US 5,255,181 A · Method of planning organizational activities

Abstract

A method for translating complex process flow networks into plans or schedules for the manufacturing of products or the performance of other organizational activities is disclosed. The method maintains a time-valued list of existing commitments to resources. Allocations of these resources are made to lots during a simulation procedure which calculates a resulting plan's timing data. The method simulates higher priority lots before it simulates lower priority lots. A simulation evaluates the process flow description to obtain the relative order of consuming and releasing resources, resource attributes and related capabilities, initial minimum timing requests, and process control rules. The simulation uses the list to determine when resources may be used without impacting prior commitments of the resources. In addition, the simulation forces the allocations to conform to the process control rules. The resulting timing data is merged into the processing plan, and resource commitments are then made to the simulated resource. When lower priority lots are simulated, commitments have already been made to higher priority lots. Thus, the lower priority lots cannot receive resource allocations which impact the higher priority lots. However, the lower priority lots may receive allocations which occur prior to contending allocations to higher priority lots.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for allocating a multiplicity of organizational resources to a plurality of organizational lots to accomplish organizational goals, said method comprising the steps of:

forming a list which identifies time-valued commitments to future uses of said resources by a first portion of said lots;
identifying one of said lots not included within said first portion of said lots, said one lot having a demand for said resources which is defined by instructions presented in a process flow description associated with said one lot;
obtaining said process flow description;
simulating allocation of said resources to said lot in accordance with said demand and said process flow description instructions, said simulated allocations refraining from interfering with said commitments identified in said list;
and
modifying said list to reflect commitments to said one lot.

3 more elements

A method for translating a process flow network, which provides instructions for allocating organizational resources to organizational activities, into accomplished organizational goals, said method comprising the steps of:

associating a branch selection rule with a first decision node of said process flow network;
initiating a processing plan;
identifying first and second branch paths of said process flow network, each of said first and second branch paths being coupled to and positioned subsequent to said first node within said process flow network, and each of said first and second branch paths specifying changes in resource allocations;
simulating resource allocation changes in accordance said first and second branch paths to produce first and second subordinate processing plans, respectively;
applying said branch selection rule to said first and second subordinate processing plans to select one of said first and second subordinate processing plans for use in accomplishing said organizational goals;
modifying said processing plan to include said selected subordinate processing plan therein;
and
realizing said organizational activities generally in accordance with said processing plan.

5 more elements

A method for allocating a commonly used organizational resource to two competing organizational lots to accomplish organizational goals, said method comprising the steps of:

forming a list which identifies time-valued commitments to future uses of said resource;
identifying a first one of said lots and a first process flow description which provides a first set of instructions for utilizing said resource in connection with said first lot;
modifying said list to indicate a commitment to future usage of said resource by said first lot;
identifying a second one of said lots and a second process flow description, said second lot having a lower priority associated therewith than said first lot, and said second process flow description providing instructions for utilizing said resource in connection with said second lot;
modifying said list to indicate a commitment to future usage of said resource by said second lot, said second lot commitment being compatible with existing commitments identified by said list;
and
realizing said first and second lots generally in accordance with said commitments recorded in said list.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of planning organizational activities

Life of this patent

Method of planning organizational activities

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18