Principles of Constraint Programming

by Krzysztof Apt

Overview

Scheduling, vehicle routing and timetabling are all examples of constraint problems, and methods to solve them rely on the idea of constraint propagation and search. This book meets the need for a modern, multidisciplinary introduction to the field that covers foundations and applications. Written by Krzysztof Apt, an authority on the subject, it will be welcomed by graduate students and professionals. With the insertion of constraint techniques into programming environments, new developments have accelerated the solution process. Constraint programming combines ideas from artificial intelligence, programming languages, databases, and operational research.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521125499
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	12/17/2009
Pages:	424
Product dimensions:	6.70(w) x 9.60(h) x 0.90(d)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction; 2. Constraint satisfaction problems: Examples; 3. Constraint programming in a nutshell; 4. Some complete constraint solvers; 5. Local consistency notions; 6. Some incomplete constraint solvers; 7. Constraint propagation algorithms; 8. Search; 9. General programming issues; Bibliography; Index.

Editorial Reviews

Review of the hardback: '… a fundamental new way of looking at constraint programming … This book … is a great present to the constraint programming community, which will certainly advance scientifically because of its publication. We need good books to educate new people to Constraint Programming in the best way, and this book is a great way to do this.' Theory and Practice of Logic Programming

Review of the hardback: '… a fundamental new way of looking at constraint programming … done with the highest level of precision and formality, without however making the reading task too heavy, as it is typical of Apt's writing style … I really enjoyed reading Apt's book and am using it for my current course on constraint programming … it is extremely well written … the formal style never makes reading a heavy task … it provides a very original abstract view of the main concepts of constraint propagation and constraint programming, which can be very useful both for beginners who need to understand[ing] these concepts without getting lost, and also for experienced researchers … I have always been stunned by his exceptional ability to be formal and clear. This book is yet another witness for this ability … a great present to the constraint programming community, which will certainly advance scientifically because of its publication. Journal of TLP

From the Publisher