Pierre Flener
Professor at Department of Information Technology; Division of Computing Science
- Telephone:
- +46 18 471 10 28
- E-mail:
- Pierre.Flener@it.uu.se
- Visiting address:
- Hus 10, Regementsvägen 10
- Postal address:
- Box 524
751 20 UPPSALA
- ORCID:
- 0000-0001-8730-4098
Short presentation
I am a researcher in the Optimisation group: we address the solution of optimisation problems — such as scheduling, personnel allocation, and vehicle routing — via basic, strategic, and applied research. These problems are akin to complex puzzles, where decisions have to be made so that some constraints are satisfied. Often, some cost must be minimised.
See my researcher homepage for more information.
Keywords
- artificial intelligence
- constraint programming
- stochastic local search
- algorithm design
- discrete optimization
- constraint solver
- constraint modelling
- decision support
- combinatorial optimization
Biography
See Pierre Flener's Autobiography and Personal Details.
Research
See the Optimisation Group.
Publications
Recent publications
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Dependency-Curated Large Neighbourhood Search
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming / [ed] Maria Garcia de la Banda, Germany: Schloss Dagstuhl, 2025, Vol. 340, p. 20:1–20:17, 2025
- DOI for Dependency-Curated Large Neighbourhood Search
- Download full text (pdf) of Dependency-Curated Large Neighbourhood Search
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Invariant Graph Propagation in Constraint-Based Local Search
Part of The journal of artificial intelligence research, 2025
- DOI for Invariant Graph Propagation in Constraint-Based Local Search
- Download full text (pdf) of Invariant Graph Propagation in Constraint-Based Local Search
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Part of Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 2024
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Part of Constraints, p. 71-104, 2023
- DOI for A constraint programming model for the scheduling and workspace layout design of a dual-arm multi-tool assembly robot
- Download full text (pdf) of A constraint programming model for the scheduling and workspace layout design of a dual-arm multi-tool assembly robot
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Solving Satisfaction Problems using Large-Neighbourhood Search
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 55-71, 2020
All publications
Articles in journal
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Invariant Graph Propagation in Constraint-Based Local Search
Part of The journal of artificial intelligence research, 2025
- DOI for Invariant Graph Propagation in Constraint-Based Local Search
- Download full text (pdf) of Invariant Graph Propagation in Constraint-Based Local Search
-
Part of Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 2024
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Part of Constraints, p. 71-104, 2023
- DOI for A constraint programming model for the scheduling and workspace layout design of a dual-arm multi-tool assembly robot
- Download full text (pdf) of A constraint programming model for the scheduling and workspace layout design of a dual-arm multi-tool assembly robot
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Auto-tabling for subproblem presolving in MiniZinc
Part of Constraints, p. 512-529, 2017
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A parametric propagator for pairs of SUM constraints with a discrete convexity property
Part of Artificial Intelligence, p. 170-190, 2016
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A constraint-based local search backend for MiniZinc
Part of Constraints, p. 325-345, 2015
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Toward sustainable development in constraint programming
Part of Constraints, p. 139-149, 2014
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On the reification of global constraints
Part of Constraints, p. 1-6, 2013
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Part of Journal of Heuristics, p. 729-756, 2013
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On matrices, automata, and double counting in constraint programming
Part of Constraints, p. 108-140, 2013
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Constraint Programming for Air Traffic Management: Preface
Part of Knowledge engineering review (Print), p. 287-289, 2012
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Contingency plans for air traffic flow and capacity management using constraint programming
Part of Journal of Aerospace Operations, p. 249-266, 2012
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An automaton constraint for local search
Part of Fundamenta Informaticae, p. 223-248, 2011
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Solving necklace constraint problems
Part of Journal of Algorithms, p. 61-73, 2009
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Revisiting constraint-directed search
Part of Information and Computation, p. 438-457, 2009
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Dynamic structural symmetry breaking for constraint satisfaction problems
Part of Constraints, p. 506-538, 2009
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Static and dynamic structural symmetry breaking
Part of Annals of Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence, p. 37-57, 2009
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Combining tree partitioning, precedence, and incomparability constraints
Part of Constraints, p. 459-489, 2008
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A bound on the overlap of same-sized subsets
Part of Annals of Combinatorics, p. 347-352, 2008
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An introduction to inductive programming
Part of Artificial Intelligence Review, p. 45-62, 2008
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Design of financial CDO squared transactions using constraint programming
Part of Constraints, p. 179-205, 2007
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Air-traffic complexity resolution in multi-sector planning
Part of Journal of Air Transport Management, p. 323-328, 2007
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Generic incremental algorithms for local search
Part of Constraints, p. 293-324, 2007
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Part of Automated Software Engineering Journal, p. 131-137, 2001
Articles, review/survey
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Constraint programming for air traffic management: a survey
Part of Knowledge engineering review (Print), p. 361-392, 2012
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Constraint Programming in Sweden
Part of IEEE Intelligent Systems, p. 87-89, 2009
Chapters in book
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Part of Encyclopedia of Machine Learning, p. 537-544, Springer, 2010
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Part of Encyclopedia of Machine Learning, p. 989-989, Springer, 2010
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Part of Encyclopedia of Machine Learning, p. 805-805, Springer, 2010
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Introducing ESRA, a relational language for modelling combinatorial problems
Part of LOPSTR'03: Revised Selected Papers, p. 214-232, Springer-Verlag, 2004
