Toward a blackboard framework for opportunistic planning and dynamic scheduling in a modular job shop scheduling system

ABSTRACT

This paper addresses a proposed scheduling system architecture for developing job shop production schedules in a modular fashion. The blackboard architecture forms a base framework to which application-specific plug-in modules can be applied in a toolkit manner. The issues relating to the implementation of such a flexible architecture and the current status of the HORIZON Project are discussed.

REFERENCES

• 1: Corkill, Daniel D., Embexlable Problem Solving Architectures: A study of integrating OPS5 with GBB, Proceedings of the Third Workshop on Blackboard Systems, August 13, 1989.
• 2: Fox, Mark S., and Stephen F. Smith, ISIS: A Knowledge-based System for Factory Scheduling, Expert Systems, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 25-49, July 1984
• 3: Fox, Robert E., OPT vs. MRP: Thoughtware vs. Software, Inventories & Production Magazine, pp.179-194, September-October 1982.
• 4: Hayes-Roth, Barbara, The Blackboard Architecture: A General Framework for Problem Solving?, Technical Report HPP-83-30, pp. 1-28, May 20, 1983
• 5: Kempf, Karl G., Manufacturing Planning and Scheduling: Where We Are and Where We Need To Be, Proceedings of the IEEE Fifth Conference on Artificial Intelligence Applications, March 6-10, pp. 14-19, 1989
• 6: P. S. Ow , S. F. Smith, Viewing scheduling as an opportunistic problem-solving process, Annals of Operations Research, v.12 n.1-4, p.85-108, Feb. 1988 [doi>10.1007/BF02186362]
• 7: Ow, Peng Si, Stephen F. Smith, and Frank Howe, A Cooperative Scheduling System, Expert Systems and Intelligent Manufacturing, Michael D. Oliff (ed.), North-Holland, pp. 70-89, 1988
• 8: Sadeh, N., and M.S. Fox, Focus of Attention in an Activity-based Scheduler, Proceedings of the NASA Conference on Space Telerobotics, January 31 - February 2, 1989
• 9: S idhu, Sanjiv, Issues in the Design and Implementation of intelligent Scheduling Systems, Workshop conducted at the Proceedings of the International Conference on Expert Systems and the Leading Edge in Production Planning and Control, Charleston, SC, May 1987
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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.2 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
      I.2.8 Problem Solving, Control Methods, and Search
          Subjects: Plan execution, formation, and generation

Additional Classification:
  F. Theory of Computation
  F.2 ANALYSIS OF ALGORITHMS AND PROBLEM COMPLEXITY
      F.2.2 Nonnumerical Algorithms and Problems
          Subjects: Sequencing and scheduling

  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.2 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
      I.2.1 Applications and Expert Systems
          Subjects: Industrial automation

General Terms:
Algorithms, Design