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On-Line Scheduling Algorithms for a Batch Machine with Finite Capacity

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Abstract

We study the problem of on-line scheduling jobs with release dates on a batch machine of finite capacity with the objective of minimizing the makespan. We generalize several existing algorithms for the problem to a class of on-line algorithms that are 2-competitive for any arbitrary finite machine capacity. Then, we show that one of these generalized algorithms is in fact 7/4-competitive for machine capacity 2. This is the first on-line algorithm for a finite machine capacity with competitive ratio less than 2.

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Correspondence to Chung Keung Poon.

Additional information

This research is substantially supported by a grant from City Univ. of Hong Kong (Grant No. 7001119). The second author is supported by this grant and by the Natural Science Foundation of China.

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Poon, C.K., Yu, W. On-Line Scheduling Algorithms for a Batch Machine with Finite Capacity. J Comb Optim 9, 167–186 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10878-005-6855-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10878-005-6855-5

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