A language for specifying complete timetabling problems

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2001

Authors

reis, lp (Author) FEUP; oliveira, e (Author) FEUP

Journal

The Journal is awaiting validation by the Administrative Services.

Title: INTERACTIVE SYSTEMS: DESIGN, SPECIFICATION, AND VERIFICATION

Vol. 29

Pages: 322-341

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 13 Citations

Scopus - 22 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Natural sciences > Computer and information sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-000-XQB

DOI: 10.1007/3-540-44629-X_20

Abstract (EN): The timetabling problem consists in fixing a sequence of meetings between teachers and students in a given period of time, satisfying a set of different constraints. There are a number of different versions of the timetabling problem. These include school timetabling (where students are grouped in classes with similar degree plans), university timetabling (where students are considered individually) and examination timetabling (i.e. scheduling of university exams, avoiding student double booking). Several other problems are also associated with the more general timetabling problem, including room allocation. meeting scheduling, staff allocation and invigilator assignment. Many data formats have been developed for representing different timetabling problems. The variety of data formats currently in use, and the diversity of existing timetabling problems, makes the comparison of research results and exchange of data concerning real problems extremely difficult. In this paper we identify eight timetabling sub-problems and, based on that identification, we present a new language (UniLang) for representing timetabling problems. UniLang intends to be a standard suitable as input language for any timetabling system. It enables a clear and natural representation of data, constraints, quality measures and solutions for different timetabling (as well as related) problems, such as school timetabling, university timetabling and examination scheduling.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 20