A Distributed Allocation Mechanism for Network Resources Using Software Agents

Functionality of electronic commerce enabling technologies is dependent upon pervasive networks that a large number of applications share. Given the scarcity of network resources, it is imperative to allocate existing resources based on the actual needs of its users. In this paper, we study a two sided matching algorithm that enables such an allocation using tools from matching literature. Network system deploys intelligent agents that negotiate terms of allocation assignments with other intelligent agents that represent the users. We report the time complexity of the algorithm and give an example on how the mechanism performs.     

Pessimistic Optimal Choice for Risk-Averse Agents: The Continuous-Time Limit

We extend Hansen and Sargent’s (Discounted linear exponential quadratic gaussian control, 1994, IEEE Trans Autom Control 40:968–971 1995, 2013) analysis of dynamic optimization with risk-averse agents in two directions. Firstly, following Whittle (Risk-sensitive optimal control, 1990), we show that the optimal risk-averse policy is identified via a pessimistic choice mechanism and described by simple recursive formulae. Secondly, we investigate the continuous-time limit and show that sufficient conditions for the existence of optimal solutions coincide with those which apply under risk-neutrality. Our analysis is conducted both under perfect and imperfect state observation. As an illustrative example, we analyze the optimal production policy of an entrepreneur running a monopolistic firm which faces a demand schedule subject to stochastic shocks, showing that risk-aversion induces her to act more aggressively.     

一种用于软件过程建模的适应性Agent 协商

大多软件过程模型是预定义的.在变化的应用环境中,需要由相应人员进行适应性调整.提出一种用于软件过程建模的适应性多边协商模型—— AMNM-PA,其采用Agent 封装软件过程中所涉及的个体,包含组织、团队、个人等,通过Agent 间的协商动态、适应地建立针对给定软件项目的软件过程模型.AMNM-PA 基于非静态有限阶段Markov 决策过程,采用模型无关的Q 学习算法选取协商策略,因此能够支持动态、非预知环境下的适应性协商,从而满足软件过程建模对环境的适应性需求.AMNM-PA 已经实施于软件过程管理系统——SoftPM.     

A Market–Driven Model for Designing Negotiation Agents

Although there are many extant agent–based systems for negotiation in e–commerce, the negotiation strategies of agents in these systems are mostly static. This article presents a model for designing negotiation agents that make adjustable rates of concession by reacting to changing market situations. To determine the amount of concession for each trading cycle, these market–driven agents are guided by four mathematical functions of eagerness, trading time, trading opportunity , and competition . Trading opportunity is determined by considering: (i) number of trading partners, (ii) spreads —differences in utilities between an agent and its trading partners, and (iii) probability of completing a deal. Competition is determined by the probability that an agent is not considered the most preferred trader by other negotiating parties. Motivated by factors such as corporate policies and resource needs, eagerness represents an agent's desire to complete a deal. Agents with different time sensitivity to deadlines employ different trading strategies by making different rates of concession at different stages of negotiation. In this article, three classes of strategies with respect to remaining trading time are discussed. Theoretical analyses show that market–driven agents are designed to make prudent and appropriate amounts of concession for a given market situation.     

自治Agents的面向服务的协商模型

提出了一个基于自治Agents的面向服务的协商模型。模型主要包括两大模块：首先定义了一系列的战略和战术过程，使得Agents可以产生初始建议，评价对方的建议，以及在此基础上做出反建议；其次，定义了两个层次的Agent通信机制。二者相辅相成，实现了Agents间合作的动态形成和随机协调，使得Agents可以承担因环境的不确定性而需动态协作的复杂任务。     

自动协商中Agents的行为建模

文中提出了一种预测协商中Agent行为的学习机制,该机制的基础是仅使用协商交往中对方的历史响应进行非线性回归分析。自动协商中对方Agent的行为由其决策函数表示的策略决定。先通过一系列的模拟得到对方在采用各种策略和参数配置的响应,然后总结提取了估计对方策略的启发性知识,最后把此知识应用到实验性的在线协商中进行测试。结果表明使用这些知识能够取得比现有决策函数策略更好的结果。该学习机制可以在线使用,也不需要有关于对方的过去知识,在双方不了解或很少了解的开放式系统中尤为有效。     

基于辩论的社会性Agent间的谈判模型

通过对Agent间存在的有关社会性的关键元素进行分析,建立了基于辩论的社会性Agent间的谈判模型,并建立了相关的决策函数;然后通过一个存在于多Agent社会中而具有社会性的Agent间的谈判实例,在假设了相关数据的基础上对模型和决策函数进行了举例计算,分析验证了其有效性,并在对相关的谈判原语作出定义的基础上对此谈判实例的辩论对话过程进行了模拟。     

基于多智能体的虚拟企业环境下自治agent的协商

讨论了基于多智能体(Multi-agent)的虚拟企业环境下自治agent的协商,针对虚拟企业环境下协商的特点,提出了虚拟企业环境下自治agent的协商通用形式化模型,并在模型的基础上给出了一系列协商策略与协商战略.使用这些策略与战略不仅可以帮助agent生成建议与反建议,而且可以帮助agent对收到的建议做出评价,以作为生成反建议或终止协商的依据.     

A Logic-Program-Based Negotiation Mechanism

This paper presents a logic-program-based mechanism of negotiation between two agents.In this mechanism an extended logic program(ELP) is regarded as an agent.The negotiation process between two agents is then modelled as multiple encounters between two ELPs,each of which selects an answer set as its initial demand.Both agents mutually revise the original sets of demands through accepting part of the opponent's demand and/or giving up part of its own demand.The overall dynamics can be regarded as mutual ...     