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Synthesis of Programs in Computational Logic
Part of Program Development in Computational Logic, p. 30-65, Springer-Verlag, 2004
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Achievements and prospects of program synthesis
Part of Computational Logic: Logic Programming and Beyond;Computational Logic: Logic Programming and Beyond; Essays in Honour of Robert A. Kowalski, p. 310-346, Springer-Verlag, 2002
Collections (editor)
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Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2003
Conference papers
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Dependency-Curated Large Neighbourhood Search
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming / [ed] Maria Garcia de la Banda, Germany: Schloss Dagstuhl, 2025, Vol. 340, p. 20:1–20:17, 2025
- DOI for Dependency-Curated Large Neighbourhood Search
- Download full text (pdf) of Dependency-Curated Large Neighbourhood Search
-
Solving Satisfaction Problems using Large-Neighbourhood Search
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 55-71, 2020
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Generating compound moves in local search by hybridisation with complete search
Part of Integration of Constraint Programming, Artificial Intelligence, and Operations Research, p. 95-111, 2019
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Exploring declarative local-search neighbourhoods with constraint programming
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 37-53, 2019
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Declarative local-search neighbourhoods in MiniZinc
Part of PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2018 IEEE 30TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TOOLS WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (ICTAI), p. 98-105, 2018
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Automatic generation of descriptions of time-series constraints
Part of IEEE 29th International Conference on Tools with Artificial Intelligence (ICTAI), p. 102-109, 2017
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Part of Logic-Based Program Synthesis and Transformation, p. 59-75, 2017
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Design and implementation of bounded-length sequence variables
Part of Integration of AI and OR Techniques in Constraint Programming, p. 51-67, 2017
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Time-series constraints: Improvements and application in CP and MIP contexts
Part of Integration of AI and OR Techniques in Constraint Programming, p. 18-34, 2016
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Systematic derivation of bounds and glue constraints for time-series constraints
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 13-29, 2016
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On the Reification of Global Constraints (Abstract)
Part of Principles and practice of constraint programming, CP 2015, p. 733-733, 2015
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Constraint solving on bounded string variables
Part of Integration of AI and OR Techniques in Constraint Programming, p. 375-392, 2015
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A modelling pearl with sortedness constraints
Part of Global Conference on Artificial Intelligence, p. 27-41, 2015
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Automated auxiliary variable elimination through on-the-fly propagator generation
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 313-329, 2015
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Implied constraints for AUTOMATON constraints
Part of Global Conference on Artificial Intelligence, p. 113-126, 2015
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Propagating regular counting constraints
Part of Proc. 28th AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence, p. 2616-2622, 2014
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A propagator design framework for constraints over sequences
Part of Proc. 28th AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence, p. 2710-2716, 2014
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Linking prefixes and suffixes for constraints encoded using automata with accumulators
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 142-157, 2014
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Bounded strings for constraint programming
Part of Proc. 25th International Conference on Tools with Artificial Intelligence, p. 1036-1043, 2013
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Generation of implied constraints for automaton-induced decompositions
Part of Proc. 25th International Conference on Tools with Artificial Intelligence, p. 1076-1083, 2013
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Des propagateurs indépendants des solveurs
Part of Actes des Neuvièmes Journées Francophones de Programmation par Contraintes, p. 227-236, 2013
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Airspace sectorisation using constraint-based local search
Part of Proc. 10th USA/Europe Air Traffic Management Research and Development Seminar, 2013
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A parametric propagator for discretely convex pairs of sum constraints
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 529-544, 2013
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Solving string constraints: The case for constraint programming
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 381-397, 2013
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Optimising quality of information in data collection for mobile sensor networks
Part of Proc. 21st International Symposium on Quality of Service, p. 163-172, 2013
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Towards solver-independent propagators
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 544-560, 2012
- DOI for Towards solver-independent propagators
- Download full text (pdf) of Towards solver-independent propagators
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An optimisation-based approach for wireless sensor deployment in mobile sensing environments
Part of Proc. Wireless Communications and Networking Conference 2012, p. 2108-2112, 2012
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Solution neighbourhoods for constraint-directed local search
Part of Proc. 27th ACM Symposium on Applied Computing, p. 74-79, 2012
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Part of Proc. 27th ACM Symposium on Applied Computing, p. 80-87, 2012
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Consistency of constraint networks induced by automaton-based constraint specifications
Part of Proc. 10th International Workshop on Constraint Modelling and Reformulation, p. 117-131, 2011
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Part of Operations Research, Computing, and Homeland Defense, p. 199-209, 2011
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Part of Proc. 9th International Workshop on Constraint Modelling and Reformulation, p. 13, 2010
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On matrices, automata, and double counting
Part of Integration of AI and OR Techniques in Constraint Programming for Combinatorial Optimization Problems, p. 10-24, 2010
