Patent US4447263A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6973359B2
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Demand-driven scheduling system and method
Assignee: Synchrono Inc
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Filing: 2002-09-19
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Granted: 2005-12-06
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Expires: 2022-09-19
Abstract
Abstract A process is scheduled based on one or more tasks identified as control tasks from a set of tasks comprising part of a job. A desired work-in-progress load time level is set for each of the identified control tasks, and a time load on each of the identified control tasks is determined for each new job, each new job comprising one or more tasks. New jobs are released based on the desired work-in-progress load time level for one or more control tasks to approximately maintain the set desired work-in-progress load time level.
Inventors
- 👤 John Holtan
- 👤 Michael Kilen
- 👤 John Maher
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 17:37
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/418; G05B19/41865; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/30; G05B2219/32; G05B2219/32239; G05B2219/32293; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P90/00; Y02P90/02; Y02P90/80
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 52
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of scheduling a process, comprising: identifying one or more control tasks from a set of tasks comprising part of a job; setting a desired work-in-progress load time level for each of the identified control tasks; determining a time load on each of the identified control tasks for each new job, each new job comprising one or more tasks; and releasing new jobs based on the desired work-in-progress load time level for one or more control tasks to approximately maintain the set desired work-in-progress load time level.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of scheduling a process, comprising: identifying one or more control tasks from a set of tasks comprising part of a job; setting a desired work-in-progress load time level for each of the identified control tasks; determining a time load on each of the identified control tasks for each new job, each new job comprising one or more tasks; and releasing new jobs based on the desired work-in-progress load time level for one or more control tasks to approximately maintain the set desired work-in-progress load time level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein control tasks comprise tasks in a manufacturing process.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein control tasks comprise tasks identified as potential bottleneck tasks.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein setting a desired work-in-progress load time level comprises setting a desired work in progress load time level including all work in progress through all stages of work prior to the identified control task or tasks.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein releasing each new job based on the desired work-in-progress load time level comprises releasing each new job when there is sufficient capacity for one or more control tasks to add the new job to work-in-progress while remaining under the desired work-in-progress load time level for the one or more control tasks.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein releasing each new job based on the desired work-in-progress load time level comprises releasing a new job only when work-in-progress load time is under the set desired level.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein job tasks are dispatched based on assigned job priority levels.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein the job priority level is based on the job's time in process.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein the job priority level is based on the job's desired time of completion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein new jobs are released only when only when sufficient inventory is available.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising scheduling each new job based on the desired work in progress load time level for one or more control tasks to approximately maintain the set desired work in progress load time level.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
73 words
A method of scheduling a process, comprising: identifying one or more control resources; setting a desired work-in-progress load time level for each of the identified control resources; determining a resource load time on each of the identified control resources for each new job; and releasing new jobs based on the desired work-in-progress resource load time level for one or more control resources to approximately maintain the set desired work-in-progress resource load time level.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
73 words
A method of scheduling a process, comprising: identifying one or more control resources; setting a desired work-in-progress load time level for each of the identified control resources; determining a resource load time on each of the identified control resources for each new job; and releasing new jobs based on the desired work-in-progress resource load time level for one or more control resources to approximately maintain the set desired work-in-progress resource load time level.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein control resources comprise resources in a manufacturing process.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein control resources comprise resources identified as potential bottleneck resources.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein setting a desired work-in-progress load time level comprises setting a desired work in progress load time level including all work in progress through all stages of work prior to the one or more identified control resources.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein releasing each new job based on the desired work-in-progress load time level comprises releasing each new job when there is sufficient control resource capacity for one or more control resources to add the new job to work-in-progress while remaining under the desired work-in progress load time level for the one or more control resources.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein releasing each new job based on the desired work-in-progress load time level comprises releasing a new job only when work-in-progress load time is under the set desired level.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein jobs are dispatched to resources based on assigned job priority levels.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the job priority level is based on the job's time in process.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the job priority level is based on the job's desired time of completion.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein new jobs are released only when sufficient inventory is available.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 12 , further comprising scheduling each new job based on the desired work in progress load time level for one or more control resources to approximately maintain the set desired work in progress load time level.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
99 words
A machine-readable medium with instructions encoded thereon, the instructions when executed operable to cause a computerized system to: identify one or more control tasks from a set of tasks comprising part of a job; set a desired work-in-progress load time level for each of the identified control tasks; determine a time load on each of the identified control tasks for each new job each new job comprising one or more tasks; and release new jobs based on the desired work-in-progress load time level for one or more control tasks to approximately maintain the set desired work-ill-progress load time level.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
99 words
A machine-readable medium with instructions encoded thereon, the instructions when executed operable to cause a computerized system to: identify one or more control tasks from a set of tasks comprising part of a job; set a desired work-in-progress load time level for each of the identified control tasks; determine a time load on each of the identified control tasks for each new job each new job comprising one or more tasks; and release new jobs based on the desired work-in-progress load time level for one or more control tasks to approximately maintain the set desired work-ill-progress load time level.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein said control tasks comprise tasks in a manufacturing process.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
