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 337
751 05 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
Part of Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 2024
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
Solving Satisfaction Problems using Large-Neighbourhood Search
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 55-71, 2020
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
Exploring declarative local-search neighbourhoods with constraint programming
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 37-53, 2019
All publications
Articles in journal
Part of Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 2024
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
Auto-tabling for subproblem presolving in MiniZinc
Part of Constraints, p. 512-529, 2017
A parametric propagator for pairs of SUM constraints with a discrete convexity property
Part of Artificial Intelligence, p. 170-190, 2016
A constraint-based local search backend for MiniZinc
Part of Constraints, p. 325-345, 2015
Toward sustainable development in constraint programming
Part of Constraints, p. 139-149, 2014
Part of Journal of Heuristics, p. 729-756, 2013
On the reification of global constraints
Part of Constraints, p. 1-6, 2013
On matrices, automata, and double counting in constraint programming
Part of Constraints, p. 108-140, 2013
Constraint Programming for Air Traffic Management: Preface
Part of Knowledge engineering review (Print), p. 287-289, 2012
Contingency plans for air traffic flow and capacity management using constraint programming
Part of Journal of Aerospace Operations, p. 249-266, 2012
An automaton constraint for local search
Part of Fundamenta Informaticae, p. 223-248, 2011
Revisiting constraint-directed search
Part of Information and Computation, p. 438-457, 2009
Dynamic structural symmetry breaking for constraint satisfaction problems
Part of Constraints, p. 506-538, 2009
Solving necklace constraint problems
Part of Journal of Algorithms, p. 61-73, 2009
Static and dynamic structural symmetry breaking
Part of Annals of Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence, p. 37-57, 2009
Combining tree partitioning, precedence, and incomparability constraints
Part of Constraints, p. 459-489, 2008
A bound on the overlap of same-sized subsets
Part of Annals of Combinatorics, p. 347-352, 2008
An introduction to inductive programming
Part of Artificial Intelligence Review, p. 45-62, 2008
Air-traffic complexity resolution in multi-sector planning
Part of Journal of Air Transport Management, p. 323-328, 2007
Generic incremental algorithms for local search
Part of Constraints, p. 293-324, 2007
Design of financial CDO squared transactions using constraint programming
Part of Constraints, p. 179-205, 2007
Part of Automated Software Engineering Journal, p. 131-137, 2001
Articles, review/survey
Constraint programming for air traffic management: a survey
Part of Knowledge engineering review (Print), p. 361-392, 2012
Constraint Programming in Sweden
Part of IEEE Intelligent Systems, p. 87-89, 2009
Chapters in book
Part of Encyclopedia of Machine Learning, p. 805-805, Springer, 2010
Part of Encyclopedia of Machine Learning, p. 989-989, Springer, 2010
Part of Encyclopedia of Machine Learning, p. 537-544, Springer, 2010
Synthesis of Programs in Computational Logic
Part of Program Development in Computational Logic, p. 30-65, Springer-Verlag, 2004
Introducing ESRA, a relational language for modelling combinatorial problems
Part of LOPSTR'03: Revised Selected Papers, p. 214-232, Springer-Verlag, 2004
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)
Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2003
Conference papers
Solving Satisfaction Problems using Large-Neighbourhood Search
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 55-71, 2020
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
Exploring declarative local-search neighbourhoods with constraint programming
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 37-53, 2019
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
Automatic generation of descriptions of time-series constraints
Part of IEEE 29th International Conference on Tools with Artificial Intelligence (ICTAI), p. 102-109, 2017
Part of Logic-Based Program Synthesis and Transformation, p. 59-75, 2017
Design and implementation of bounded-length sequence variables
Part of Integration of AI and OR Techniques in Constraint Programming, p. 51-67, 2017
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
Systematic derivation of bounds and glue constraints for time-series constraints
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 13-29, 2016
On the Reification of Global Constraints (Abstract)
Part of Principles and practice of constraint programming, CP 2015, p. 733-733, 2015
Implied constraints for AUTOMATON constraints
Part of Global Conference on Artificial Intelligence, p. 113-126, 2015
Automated auxiliary variable elimination through on-the-fly propagator generation
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 313-329, 2015
A modelling pearl with sortedness constraints
Part of Global Conference on Artificial Intelligence, p. 27-41, 2015
Constraint solving on bounded string variables
Part of Integration of AI and OR Techniques in Constraint Programming, p. 375-392, 2015
Propagating regular counting constraints
Part of Proc. 28th AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence, p. 2616-2622, 2014
Linking prefixes and suffixes for constraints encoded using automata with accumulators
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 142-157, 2014
