Abstract: A mechanism and method for calendaring a plurality of events such as scheduling the operation of interrelated machines which perform a process flow. Future time is divided into segments, called buckets, of increasing length. The first two buckets are of the same size and each of the following buckets twice as large as its preceding bucket. The first bucket slides so as to always cover a specified length of time following the current time. Events scheduled in the calendar is added to the appropriate bucket, depending on how far in the future it is to take place. When the current time equals the scheduled time for an event, then that event is removed from the bucket where it resides. When a bucket has become empty because all events have been removed from it, the events in the following bucket are distributed over the two buckets preceding it.

Abstract: A method for parsing for natural languages includes a grammar and a lexicon. A knowledge base may be used to define elements in the lexicon. A processor receives single words input by a user and adds them to a sentence under construction. Valid next words are predicted after each received input word. The preferred system has two major components: a parser and a predictor. The predictor accesses only the lexicon and the knowledge base, if one is used, to determine the valid next input words. The parser constructs sentences which are valid according to the grammar out of words accepted by the predictor.

Abstract: A system for scheduling the operation of interrelated machines which perform a process flow. A global definition of the system is made once, and each machine has an individual profile describing its local interaction with the system. Local scheduling decisions for each machine are made based on that machines individual profile and the state of the manufacturing facility at the time a decision is needed. Operation of the individual machines is controlled by the local scheduling decisions made therefor.