircraft routing proposal and an additional maintenance scheduling proposal;
• means for determining a revised flight assignment and a revised maintenance scheduling assignment based on the additional aircraft routing proposal and additional maintenance scheduling proposal;
• and
• means for deciding whether the revised flight assignment and revised maintenance scheduling assignment meet the decision criterion.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for performing a method for routing and scheduling maintenance for aircraft, the method comprising:

• generating an aircraft routing proposal based on information describing a possible flight of an aircraft;
• generating a maintenance scheduling proposal that corresponds to the aircraft based on information describing a possible maintenance schedule of the aircraft;
• determining a proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment based on the aircraft routing proposal and maintenance scheduling proposal;
• determining whether the proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment meet a decision criterion describing requirements for aircraft routing and maintenance scheduling;
• optimizing, based on a determination that the decision criterion is not met, the proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment so that the decision criterion is met;
• and
• generating a flight assignment plan and maintenance scheduling plan using the proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance schedule that met the decision criterion.

An apparatus for performing a method for routing and scheduling maintenance for aircraft, comprising:

• a memory having a program that:
• generates an aircraft routing proposal based on information describing a possible flight of an aircraft;
• generates a maintenance scheduling proposal that corresponds to the aircraft based on information describing a possible maintenance schedule of the aircraft;
• determines a proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment based on the aircraft routing proposal and maintenance scheduling proposal;
• determines whether the proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment meet a decision criterion describing requirements for aircraft routing and maintenance scheduling;
• optimizes, based on a determination that the decision criterion is not met, the proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment so that the decision criterion is met;
• and generates a flight assignment plan and maintenance scheduling plan using the proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance schedule that met the decision criterion;
• and
• a processor that runs the program.

An apparatus for routing and scheduling maintenance for aircraft, comprising:

• means for generating an aircraft routing proposal based on information describing a possible flight of an aircraft;
• means for generating a maintenance scheduling proposal that corresponds to the aircraft based on information describing a possible maintenance schedule of the aircraft;
• means for determining a proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment based on the aircraft routing proposal and maintenance scheduling proposal;
• and
• means for producing a flight assignment plan and maintenance scheduling plan using the proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment when the proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment meet a decision criterion describing requirements for aircraft routing and maintenance scheduling.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for performing a method for routing and scheduling maintenance for aircraft, the method comprising:

• receiving information describing a possible flight of an aircraft and a possible maintenance schedule of the aircraft;
• generating a set of aircraft routing proposals and maintenance scheduling proposals based on the received information;
• inputting the proposals into an optimization-based model;
• and
• producing a flight assignment plan and maintenance scheduling plan by solving the optimization-based model.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for performing a method for routing and scheduling maintenance for aircraft, the method comprising:

• generating an aircraft routing proposal based on information describing a possible flight of an aircraft;
• generating a maintenance scheduling proposal that corresponds to the aircraft based on information describing a possible maintenance schedule of the aircraft;
• determining a proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment based on the aircraft routing proposal and maintenance scheduling proposal;
• and
• producing a flight assignment plan and maintenance scheduling plan using the proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment when the proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment meet a decision criterion describing requirements for aircraft routing and maintenance scheduling.

An apparatus for routing and scheduling maintenance for aircraft, comprising:

• a memory having a program that:
• receives information describing a possible flight of an aircraft and a possible maintenance schedule of the aircraft, generates a set of aircraft routing proposals and maintenance scheduling proposals based on the received information, inputs the proposals into an optimization-based model, and produces a flight assignment plan and maintenance scheduling plan by solving the optimization-based model;
• and
• a processor that runs the program.

An apparatus for routing and scheduling maintenance for aircraft, comprising:

• a memory having a program that:
• generates an aircraft routing proposal based on information describing a possible flight of an aircraft, generates a maintenance scheduling proposal that corresponds to the aircraft based on information describing a possible maintenance schedule of the aircraft, determines a proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment based on the aircraft routing proposal and maintenance scheduling proposal, and produces a flight assignment plan and maintenance scheduling plan using the proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment when the proposed flight assignment and proposed maintenance scheduling assignment meet a decision criterion describing requirements for aircraft routing and maintenance scheduling;
• and
• a processor that runs the program.