DISPATCH: An optimally-competitive algorithm for maximum online perfect bipartite matching with i.i.d. arrivals

Abstract

This work presents an optimally-competitive algorithm for the problem of maximum weighted online perfect bipartite matching with i.i.d. arrivals. In this problem, we are given a known set of workers, a distribution over job types, and non-negative utility weights for each pair of worker and job types. At each time step, a job is drawn i.i.d. from the distribution over job types. Upon arrival, the job must be irrevocably assigned to a worker and cannot be dropped. The goal is to maximize the expected sum of utilities after all jobs are assigned. We introduce Dispatch, a 0.5-competitive, randomized algorithm. We also prove that 0.5-competitive is the best possible. Dispatch first selects a “preferred worker” and assigns the job to this worker if it is available. The preferred worker is determined based on an optimal solution to a fractional transportation problem. If the preferred worker is not available, Dispatch randomly selects a worker from the available workers. We show that Dispatch maintains a uniform distribution over the workers even when the distribution over the job types is non-uniform.