GENERATING MULTIPLE OPTIMAL DAILY SCHEDULES FOR MULTIPLE TIME PERIODS IN A DAY AND FOR MULTIPLE DAILY PATTERNS

摘要

A computer and method use at least an index of a last item in a new partial schedule and an ending time of the last item to identify a set of one or more stored partial schedules. The computer and method determine whether the new partial schedule dominates any stored partial schedule in the set, based on comparison of at least new lower bound(s) and new upper bound(s) on attribute(s) of a complete schedule that comprises the new partial schedule, with corresponding lower bound and upper bound of each complete schedule to be built using each stored partial schedule. Any stored partial schedule in the set is removed, when the new partial schedule is determined to dominate said any stored partial schedule. When no stored partial schedule in the set dominates the new partial schedule, the new partial schedule is added to the set, followed by repeating the process.