feat: time-aware model routing for cron jobs (#317)

Empirical finding: cron error rate peaks at 18:00 (9.4%) vs 4.0% at 09:00.
Route cron tasks to more capable models during high-error windows.

Changes:
- agent/smart_model_routing.py: Added resolve_cron_model() + _hour_in_window()
- cron/scheduler.py: Wired into run_job() after base model resolution
- tests/test_cron_model_routing.py: 17 tests covering all edge cases

Config (config.yaml):
  cron_model_routing:
    enabled: true
    fallback_model: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4"
    fallback_provider: "openrouter"
    windows:
      - start_hour: 17
        end_hour: 22
        reason: "evening_error_peak"
      - start_hour: 2
        end_hour: 5
        reason: "overnight_api_instability"

Features:
- Time windows with [start, end) semantics
- Midnight wrap support (e.g., 22-06)
- Per-window model/provider override or global fallback
- First matching window wins
- Graceful degradation: malformed windows skipped, no config = no-op
- Logs override with reason for observability

Closes #317

agent/smart_model_routing.py

@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
-"""Helpers for optional cheap-vs-strong model routing."""
+"""Helpers for optional cheap-vs-strong and time-aware model routing."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import os
 import re
-from typing import Any, Dict, Optional
+from datetime import datetime
+from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional
 
 from utils import is_truthy_value
 
@@ -192,3 +193,105 @@ def resolve_turn_route(user_message: str, routing_config: Optional[Dict[str, Any
             tuple(runtime.get("args") or ()),
         ),
     }
+
+
+# =========================================================================
+# Time-aware cron model routing
+# =========================================================================
+#
+# Empirical finding: cron error rate peaks at 18:00 (9.4%) vs 4.0% at 09:00.
+# During high-error windows, route cron jobs to more capable models.
+#
+# Config (config.yaml):
+#   cron_model_routing:
+#     enabled: true
+#     fallback_model: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4"
+#     fallback_provider: "openrouter"
+#     windows:
+#       - start_hour: 17
+#         end_hour: 22
+#         reason: "evening_error_peak"
+#       - start_hour: 2
+#         end_hour: 5
+#         reason: "overnight_api_instability"
+# =========================================================================
+
+def _hour_in_window(hour: int, start: int, end: int) -> bool:
+    """Check if hour falls in [start, end) window, handling midnight wrap."""
+    if start <= end:
+        return start <= hour < end
+    else:
+        # Wraps midnight: e.g., 22-06
+        return hour >= start or hour < end
+
+
+def resolve_cron_model(
+    base_model: str,
+    routing_config: Optional[Dict[str, Any]],
+    now: Optional[datetime] = None,
+) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+    """Apply time-aware model override for cron jobs.
+
+    During configured high-error windows, returns a stronger model config.
+    Outside windows, returns the base model unchanged.
+
+    Args:
+        base_model: The model string already resolved (from job/config/env).
+        routing_config: The cron_model_routing dict from config.yaml.
+        now: Override current time (for testing). Defaults to datetime.now().
+
+    Returns:
+        Dict with keys: model, provider, overridden, reason.
+        - model: the effective model string to use
+        - provider: provider override (empty string = use default)
+        - overridden: True if time-based override was applied
+        - reason: why override was applied (empty string if not)
+    """
+    cfg = routing_config or {}
+
+    if not _coerce_bool(cfg.get("enabled"), False):
+        return {"model": base_model, "provider": "", "overridden": False, "reason": ""}
+
+    windows = cfg.get("windows") or []
+    if not isinstance(windows, list) or not windows:
+        return {"model": base_model, "provider": "", "overridden": False, "reason": ""}
+
+    current = now or datetime.now()
+    current_hour = current.hour
+
+    matched_window = None
+    for window in windows:
+        if not isinstance(window, dict):
+            continue
+        start = _coerce_int(window.get("start_hour"), -1)
+        end = _coerce_int(window.get("end_hour"), -1)
+        if start < 0 or end < 0:
+            continue
+        if _hour_in_window(current_hour, start, end):
+            matched_window = window
+            break
+
+    if not matched_window:
+        return {"model": base_model, "provider": "", "overridden": False, "reason": ""}
+
+    # Window matched — use the override model from window or global fallback
+    override_model = str(matched_window.get("model") or "").strip()
+    override_provider = str(matched_window.get("provider") or "").strip()
+
+    if not override_model:
+        override_model = str(cfg.get("fallback_model") or "").strip()
+    if not override_provider:
+        override_provider = str(cfg.get("fallback_provider") or "").strip()
+
+    if not override_model:
+        # No override configured — use base model
+        return {"model": base_model, "provider": "", "overridden": False, "reason": ""}
+
+    reason = str(matched_window.get("reason") or "time_window").strip()
+
+    return {
+        "model": override_model,
+        "provider": override_provider,
+        "overridden": True,
+        "reason": f"cron_routing:{reason}(hour={current_hour})",
+    }

cron/scheduler.py

@@ -717,6 +717,22 @@ def run_job(job: dict) -> tuple[bool, str, str, Optional[str]]:
 
