A theoretical framework for the conception of agency

In the field of distributed artificial intelligence, the cooperation among intelligent agents is a matter of growing importance. We propose a new machine, called agency, which is devoted to solve complex problems by means of cooperation among agents, where each agent is able to perform inferential activities. The aim of the paper is to give rigorous and formal descriptions of agency and, using the descriptions, to define and prove some interesting properties. The descriptions are based on three formalisms: multilanguage systems, directed hypergraphs, ER Petri nets. The work is a step in the direction of building a methodology for the project and the development of systems operating in real-world applications. We give a theoretical background on which new techniques can be implemented for testing the requirements of systems of distributed artificial intelligence such as agencies. The fundamental formalism in describing agencies is multilanguage system; starting from it we capture some particular issues (i.e. structure and evolution of an agency) by means of hypergraphs and ER Petri nets. The formalisms support the definition and proof of properties (such as fairness of cooperation among agents).

[1]  Randall Steeb,et al.  Strategies of Cooperation in Distributed Problem Solving , 1983, IJCAI.

[2]  Fausto Giunchiglia,et al.  Multilanguage hierarchical logics (or: how we can do without modal logics) , 1994, CNKBS.

[3]  Giorgio Gallo,et al.  Directed Hypergraphs and Applications , 1993, Discret. Appl. Math..

[4]  H. Penny Nii,et al.  Blackboard systems: the blackboard model of problem solving and the evolution of blackboard architectures , 1995 .

[5]  Wolfgang Reisig,et al.  Petri Nets , 1985, EATCS Monographs on Theoretical Computer Science.

[6]  Kurt Konolige.  A Deductive Model of Belief , 1983, IJCAI.

[7]  Les Gasser,et al.  The integration of computing and routine work , 1986, TOIS.

[8]  Reid G. Smith,et al.  The Contract Net Protocol: High-Level Communication and Control in a Distributed Problem Solver , 1980, IEEE Transactions on Computers.

[9]  Penny Nii,et al.  Blackboard systems part two: Blackboard application systems , 1986 .

[10]  Laurent Perrussel,et al.  Contextual Reasoning , 1998, ECAI.

[11]  Jay R. Galbraith.  Designing Complex Organizations , 1973 .

[12]  Jeffrey S. Rosenschein,et al.  Deals Among Rational Agents , 1985, IJCAI.

[13]  Edmund H. Durfee,et al.  Trends in Cooperative Distributed Problem Solving , 1989, IEEE Trans. Knowl. Data Eng..

[14]  Carl Hewitt,et al.  Offices are open systems , 1986, TOIS.

[15]  Murray S. Mazer,et al.  Reasoning about knowledge to understand distributed AI systems , 1991, IEEE Trans. Syst. Man Cybern..

[16]  Multilanguage systems , 1991 .

[17]  C. Berge,et al.  Minimax Theorems for Normal Hypergraphs and Balanced Hypergraphs — A Survey , 1984 .

[18]  Keith S. Decker,et al.  Distributed problem-solving techniques: A survey , 1987, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics.

[19]  Victor Lesser,et al.  Multistage negotiation in distributed planning , 1988 .

[20]  A. Bonato,et al.  Graphs and Hypergraphs , 2021, Clustering.

[21]  Moshe Tennenholtz,et al.  On Cooperation in a Multi-Entity Model , 1989, IJCAI.

[22]  Randall Davis,et al.  Frameworks for Cooperation in Distributed Problem Solving , 1988, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics.

[23]  Kurt Konolige,et al.  Ascribing Plans to Agents , 1989, IJCAI.

[24]  Daniel D. Corkill,et al.  Hierarchical Planning in a Distributed Environment , 1979, IJCAI.

[25]  Edmund H. Durfee,et al.  Coordination of distributed problem solvers , 1988 .

[26]  Edmund H. Durfee,et al.  Coherent Cooperation Among Communicating Problem Solvers , 1987, IEEE Transactions on Computers.

[27]  Peter Radford,et al.  Petri Net Theory and the Modeling of Systems , 1982 .

[28]  Ugo Montanari,et al.  Liveness properties as convergence in metric spaces , 1984, STOC '84.

[29]  G. Reeke.  The society of mind , 1991 .

[30]  Reid G. Smith,et al.  A framework for problem solving in a distributed processing environment , 1978 .

[31]  Carlo Ghezzi,et al.  A Unified High-Level Petri Net Formalism for Time-Critical Systems , 1991, IEEE Trans. Software Eng..

[32]  Michael P. Georgeff,et al.  A Theory of Action for MultiAgent Planning , 1984, AAAI.

[33]  Edmund H. Durfee,et al.  Using Partial Global Plans to Coordinate Distributed Problem Solvers , 1987, IJCAI.

[34]  Reid G. Smith,et al.  A Framework for Distributed Problem Solving , 1979, IJCAI.

[35]  Ugo Montanari,et al.  Concurrent Histories: A Basis for Observing Distributed Systems , 1987, J. Comput. Syst. Sci..

[36]  Claude Berge,et al.  Hypergraphs - combinatorics of finite sets , 1989, North-Holland mathematical library.

[37]  Victor R. Lesser,et al.  Functionally Accurate, Cooperative Distributed Systems , 1988, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics.

[38]  Randall Davis,et al.  Negotiation as a Metaphor for Distributed Problem Solving , 1988, Artif. Intell..