Patent ID: 8255348

Claim:
A system comprising: at least one computing device configured to execute one or more software applications associated with a plurality of hierarchical layers configured to solve a production scheduling problem; wherein each hierarchical layer is configured to generate solution data representing a possible solution to a sub-problem associated with the production scheduling problem, each hierarchical layer configured to receive orders and to use the orders during generation of the solution data, the orders comprising at least one of: orders based on the solution data from a higher hierarchical layer, orders based on feedback from a lower hierarchical layer, and orders that are exogenously provided; wherein a first of the hierarchical layers comprises a coordinator configured to generate a first offer identifying whether certain operations performed in a process system are primary or secondary operations; wherein a second of the hierarchical layers comprises a cooperator configured to receive the first offer and to use the first offer to determine whether the sub-problem associated with the second hierarchical layer can be solved based on the first offer; and wherein the coordinator is further configured to generate a second offer when the cooperator indicates that the sub-problem cannot be solved based on the first offer and to adjust which operations are primary or secondary operations to produce the second offer.