Cooperative agents-based decentralised and scalable approach for complex task allocation pro massive multi-agent system. (1st January 2011)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Brahmi, Zaki; Gammoudi, Mohamed Mohsen
• Is Part Of: International journal of intelligent information and database systems. Volume 5:Number 5(2011)
• Page Start: 431
• Page End: 451
• Publication Date: 2011-01-01
• Subjects: task allocation -- massive multi-agents system -- MMAS -- formal concepts analysis -- FCA -- organisation; Database management -- Computer programs -- Periodicals; Information retrieval -- Computer programs -- Periodicals; Information storage and retrieval systems -- Computer programs -- Periodicals; Artificial intelligence -- Periodicals; Expert systems (Computer science) -- Periodicals; Intelligent agents (Computer software) -- Periodicals; 006.33
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-5858

Abstract

A major challenge in the field of multi-agent systems is to enable autonomous agents to allocate tasks efficiently. In the context of massive multi-agents system (MMAS) which is characterised by a large number of dynamic and heterogeneous agents, traditional tasks allocations approaches based on the negotiation between agents, or a single allocator agent, proved impracticality. In this paper, we propose a decentralised and scalable approach for complex task allocation pro cooperative MMAS. Our approach is based on the idea of grouping agents according to their capacities to execute sub-tasks. Thus, the approach is based on two steps: 1 hierarchical organisation of agent groups using Galois sub-hierarchy, imminent from the formal concepts analysis approach (FCA) 2 computing the optimal allocation. These two steps are fully distributed among agents with the minimum of communication and a grant of finding the optimal allocation in a polynomial time. Further, this paper extends our last approach by distributing the global allocation process among all agents. It provides a solution based on cooperation among agents. This solution prohibits generation of conflicts. It is based on the idea that each agent has to pick out its own sub-task.