18 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein said control tasks comprise tasks identified as potential bottleneck tasks.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
43 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein setting a desired work-in-progress load time level comprises setting a desired work in progress load time level including all work in progress through all stages of work prior to the identified control task or tasks.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
59 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein releasing each new job based on the desired work-in-progress load time level comprises releasing each new job when there is sufficient capacity for one or more control tasks to add the new job to work-in-progress while remaining under the desired work-in-progress load time level for the one or more control tasks.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
36 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein releasing each new job based on the desired work-in-progress load time level comprises releasing a new job only when work-in-progress load time is under the set desired level.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
18 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein job tasks are dispatched based on assigned job priority levels.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
20 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein the job priority level is based on the job's time in process.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
21 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein the job priority level is based on the job's desired time of completion.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
18 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein new jobs are released only when sufficient inventory is available.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
48 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 23 , the instructions further operable to cause the computerized system to schedule each new job based on the desired work progress load time level for one or more control tasks to approximately maintain the set desired work in progress load time level.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
84 words
A machine-readable medium with instructions encoded thereon, the instructions when executed operable to cause a computerized system to: identify one or more control resources; set a desired work-in-progress load time level for each of the identified control resources; determine a resource load time on each of the identified control resources for each new jobs; and release new jobs based on the desired work-in-progress resource load time level for one or more control resources to approximately maintain the set desired work-in-progress resource load time level.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
84 words
A machine-readable medium with instructions encoded thereon, the instructions when executed operable to cause a computerized system to: identify one or more control resources; set a desired work-in-progress load time level for each of the identified control resources; determine a resource load time on each of the identified control resources for each new jobs; and release new jobs based on the desired work-in-progress resource load time level for one or more control resources to approximately maintain the set desired work-in-progress resource load time level.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
16 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 34 , wherein control resources comprise resources in a manufacturing process.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
17 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 34 , wherein control resources comprise resources identified as potential bottleneck resources.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
44 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 34 , wherein setting a desired work-in-progress load time level comprises setting a desired work in progress load time level including all work in progress through all stages of work prior to the one or more identified control resources.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
61 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 34 , wherein releasing each new job based on the desired work-in-progress load time level comprises releasing each new job when there is sufficient control resource capacity for one or more control resources to add the new job to work-in-progress while remaining under the desired work-in-progress load time level for the one or more control resources.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
36 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 34 , wherein releasing each new job based on the desired work-in-progress load time level comprises releasing a new job only when work-in-progress load time is under the set desired level.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
19 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 34 , wherein jobs are dispatched to resources based on assigned job priority levels.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
20 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 34 , wherein the job priority level is based on the job's time in process.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
21 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 34 , wherein the job priority level is based on the job's desired time of completion.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
20 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 34 , wherein new jobs are released only when only when sufficient inventory is available.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
51 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 34 , the instructions when executed further operable to cause the computerized system to schedule each new job based on the desired work in progress load time level for one or more control resources to approximately maintain the set desired work in progress load time level.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
95 words
An information handling system, the information handling system operable to schedule a process by: identifying one or more control tasks from a set of tasks comprising part of a job; setting a desired work-in-progress load time level for each of the identified control tasks; determining a time load on each of the identified control tasks for each new job, each new job comprising one or more tasks; and releasing new jobs based on the desired work-in-progress load time level for one or more control tasks to approximately maintain the set desired work-in-progress load time level.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
95 words
An information handling system, the information handling system operable to schedule a process by: identifying one or more control tasks from a set of tasks comprising part of a job; setting a desired work-in-progress load time level for each of the identified control tasks; determining a time load on each of the identified control tasks for each new job, each new job comprising one or more tasks; and releasing new jobs based on the desired work-in-progress load time level for one or more control tasks to approximately maintain the set desired work-in-progress load time level.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
80 words
An information handling system, the information handling system operable to schedule a process by: identifying one or more control resources; setting a desired work-in-progress load time level for each of the identified control resources; determining a resource load time on each of the identified control resources for each new job; and releasing new jobs based on the desired work-in-progress resource load time level for one or more control resources to approximately maintain the set desired work-in-progress resource load time level.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
80 words
An information handling system, the information handling system operable to schedule a process by: identifying one or more control resources; setting a desired work-in-progress load time level for each of the identified control resources; determining a resource load time on each of the identified control resources for each new job; and releasing new jobs based on the desired work-in-progress resource load time level for one or more control resources to approximately maintain the set desired work-in-progress resource load time level.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-12-05 | 2009-06-06 | 2009-12-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-12-05 | 2013-06-06 | 2013-12-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-12-05 | 2017-06-06 | 2017-12-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |