Compositional design and verification of a multi-agent system for one-to-many negotiation

Abstract

A compositional verification method for multi-agent systems is presented and applied to a multi-agent system for one-to-many negotiation in the domain of load balancing of electricity use. Advantages of the method are that the complexity of the verification process is managed by compositionality, and that parts of the proofs can be reused in relation to reuse of components. ' ât', N'>N state UA (M , t', output(UA)) ° round(N') ' êU', t' > t state DB (M , t', output(DB)) • predicted_overuse(U',N) DB2. Overuse prediction monotonicity The component Determine Balance satisfies overuse prediction monotonicity if the following holds: if based on received cut-downs CD CA for each Customer Agent CA, a predicted overuse U is generated by DB, and based on received cut-downs CD' CA for each Customer Agent CA, a predicted overuse U' is generated by DB, then CD CA ≤ CD' CA, for all CA implies U' ≤ U. â M£Traces(DB) â t , t', N, N', C, U0, U, U' state DB (M , t, input(DB)) • predicted_use(U0) & â CA [ state DB (M , t, input(DB)) • cutdown_from(CD CA, CA, N) & state DB (M , t', input(DB)) • cutdown_from(CD' CA, CA, N') & CD CA ≤ CD' CA ] & state DB (M , t, output(DB)) • predicted_overuse(U, N) & state DB (M , t', output(DB)) • predicted_overuse(U', N') ' U' ≤ U Note that in this property the monotonicity is not meant over time, but for the functional relation between input and output of DB.

Representing Agent Interaction Protocols in UML

“…The extensive program underway at the Free University of Amsterdam on compositional methodologies for requirements [11], design [4], and verification [14] uses graphical representations with strong links to UML's collaboration diagrams, as well as linear (formulaic) notations better suited to alignment with UML's metamodel than with the graphical mechanisms that are our focus. Our discussion of the compositionality of protocols is anticipated in the work of Burmeister et al [7], though our notation differs widely from hers.…”

“…The UML model semantics are represented by a metamodel whose structure is also formally defined by OCL syntax. OCL and the metamodel offer resources to capture the kinds of logical specifications anticipated in (for example) [4,11,14,15,16,28], but space does not permit exploring this use of UML in this paper.…”

Compositional Verification of Multi-Agent Systems: a Formal Analysis of Pro-activeness and Reactiveness

“…(Brazier, Dunin-Keplicz, Jennings, Treur, 1995) for a case study illustrating the use of DESIRE, and (Brazier, Jonker and Treur, 1998) for an overview of the principles behind DESIRE. In DESIRE, a design consist of knowledge of the following three types:…”

“…The development of structured modelling frameworks and principled design methods tuned to the specific area of multi-agent systems is currently underway; e.g., (Brazier, Dunin-Keplicz, Jennings and Treur, 1995;Fisher and Wooldridge, 1997;Kinny, Georgeff and Rao, 1996). As part of any mature multi-agent system design method, a verification approach is required.…”

Agents negotiating for load balancing of electricity use

“…More information on the compositional development method for multi-agent systems DESIRE that was used can be found at [URL1]. In [2] the compositional verification method for multi-agent systems introduced in [7] is used to verify the multi-agent system discussed in this paper as part of the design process. A multi-agent approach to load management in which different negotiation strategies can be modelled and analysed has a great potential.…”