Protocol Moderators as Active Middle-Agents in Multi-Agent Systems

  • Authors:

  • Chihab Hanachi;Christophe Sibertin-Blanc

  • Affiliations:

  • University Toulouse I/ IRIT, Place Anatole France, 31042 Toulouse Cedex, France hanachi@univ-tlse1.fr;University Toulouse I/ IRIT, Place Anatole France, 31042 Toulouse Cedex, France sibertin@univ-tlse1.fr

  • Venue:
  • Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems
  • Year:
  • 2004

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Abstract

Interaction protocols are widely recognized as an essential mechanism for coordination within multi-agent systems. There is thus a need for coordination models for specifying, validating, and implementing protocols, possibly open and concurrent, efficiently and reliably. This paper proposes such a model, which considers protocols as resources and each conversation among agents following the rules of a protocol as a well-identified process. To this end, a new kind of middle-agent, called Moderator, is introduced. A Moderator is in charge of monitoring a conversation so that it progresses according to the protocol rules, and provides agents with services to ease their involvement in the conversation. This model fits the organization-centered view of multi-agent systems as it strictly distinguishes the agent-level and the organization-level concerns with regard to interaction. In addition, the paper shows that this model is supported by a High-Level Petri Net language that covers all the steps of protocol engineering: design, validation, implementation. This paper presents this Moderator Coordination Model along four related dimensions: a conceptual model of protocols, a MAS architecture, a suitable modeling formalism, and an associated development process.