MULTI-AGENTSYSTEMS.pptVIP

MULTI-AGENT SYSTEMS BASIC CONCEPTS Multi-Agent Systems NOTE: 1. The following draws significantly from the text: O’Hare, G.M.P. and Jennings, N.R., “Foundations of Distributed Artificial Intelligence”, John Wiley, 1996. 2. References cited in the following sections, unless otherwise indicated, may be found in that volume. 3. Unless otherwise indicated, quotations are from this source. Multi-Agent Systems COORDINATION Coordination is a mechanism for ensuring that agents’ activities retain some desired relationship/s (sequence, complementarity, etc.). Control is the extent to which coordination information must be implemented by a recipient agent. The range of control is from none to total. Control is inversely related to autonomy (for the recipient agent, no control corresponds to total autonomy, and being totally controlled corresponds to zero autonomy. Multi-Agent Systems The fundamental coordination mechanisms are: - Mutual adjustment Agents share information and resources to achieve a common goal, adjusting their behaviour according to the behaviour of the other agents. No agent has prior control and decision making is joint. Coordination in peer groups and markets is usually by mutual adjustment. - Direct supervision One agent has some degree of control over others and can control information, resources, and behaviour. Often established through mutual adjustment (e.g. following acceptance of employment or a contract). Multi-Agent Systems - Coordination by standardization Standard procedures are established for agents to follow. In mutual adjustment, are implemented by acceptance. In direct supervision, are implemented through (mandatory) requests. - Mediated coordination A mediator acts as a facilitator (e.g. finds/routes information, etc.), a broker (a ‘go-between’ and advisor on resource negotiations, etc.), and a supervisor (exercising some degree of direct supervision).