Priority rule search technique for resource constrained project scheduling

Abstract

A Priority Rule Search Technique (PRST) heuristic computer controlled algorithm is disclosed that schedules single project, single resource and multiple project, multiple resource constrained project scheduling problems. Primary areas of utility include construction, manufacturing and research and development projects. The invention can schedule tasks/activities for large scale, multiple resource and multiple project networks that have different network and resource constraint characteristics while providing balance among different project network characteristics in order to provide an effective solution for a variety of network types. The novel PRST algorithm combines four heuristic rules (ACTM, LFT, MGRD and MACTRES) to determine a priority value for each job task/activity. The priority values are ranked to determine an optimum schedule of all job tasks and activities to complete the entire project. The invention incorporates the time (ACTM and LFT) and resource (MGRD and MACTRES) characteristics of project activities into a priority rule based search heuristic to determine an activity's priority for scheduling. The PRST scheduling invention is composed of four priority rules that are individually weighted and combined. The first two priority rules are ACTIM and Late Finish Time (LFT) heuristics. The second two priority rules allow for the allocating of limited resources to activities that cannot be scheduled concurrently. One of these priority rules designated Multiple Greatest Resource Demand (MGRD) modifies a Greatest Resource Demand heuristic to accommodate a multiple resource case. MGRD is scaled measure of the resource demanded for each activity. The second priority rule is designated Multiple ACTRESS (MACTRES) which modifies a ACTRES heuristic to accommodate the multiple resource case. MACTRES is a measure of the time and resources controlled by the activity through the network. Alternatively, the schedule of each of the job tasks/activities can be scheduled by ranking priority values based separately on MACTRES computations or MGRD calculations.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.