• Title/Summary/Keyword: Timetabling

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The University Examination And Course Timetabling Problem With Integer Programming

  • Chung, Yerim;Kim, Hak-Jin
    • Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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    • v.24 no.9
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    • pp.9-20
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    • 2019
  • In this paper, we study the university timetabling problem, which consists of two subproblems, the university course timetabling problem and the examination timetabling problem. Given a set of classrooms, students, teachers, and lectures, the problem is to assign a number of courses (and examinations) to suitable timeslots and classrooms while satisfying the given set of constraints. We discuss the modeling and solution approaches to construct course and examination timetables for one of the largest Korean university. By using binary integer programming formulations, we describe these two complex real-world problems. Then, we propose a solution method, called NOGOOD, to solve the examination timetabling model. The computation results show that NOGOOD finds the optimal examination schedule for the given instance. Although we consider a specific instance of the university timetabling problem, the methods we use can be applicable to modeling and solving other timetabling problems.

A Constraint Programming-based Automated Course Timetabling System

  • Hwang, Junha
    • Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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    • v.24 no.4
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    • pp.27-34
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    • 2019
  • The course timetabling problem is a kind of very complex combinatorial optimization problems, which is known as an NP-complete problem. Sometimes a given course timetabling problem can be accompanied by many constraints. At this time, even if only one constraint is violated, it can be an infeasible timetable. Therefore, it is very difficult to make an automated course timetabling system for a complex real-world course timetabling problem. This paper introduces an automated course timetabling system using constraint programming. The target problem has 26 constraints in total, and they are expressed as 24 constraints and an objective function in constraint programming. Currently, we are making a timetable through this system and applying the result to the actual class. Members' satisfaction is also much higher than manual results. We expect this paper can be a guide for making an automated course timetabling system.

Constraint Programming Approach for a Course Timetabling Problem

  • Kim, Chun-Sik;Hwang, Junha
    • Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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    • v.22 no.9
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    • pp.9-16
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    • 2017
  • The course timetabling problem is a problem assigning a set of subjects to the given classrooms and different timeslots, while satisfying various hard constraints and soft constraints. This problem is defined as a constraint satisfaction optimization problem and is known as an NP-complete problem. Various methods has been proposed such as integer programming, constraint programming and local search methods to solve a variety of course timetabling problems. In this paper, we propose an iterative improvement search method to solve the problem based on constraint programming. First, an initial solution satisfying all the hard constraints is obtained by constraint programming, and then the solution is repeatedly improved using constraint programming again by adding new constraints to improve the quality of the soft constraints. Through experimental results, we confirmed that the proposed method can find far better solutions in a shorter time than the manual method.

An Integer Programming Model for a Complex University Timetabling Problem: A Case Study

  • Prabodanie, R.A. Ranga
    • Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
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    • v.16 no.1
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    • pp.141-153
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    • 2017
  • A binary integer programming model is proposed for a complex timetabling problem in a university faculty which conducts various degree programs. The decision variables are defined with fewer dimensions to economize the model size of large scale problems and to improve modeling efficiency. Binary matrices are used to incorporate the relationships between the courses and students, and the courses and teachers. The model includes generally applicable constraints such as completeness, uniqueness, and consecutiveness; and case specific constraints. The model was coded and solved using Open Solver which is an open-source optimizer available as an Excel add-in. The results indicate that complicated timetabling problems with large numbers of courses and student groups can be formulated more efficiently with fewer numbers of variables and constraints using the proposed modeling framework. The model could effectively generate timetables with a significantly lower number of work hours per week compared to currently used timetables. The model results indicate that the particular timetabling problem is bounded by the student overlaps, and both human and physical resource constraints are insignificant.

Study on University Timetabling for Naval Academy (해군사관학교의 강의시간표 자동 작성 시스템 개발을 위한 연구)

  • Kim, Hojin;Seo, Yunhwan;Hwang, Jaeryong
    • Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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    • 2012.10a
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    • pp.945-947
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    • 2012
  • This paper shows the early result of the study on university timetabling system for naval academy. Naval academy has limitation of number of professors and classrooms, and has characteristic that timetabling is fixed by grade, major, and class. Lecture-hour exchange and rotation among three lecture-hour are suggested to solve the problem of automatic timetabling.

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COMPARISON OF METAHEURISTIC ALGORITHMS FOR EXAMINATION TIMETABLING PROBLEM

  • Azimi, Zhara-Naji
    • Journal of applied mathematics & informatics
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    • v.16 no.1_2
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    • pp.337-354
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    • 2004
  • SA, TS, GA and ACS are four of the main algorithms for solving challenging problems of intelligent systems. In this paper we consider Examination Timetabling Problem that is a common problem for all universities and institutions of higher education. There are many methods to solve this problem, In this paper we use Simulated Annealing, Tabu Search, Genetic Algorithm and Ant Colony System in their basic frameworks for solving this problem and compare results of them with each other.