         # Reasoning config from env or config.yaml
         from hermes_constants import parse_reasoning_effort
+
+        # Time-aware cron model routing — override model during high-error windows
+        try:
+            from agent.smart_model_routing import resolve_cron_model
+            _cron_routing_cfg = (_cfg.get("cron_model_routing") or {})
+            _cron_route = resolve_cron_model(model, _cron_routing_cfg)
+            if _cron_route["overridden"]:
+                _original_model = model
+                model = _cron_route["model"]
+                logger.info(
+                    "Job '%s': cron model override %s → %s (%s)",
+                    job_id, _original_model, model, _cron_route["reason"],
+                )
+        except Exception as _e:
+            logger.debug("Job '%s': cron model routing skipped: %s", job_id, _e)
+
         effort = os.getenv("HERMES_REASONING_EFFORT", "")
         if not effort:
             effort = str(_cfg.get("agent", {}).get("reasoning_effort", "")).strip()

tests/test_cron_model_routing.py

@@ -0,0 +1,194 @@
+"""Tests for time-aware cron model routing — Issue #317."""
+
+import pytest
+from datetime import datetime
+
+from agent.smart_model_routing import resolve_cron_model, _hour_in_window
+
+
+class TestHourInWindow:
+    """Hour-in-window detection including midnight wrap."""
+
+    def test_normal_window(self):
+        assert _hour_in_window(18, 17, 22) is True
+        assert _hour_in_window(16, 17, 22) is False
+        assert _hour_in_window(22, 17, 22) is False  # [start, end) exclusive end
+
+    def test_midnight_wrap(self):
+        assert _hour_in_window(23, 22, 6) is True
+        assert _hour_in_window(3, 22, 6) is True
+        assert _hour_in_window(10, 22, 6) is False
+
+    def test_edge_cases(self):
+        assert _hour_in_window(0, 0, 24) is True
+        assert _hour_in_window(23, 0, 24) is True
+        assert _hour_in_window(0, 22, 6) is True
+        assert _hour_in_window(5, 22, 6) is True
+        assert _hour_in_window(6, 22, 6) is False
+
+
+class TestResolveCronModel:
+    """Time-aware model resolution for cron jobs."""
+
+    def _config(self, **overrides):
+        base = {
+            "enabled": True,
+            "fallback_model": "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4",
+            "fallback_provider": "openrouter",
+            "windows": [
+                {"start_hour": 17, "end_hour": 22, "reason": "evening_error_peak"},
+            ],
+        }
+        base.update(overrides)
+        return base
+
+    def test_disabled_returns_base_model(self):
+        result = resolve_cron_model(
+            "xiaomi/mimo-v2-pro",
+            {"enabled": False},
+            now=datetime(2026, 4, 12, 18, 0),
+        )
+        assert result["model"] == "xiaomi/mimo-v2-pro"
+        assert result["overridden"] is False
+
+    def test_no_config_returns_base_model(self):
+        result = resolve_cron_model("xiaomi/mimo-v2-pro", None)
+        assert result["model"] == "xiaomi/mimo-v2-pro"
+        assert result["overridden"] is False
+
+    def test_no_windows_returns_base_model(self):
+        result = resolve_cron_model(
+            "xiaomi/mimo-v2-pro",
+            {"enabled": True, "windows": []},
+            now=datetime(2026, 4, 12, 18, 0),
+        )
+        assert result["overridden"] is False
+
+    def test_evening_window_overrides(self):
+        """18:00 falls in [17, 22) — should override to stronger model."""
+        result = resolve_cron_model(
+            "xiaomi/mimo-v2-pro",
+            self._config(),
+            now=datetime(2026, 4, 12, 18, 0),
+        )
+        assert result["model"] == "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4"
+        assert result["provider"] == "openrouter"
+        assert result["overridden"] is True
+        assert "evening_error_peak" in result["reason"]
+        assert "hour=18" in result["reason"]
+
+    def test_outside_window_keeps_base(self):
+        """09:00 is outside [17, 22) — keep base model."""
+        result = resolve_cron_model(
+            "xiaomi/mimo-v2-pro",
+            self._config(),
+            now=datetime(2026, 4, 12, 9, 0),
+        )
+        assert result["model"] == "xiaomi/mimo-v2-pro"
+        assert result["overridden"] is False
+
+    def test_window_boundary_start_inclusive(self):
+        """17:00 is start of window — should override."""
+        result = resolve_cron_model(
+            "xiaomi/mimo-v2-pro",
+            self._config(),
+            now=datetime(2026, 4, 12, 17, 0),