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Contingency plans for air traffic management
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming – CP 2010, p. 643-657, 2010
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Contingency plans for air traffic flow and capacity management
Part of Proc. 9th Innovative Research Workshop and Exhibition, p. 119-126, 2010
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Local search over relational databases
Part of Proc. 7th International Workshop on Local Search Techniques in Constraint Satisfaction, p. 15, 2010
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Part of Proc. 6th International Workshop on Local Search Techniques in Constraint Satisfaction, p. 27-40, 2009
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Toward an automaton constraint for local search
Part of Proc. 6th International Workshop on Local Search Techniques in Constraint Satisfaction, p. 13-25, 2009
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Constrained optimisation over massive databases
Part of Proc. 16th RCRA International Workshop on Experimental Evaluation of Algorithms for Solving Problems with Combinatorial Explosion, p. 16, 2009
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Solving necklace constraint problems
Part of Proc. 18th European Conference on Artificial Intelligence, p. 520-524, 2008
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Efficient structural symmetry breaking for constraint satisfaction problems
Part of International Symmetry Conference, 2007
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Revisiting constraint-directed search
Part of Proceedings of LSCS'07, the 4th International Workshop on Local Search Techniques in Constraint Satisfaction, 2007
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Air-traffic complexity resolution in multi-sector planning using constraint programming
Part of Proceedings of ATM'07, the 7th USA/Europe R&D Seminar on Air Traffic Management, 2007
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Realism in project-based software engineering courses: Rewards, risks, and recommendations
Part of International Symposium on Computer and Information Sciences (ISCIS'06), 2006
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Inferring variable conflicts for local search
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming - CP 2006, p. 665-669, 2006
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Static and dynamic structural symmetry breaking
Part of Twelfth International Conference on Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming (CP'06), 2006
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Partitionnement de graphes par des arbres sous contraintes de degré
Part of Deuxièmes Journées Francophones de Programmation par Contraintes (JFPC'06), 2006
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Compositional derivation of symmetries for constraint satisfaction
Part of Abstraction, Reformulation and Approximation, p. 234-247, 2005
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Part of Integration of AI and OR Techniques in Constraint Programming for Combinatorial Optimization Problems: Second International Conference, CPAIOR 2005, Proceedings, p. 64-78, 2005
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Set variables and local search
Part of Integration of AI and OR Techniques in Constraint Programming for Combinatorial Optimization Problems: Second International Conference, CPAIOR 2005, Proceedings, p. 19-33, 2005
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Incremental algorithms for local search from existential second-order logic
Part of Proceedings of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming - CP 2005, p. 47-61, 2005
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Financial portfolio optimisation
Part of 10th International Conference on Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 227-241, 2004
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Tractable symmetry breaking for CSPs with interchangeable values.
Part of Proceedings of the eighteenth International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI 2003), p. 277-282, 2003
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Breaking symmetries in matrix models: A brief overview.
Part of Proceedings of the Tenth Workshop on Automated Reasoning (ARW'03), 2003
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Breaking all the symmetries in matrix models: Results, conjectures, and directions
Part of Proceedings of SymCon'02, the Second International Workshop on Symmetry in CSPs, 2002
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Breaking row and column symmetries in matrix models
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming – CP 2002, p. 462-476, 2002
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Program synthesis for combinatorial optimisation problems: Position statement
Part of Working Notes of the AAAI'02 Spring Symposium on the State of the Art and Future Trends of Logic-based Program Synthesis, 2002
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Matrix modelling: Exploiting common patterns in constraint programming
Part of Proceedings of the International Workshop on Reformulating CSPs, 2002
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Part of Proc. of SymCon'01, the First International Workshop on Symmetry in CSPs, p. 41-47, 2001
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Part of Proc. of Formul'01, the CP'01 Workshop on Modelling and Problem Formulation, 2001
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A meta-heuristic for subset decision problems
Part of Proc. of the 2000 ERCIM/CompuLog Workshop on Constraint Programming, 2000
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Towards schema-guided compilation of set constraint programs
Part of Proc. of DPS'99, p. 59-66, 1999
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Schema-guided synthesis of constraint logic programs
Part of Proceedings of ASE'98, p. 168-176, 1998
Conference proceedings (editor)
Reports
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Global Constraint Catalog: Volume II, time-series constraints
2016
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2014
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Automatic airspace sectorisation: A survey
2013
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Air-Traffic Complexity Resolution in Multi-Sector Planning
2007
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On Constraint-Oriented Neighbours for Local Search
2007
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Structural symmetry breaking for constraint satisfaction problems
2007
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2006
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Worst-case air-traffic generation using constraint programming
2004
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Air-traffic complexity resolution using constraint programming
2004
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Towards automatic generation and evaluation of implied constraints.
2003
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Program schemas as proof methods.
2003
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2001
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2001