Introduction to Constraint Programming

Lectures: 24 h

Recommended for
Computer science and computer systems Ph.D students.

The course last ran: New course

The course runs: Spring 1999

Goals
The main goal of this course is to give an introduction to a new programming paradigm based on constraints over different domains, such as real (rational) numbers or finite domains. Special emphasis will be put on the practical use of these methods, in particular for solving combinatorial optimization problems.

Prerequisites
Basic course in programming. Knowledge of Prolog is an advantage but a short introduction to Prolog can be organized if needed.

Organization
Lectures given by the teachers and seminars prepared by the participants.
Programming assignments on the selected topics.

Contents

• Introduction to constraint programming.
• Basic algorithms used in constraint programming systems (constraint satisfaction and simpli fication, optimization).
• Finite domain constraints.
• Constraint Logic Programming scheme.
• Simple modeling techniques.
• Modeling with finite domain constraints.
• Searching methods.
• Selected advanced issues.

Literature
Kim Mariott and Peter J. Stuckey "Programming with Constraints: An Introduction", The MIT Press, 1998.

Reference manuals CHIP, SICSTUS Prolog.

Selected papers.

Teachers
Kris Kuchcinski, Jan Maluszynski and Ulf Nilsson.

Examiner
Kris Kuchcinski.

Schedule
Mid February - Mid May, one meeting per week.

Examination
Programming assignments.

Credit
4-6 depending on the assignments.

Page responsible: Director of Graduate Studies