+        )
+        assert result["overridden"] is True
+
+    def test_window_boundary_end_exclusive(self):
+        """22:00 is end of window — should NOT override."""
+        result = resolve_cron_model(
+            "xiaomi/mimo-v2-pro",
+            self._config(),
+            now=datetime(2026, 4, 12, 22, 0),
+        )
+        assert result["overridden"] is False
+
+    def test_midnight_window(self):
+        """Overnight window [22, 6) wraps midnight."""
+        config = self._config(windows=[
+            {"start_hour": 22, "end_hour": 6, "reason": "overnight_instability"},
+        ])
+        # 23:00 — in window
+        result = resolve_cron_model("mimo", config, now=datetime(2026, 4, 12, 23, 0))
+        assert result["overridden"] is True
+        assert "overnight_instability" in result["reason"]
+
+        # 03:00 — in window (past midnight)
+        result = resolve_cron_model("mimo", config, now=datetime(2026, 4, 13, 3, 0))
+        assert result["overridden"] is True
+
+        # 10:00 — outside window
+        result = resolve_cron_model("mimo", config, now=datetime(2026, 4, 12, 10, 0))
+        assert result["overridden"] is False
+
+    def test_per_window_model_override(self):
+        """Window-specific model takes precedence over global fallback."""
+        config = self._config(windows=[
+            {
+                "start_hour": 17,
+                "end_hour": 22,
+                "model": "anthropic/claude-opus-4-6",
+                "provider": "anthropic",
+                "reason": "peak_hours",
+            },
+        ])
+        result = resolve_cron_model("mimo", config, now=datetime(2026, 4, 12, 18, 0))
+        assert result["model"] == "anthropic/claude-opus-4-6"
+        assert result["provider"] == "anthropic"
+
+    def test_first_matching_window_wins(self):
+        """When windows overlap, first match wins."""
+        config = self._config(windows=[
+            {"start_hour": 17, "end_hour": 20, "model": "strong-1", "provider": "p1", "reason": "w1"},
+            {"start_hour": 19, "end_hour": 22, "model": "strong-2", "provider": "p2", "reason": "w2"},
+        ])
+        # 19:00 matches both — first wins
+        result = resolve_cron_model("mimo", config, now=datetime(2026, 4, 12, 19, 0))
+        assert result["model"] == "strong-1"
+
+    def test_no_fallback_model_configured(self):
+        """If no fallback_model, keeps base model even in window."""
+        config = {"enabled": True, "windows": [
+            {"start_hour": 17, "end_hour": 22, "reason": "test"},
+        ]}
+        result = resolve_cron_model("mimo", config, now=datetime(2026, 4, 12, 18, 0))
+        assert result["overridden"] is False
+        assert result["model"] == "mimo"
+
+    def test_malformed_windows_skipped(self):
+        """Non-dict or missing hours in windows are skipped safely."""
+        config = self._config(windows=[
+            "not-a-dict",
+            {"start_hour": 17},  # missing end_hour
+            {"end_hour": 22},    # missing start_hour
+            {"start_hour": "bad", "end_hour": "bad"},
+            {"start_hour": 17, "end_hour": 22, "reason": "valid"},
+        ])
+        result = resolve_cron_model("mimo", config, now=datetime(2026, 4, 12, 18, 0))
+        assert result["overridden"] is True
+        assert "valid" in result["reason"]
+
+    def test_empty_provider_defaults_to_empty(self):
+        """When window has no provider, falls back to global, then empty."""
+        config = self._config(
+            fallback_provider="",
+            windows=[{"start_hour": 17, "end_hour": 22, "reason": "test"}],
+        )
+        result = resolve_cron_model("mimo", config, now=datetime(2026, 4, 12, 18, 0))
+        assert result["provider"] == ""
+
+    def test_multiple_windows_coverage(self):
+        """Two non-overlapping windows cover evening and overnight."""
+        config = self._config(windows=[
+            {"start_hour": 17, "end_hour": 22, "reason": "evening"},
+            {"start_hour": 2, "end_hour": 5, "reason": "overnight"},
+        ])
+        # Evening
+        assert resolve_cron_model("mimo", config, now=datetime(2026, 4, 12, 20, 0))["overridden"] is True
+        # Overnight
+        assert resolve_cron_model("mimo", config, now=datetime(2026, 4, 13, 3, 0))["overridden"] is True
+        # Safe hours
+        assert resolve_cron_model("mimo", config, now=datetime(2026, 4, 12, 10, 0))["overridden"] is False
+        assert resolve_cron_model("mimo", config, now=datetime(2026, 4, 12, 1, 0))["overridden"] is False