Survey on Scheduling with Learning Technique
E. Grace Mary Kanaga 1, Juliet A Murali 2
1
Karunya University/Computer Science and Engineering, Coimbatore, India
grace@karunya.edu
2
Karunya University/Computer Science and Engineering, Coimbatore, India
julietamurali@gmail.com
Abstract— This paper describes about scheduling of jobs
using learning techniques. It also describes about different
learning effect. The evaluation on different learning effect
shows that the experience based learning (EBL) gives better
solution for calculating processing time. The EBL can be
incorporated with scheduling problems such as job shop
scheduling, meeting scheduling patient scheduling etc. As
the experience increases the time required to process a job is
reduced. Hence it reduces the make span of the schedule.
This EBL can be applied to solve scheduling problem of
single as well as multiple machine.
Index Terms—Scheduling, Learning, Multi agent systems
I. INTRODUCTION
Industrial scheduling techniques are studied in the field of
operations research (OR). OR techniques are very
effective for solving well-defined centralized
optimization problems, where the algorithm can
determine the optimal schedule for all parties involved
[24].
Scheduling is the process of allocating tasks in order to
achieve optimal solution. The time required to perform a
task decreases as the experience related to it increases,
even then each task takes some time for its processing.
When it has maximum experience then it takes only
minimum processing time.
Section 2 briefly explains the different scheduling
algorithms. Section 3 presents the scheduling problem
with learning effect and section 4 explains about
variations in machine in the context of scheduling.
II. SCHEDULING TECHNIQUES
A scheduling problem can be characterized by a set of
jobs, each with one or more operations. The operations of
a job are to be performed in a specified sequence on
specific machines. Most of the scheduling problems are
considered to be NP-hard [21]. The performance
measures that are related to scheduling include machine
utilization, cycle time, throughput rate and inventory
level [19].
A. Scheduling Rules
The procedures are designed to provide good solutions
to complex problems in real time when scheduling
problems are considered. These procedures are called
scheduling rules. The scheduling rules have been
classified into class 1, class 2, class 3 etc, according to
performance criteria [22].
Class 1 contains simple priority rules, which are based
on information related to the jobs. Example classes
include those based on processing times (such as shortest
processing time (SPT)), due dates (such as earliest due
date (EDD)), and arrival times (such as first-in first out
(FIFO)).
Class 2 consists of combinations of rules from class
one. A typical example of a rule in this class is, for
example, SPT until the queue length exceeds some limit,
then switch to FIFO.
Class 3 contains rules that are commonly referred to as
Weight Priority Indexes. Usually, an objective function
f(x) is defined. For example, f(x) = weight * Processing
Time of Job(x). Then, any time new sequence is needed,
the function f(x) is evaluated for each job x in the queue.
The jobs are ranked based on this evaluation [23].
Conway and Maxwell showed that SPT was the best
choice for optimizing waiting time and system utilization
[19].
B. Multi Agent Systems for Scheduling
Multi agent systems can be used to solve scheduling
problems. The participants in this system are considered
as software entities called agents. Two types of entities
are included in this agent based systems, task agents and
resource agents. The agents have proactive and reactive
nature because of that it allows the communication
between agents and also allows taking coordinated
decisions.
Each task agent might be responsible for scheduling a
certain class of tasks. The resources are capable of
performing those tasks. Task agents must send their
resource requests to the appropriate resource agent, along
with the set of operations to be performed by that
resource. After receiving the request, the resource agent
must generate a new schedule [20].
II. CATEGORIES OF LEARNING EFFECT
Scheduling is the process of allocating tasks inorder to
achieve optimal solution. The time required to perform a
task(job) decreases as the experience related to it
increases ,even then each task takes some time for its
processing. When it have maximum experience then it
takes only minimum processing time [1].
For the first time the relation between learning
parameters was formulated in a quantitative form
described by an exponential non increasing function
called learning curve. The learning model used for
scheduling are based on learning curve introduced by
Wright. A scheduling problem with experience based
learning model ,the job processing time are described by aj is the normal (sequence-independent) processing time
“S” shaped function [3]. of task j
αj anb bj are the exponential and linear learning ratios of
A. Scheduling Problem with Position Based Learning
task j
In position based learning model the processing time of gj is the learning threshold.
job is depends on the position of the job in the sequence. For the above model, the parameters aj > 0, bj > 0, aj >
The actual processing time is a function of jobs position 0, gj > 0 and βj=[0, 1] are assumed to be rational and since
in the schedule [2]. The normal processing time and the job processing time is some positive value [1],[7].
learning effect are also considered during the calculation The learning factor is represented in terms of experience
of actual processing time. The processing time of a job j and is given as,
if scheduled in position r is given by Eβ(v)= [l]+βv e[v] (3)
Pjr=Pjra j,r =1…n (1) Where,

Where, [l] is the experience already possessed by the

a is the constant learning index,a≤0. processor.
Pjr is the actual processing time. e[l] is the experience provided to the processor by a job
r is the position of job in the schedule. scheduled in the lth position e[l]≥ 1
B. Sum of Processing Time Based Learning Effect β[v] is the amount of experience (percentage of e[v])
provided to the processor by job [v],
The sum of processing time based learning effect model
β[v] [0,1]
the actual processing time of a job as a function of total
normal processing time of jobs that are already processed
and of the job’s scheduled position.[5,12] .The sum-of-
processing-time –based learning effect model takes into
account the effects that the human gains from the
experience of operating similar tasks.
c. The Time Dependent Learning Effect
The Time dependent learning effect of a job is to be a
function of the total normal processing time of the jobs
scheduled in front of the jobs. For example firms and
employee will learn more from performing job with
longer processing time ie, the more time they have to
practicing a skill, the better performance one will produce
as a result of learning.[6] Consider a single machine and
n independent and non preemptive jobs that are available
for processing. Let pjr be the processing time of job j if it
is scheduled in position r in a sequence. Then
Pjr=pj(1+ P[1]+ P[2]+…+ P[r-1)a (2)
Where,
pj is the normal processing time of job j.
p[k] is the normal processing time of a job if it is
scheduled in the kth position in a sequence.
a is the constant learning index, a≤0.
D. Experience Based Learning Effect
According to A. Janiak and R. Rudek the learning effect
is modeled by the job processing time pj(E) formulated
as a non-increasing positive function of the experience E
possessed by the is equal to its normal processing time a j
processor. If the processor does not possess experience (E
=0), the processing time of a task (say j), i.e., Pj(0)= aj.
Before calculating the processing time the learning factor
is calculated.
The processing time of job j is scheduled in the vth slot
in a sequence is given as follows,
Pj(Eβ(v))=aj-bj(min{ Eβ(v),gj})αj (4)
Where,