Using abstractions for resource allocation

Abstraction is a useful technique for reducing complexity in problem solving. In this paper, the authors present two abstraction techniques and one partitioning heuristic to solve resource allocation problems. The partitioning heuristic decomposes the resource allocation problem into easy and difficult components competing for pools of resources. A hierarchy of resource pools allows conflict resolution to occur at the most appropriate level of abstraction. The temporal abstraction techniques simplify the decoupled components. They also aid the user in assessing the tightness of the problem and the types of missing resources. There are two main advantages to using the abstractions the authors propose: they rapidly provide a first solution which can be refined given more computation time, and they provide an explanation in terms of missing resources if the resource allocation problem is unsolvable