A propagator design framework for constraints over sequences
Part of Proc. 28th AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence, p. 2710-2716, 2014
Solving string constraints: The case for constraint programming
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 381-397, 2013
A parametric propagator for discretely convex pairs of sum constraints
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 529-544, 2013
Airspace sectorisation using constraint-based local search
Part of Proc. 10th USA/Europe Air Traffic Management Research and Development Seminar, 2013
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
Des propagateurs indépendants des solveurs
Part of Actes des Neuvièmes Journées Francophones de Programmation par Contraintes, p. 227-236, 2013
Bounded strings for constraint programming
Part of Proc. 25th International Conference on Tools with Artificial Intelligence, p. 1036-1043, 2013
Generation of implied constraints for automaton-induced decompositions
Part of Proc. 25th International Conference on Tools with Artificial Intelligence, p. 1076-1083, 2013
Solution neighbourhoods for constraint-directed local search
Part of Proc. 27th ACM Symposium on Applied Computing, p. 74-79, 2012
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
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
Part of Proc. 27th ACM Symposium on Applied Computing, p. 80-87, 2012
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
Part of Operations Research, Computing, and Homeland Defense, p. 199-209, 2011
Part of Proc. 9th International Workshop on Constraint Modelling and Reformulation, p. 13, 2010
Contingency plans for air traffic flow and capacity management
Part of Proc. 9th Innovative Research Workshop and Exhibition, p. 119-126, 2010
Local search over relational databases
Part of Proc. 7th International Workshop on Local Search Techniques in Constraint Satisfaction, p. 15, 2010
Contingency plans for air traffic management
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming – CP 2010, p. 643-657, 2010
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
Part of Proc. 6th International Workshop on Local Search Techniques in Constraint Satisfaction, p. 27-40, 2009
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
Toward an automaton constraint for local search
Part of Proc. 6th International Workshop on Local Search Techniques in Constraint Satisfaction, p. 13-25, 2009
Solving necklace constraint problems
Part of Proc. 18th European Conference on Artificial Intelligence, p. 520-524, 2008
Efficient structural symmetry breaking for constraint satisfaction problems
Part of International Symmetry Conference, 2007
Revisiting constraint-directed search
Part of Proceedings of LSCS'07, the 4th International Workshop on Local Search Techniques in Constraint Satisfaction, 2007
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
Realism in project-based software engineering courses: Rewards, risks, and recommendations
Part of International Symposium on Computer and Information Sciences (ISCIS'06), 2006
Static and dynamic structural symmetry breaking
Part of Twelfth International Conference on Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming (CP'06), 2006
Partitionnement de graphes par des arbres sous contraintes de degré
Part of Deuxièmes Journées Francophones de Programmation par Contraintes (JFPC'06), 2006
Inferring variable conflicts for local search
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming - CP 2006, 2006
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
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
Compositional derivation of symmetries for constraint satisfaction
Part of Abstraction, Reformulation and Approximation, p. 234-247, 2005
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
Financial portfolio optimisation
Part of 10th International Conference on Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, p. 227-241, 2004
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
Breaking symmetries in matrix models: A brief overview.
Part of Proceedings of the Tenth Workshop on Automated Reasoning (ARW'03), 2003
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
Matrix modelling: Exploiting common patterns in constraint programming
Part of Proceedings of the International Workshop on Reformulating CSPs, 2002
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
Breaking row and column symmetries in matrix models
Part of Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming – CP 2002, p. 462-476, 2002
Part of Proc. of SymCon'01, the First International Workshop on Symmetry in CSPs, p. 41-47, 2001
Part of Proc. of Formul'01, the CP'01 Workshop on Modelling and Problem Formulation, 2001
A meta-heuristic for subset decision problems
Part of Proc. of the 2000 ERCIM/CompuLog Workshop on Constraint Programming, 2000
Towards schema-guided compilation of set constraint programs
Part of Proc. of DPS'99, p. 59-66, 1999
Schema-guided synthesis of constraint logic programs
Part of Proceedings of ASE'98, p. 168-176, 1998
Conference proceedings (editor)
Reports
Global Constraint Catalog: Volume II, time-series constraints
2016
2014
Automatic airspace sectorisation: A survey
2013
On Constraint-Oriented Neighbours for Local Search
2007
Structural symmetry breaking for constraint satisfaction problems
2007
Air-Traffic Complexity Resolution in Multi-Sector Planning
2007
2006
Worst-case air-traffic generation using constraint programming
2004
Air-traffic complexity resolution using constraint programming
2004
Towards automatic generation and evaluation of implied constraints.
2003
Program schemas as proof methods.
2003
2001
2001