QoS Negotiation and Renegotiation Based on Mobile Agents

As the Quality of Service （QoS） becomes increasingly important in the Internet development, there are more and more researches focusing on the issues of QoS negotiation. Mobile software agents represent a valid alternative to the implementation of strategies for the negotiation. In this paper, a QoS negotiation and renegotiation system architecture based on mobile agents is proposed. These agents perform the task in the whole process and therefore reduce the network load, overcome latency, and avoid frequent exchange information between clients and server. The simulation results show that it can improve the network resource utility about 10%.     

需求驱动的服务Agent协作及其协商框架

传统的面向服务计算模式通常是包含中央控制结点的集中控制结构,多Agent理论和技术提供了另一种角度看待服务计算,本文将Web看成一种主动服务实体,即服务Agent,服务计算模式演变为一种非集中式的、分布式结构,服务Agent主动发现需求并在需求吸引下聚集,通过功能本体和自动机制设计,得到需求解决方案,形成需求解决方案后,协作方案选择可以被归结为二部图上的0-1整数规划,这是一个NP完全问题,本文给出一种多Agent协商框架,服务请求方和各服务Agent通过有限次协商交互最终达成协议,该协议选定服务Agent解决需求的一种协作方案,通过模拟对协商框架进行验证.     

Software Agents for Environmental Scanning in Electronic Commerce

To properly implement and use electronic commerce systems companies need to evaluate considerable amount of information from their business environment in activities such as environmental scanning. This information is needed both for strategic management and for operational decisions. However, the relevant information may be difficult to find and interpret due to information overload and the fact that the information may be in many locations. Fortunately, most of the information is on the Web (Internet, extranets). To overcome the search problem, especially in large organizations, one should consider the use of software agents. This paper presents an overview for the utilization of such agents today and in the future by describing a prototype system designed for information monitoring and collection from Web sources for the pulp and paper industry. The paper also describes the use of other agents that can supplement the system in specific electronic commerce application areas. Finally, some implementation issues are discussed.     

Software Agents and Their Bodies

Within artificial intelligence and the philosophy of mind,there is considerable disagreement over the relationship between anagent's body and its capacity for intelligent behavior. Some treatthe body as peripheral and tangential to intelligence; others arguethat embodiment and intelligence are inextricably linked. Softwareagents–-computer programs that interact with software environmentssuch as the Internet–-provide an ideal context in which to studythis tension. I develop a computational framework for analyzingembodiment. The framework generalizes the notion of a body beyondmerely having a physical presence. My analysis sheds light oncertain claims made about the relevance of the body to intelligence,as well as on embodiment in software worlds.     

Agents in Electronic Commerce: Component Technologies for Automated Negotiation and Coalition Formation

Automated negotiation and coalition formation among self-interested agents are playing an increasingly important role in electronic commerce. Such agents cannot be coordinated by externally imposing their strategies. Instead the interaction protocols have to be designed so that each agent is motivated to follow the strategy that the protocol designer wants it to follow. This paper reviews six component technologies that we have developed for making such interactions less manipulable and more efficient in terms of the computational processes and the outcomes: 1. OCSM-contracts in marginal cost based contracting, 2. leveled commitment contracts, 3. anytime coalition structure generation with worst case guarantees, 4. trading off computation cost against optimization quality within each coalition, 5. distributing search among insincere agents, and 6. unenforced contract execution. Each of these technologies represents a different way of battling self-interest and combinatorial complexity simultaneously. This is a key battle when multi-agent systems move into large-scale open settings.     

一种开放混合MAS的结构及其协商机制

根据开放混合MAS的特点，提议了一个形式化的结构模型；在此基础上，引入了递归、即插件、系统涨落等思想，采用扩展的形式化描述语言Z a给出了该开放混合MAS的形式化定义；提出了开放混合MAS的合同网方式的协商机制以及针对不同情况的冲突消解策略。     

COLLAGEN: A Collaboration Manager for Software Interface Agents

We have implemented an application-independent collaboration manager, called Collagen, based on the SharedPlan theory of discourse, and used it to build a software interface agent for a simple air travel application. The software agent provides intelligent, mixed initiative assistance without requiring natural language understanding. A key benefit of the collaboration manager is the automatic construction of an interaction history which is hierarchically structured according to the user's and agent's goals and intentions.     

结合协商机制的Web服务属性访问控制模型

针对实现有效Web服务访问控制的问题,提出一种结合协商机制的Web服务属性访问控制模型。该模型基于安全断言标记语言和可扩展访问控制标识语言,利用主体属性和上下文属性的组合限制条件,提供细粒度的访问控制。通过加入协商机制,服务请求者可以与服务提供者相互沟通,在访问请求中动态地调整参数信息以获得访问授权。     

用户自治性在软件Agent设计中的研究

软件Agent是计算机科学研究的热点领域并已成为现代软件系统的特征。随着软件Agent的发展,研究Agent设计的评价标准显得尤为重要。文中讨论了软件Agent的用户自治性标准,提出了用户自治性标准在Agent设计中的定义,探讨了Agent影响用户自治性的几个特征,并在此基础上提出了一个新的软件系统模型。     

一种基于Agent技术的安全能力自动协商机制

适应多安全域环境的安全能力自动协商机制包括了一种基于Agent的安全能力协商模型、适用于该模型的协商Agent和协商流程。该机制中,通过定义安全能力协商描述语言(SanDL)文档,用户可以方便准确地将协商要求和协商策略告知协商Agent,由协商Agent自动完成协商过程。在协商Agent中通过定义通信适配器和一套基本协商原语,使协商Agent的通信接口更加安全、灵活、易于扩展。