Research of a freedom rate for timetabling problem (시간표 작성 문제의 자유도에 관한 연구)

  • An, Jong-Il;Jo, Seung-Han
    • Journal of the Korea Computer Industry Society
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    • v.10 no.5
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    • pp.201-206
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    • 2009
  • The timetabling problem is a one of the optimization problem for satisfied a constraints. Most optimization algorithm arrives optimal to use a method that is make a initial solution and modify and reconstruct it repetitively. In case of insufficient resources, it is not easy to obtain initial solution oneself. The most method of make a initial solution is high constrained subject assign first. The freedom rate is a numerical value of degree of how much constrained. In this paper, we define the freedom rate in timetabling problem and experiment its role in timetabling process.

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A Template-based Interactive University Timetabling Support System (템플릿 기반의 상호대화형 전공강의시간표 작성지원시스템)

  • Chang, Yong-Sik;Jeong, Ye-Won
    • Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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    • v.16 no.3
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    • pp.121-145
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    • 2010
  • University timetabling depending on the educational environments of universities is an NP-hard problem that the amount of computation required to find solutions increases exponentially with the problem size. For many years, there have been lots of studies on university timetabling from the necessity of automatic timetable generation for students' convenience and effective lesson, and for the effective allocation of subjects, lecturers, and classrooms. Timetables are classified into a course timetable and an examination timetable. This study focuses on the former. In general, a course timetable for liberal arts is scheduled by the office of academic affairs and a course timetable for major subjects is scheduled by each department of a university. We found several problems from the analysis of current course timetabling in departments. First, it is time-consuming and inefficient for each department to do the routine and repetitive timetabling work manually. Second, many classes are concentrated into several time slots in a timetable. This tendency decreases the effectiveness of students' classes. Third, several major subjects might overlap some required subjects in liberal arts at the same time slots in the timetable. In this case, it is required that students should choose only one from the overlapped subjects. Fourth, many subjects are lectured by same lecturers every year and most of lecturers prefer the same time slots for the subjects compared with last year. This means that it will be helpful if departments reuse the previous timetables. To solve such problems and support the effective course timetabling in each department, this study proposes a university timetabling support system based on two phases. In the first phase, each department generates a timetable template from the most similar timetable case, which is based on case-based reasoning. In the second phase, the department schedules a timetable with the help of interactive user interface under the timetabling criteria, which is based on rule-based approach. This study provides the illustrations of Hanshin University. We classified timetabling criteria into intrinsic and extrinsic criteria. In intrinsic criteria, there are three criteria related to lecturer, class, and classroom which are all hard constraints. In extrinsic criteria, there are four criteria related to 'the numbers of lesson hours' by the lecturer, 'prohibition of lecture allocation to specific day-hours' for committee members, 'the number of subjects in the same day-hour,' and 'the use of common classrooms.' In 'the numbers of lesson hours' by the lecturer, there are three kinds of criteria : 'minimum number of lesson hours per week,' 'maximum number of lesson hours per week,' 'maximum number of lesson hours per day.' Extrinsic criteria are also all hard constraints except for 'minimum number of lesson hours per week' considered as a soft constraint. In addition, we proposed two indices for measuring similarities between subjects of current semester and subjects of the previous timetables, and for evaluating distribution degrees of a scheduled timetable. Similarity is measured by comparison of two attributes-subject name and its lecturer-between current semester and a previous semester. The index of distribution degree, based on information entropy, indicates a distribution of subjects in the timetable. To show this study's viability, we implemented a prototype system and performed experiments with the real data of Hanshin University. Average similarity from the most similar cases of all departments was estimated as 41.72%. It means that a timetable template generated from the most similar case will be helpful. Through sensitivity analysis, the result shows that distribution degree will increase if we set 'the number of subjects in the same day-hour' to more than 90%.

A Study on the Timetabling by Evolution Programs (진화 프로그램을 이용한 강의시간표 작성에 관한 연구)

  • 박유석;김용범;김병재;오충환;김복만
    • Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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    • v.19 no.38
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    • pp.43-50
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    • 1996
  • Evolution Programs, a form of Genetic Algorithms transformed from chromosome representation, are applied to the Timetabling of University which is one of the NP-hard problems. At the step of algorithms application, each class is established to be a specific category in feasible solution space. At. the same time, the exiting gene used in chromosome expression of Evolution Programs is modified to satisfy constraints effectively by transformation of gene which has multi-information. The new crossover method for fester operation in the Recombination attempted.. Roulette wheel selection and tournament selection are prepared.

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A Model and Approaches for Smoothing Peaks of Traction Energy in Timetabling (동력운전 분산 시각표 작성을 위한 수리모형 및 해법)

  • Kim, Kyung-Min;Oh, Seog-Moon
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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    • v.12 no.6
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    • pp.1018-1023
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    • 2009
  • This paper describes a reduction in the peaks of traction energy for metro railways in timetabling. We develope a mixed integer programming (MIP) model, which minimizes the number of trains running simultaneously. We suggest two approaches. In the first approach, we use the commercial MIP solver, CPLEX. In the second approach, we propose a heuristic algorithm. We apply both methods to the current daily timetable of the Korea Metropolitan Subway. We determine an optimal solution, which results in an improvement of approximately 25% over the current timetable.