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A Formal Model of Communication and Context Awareness in Multiagent Systems

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Abstract

Awareness is a concept that has been frequently studied in the context of Computer Supported Cooperative Work. However, other fields of computer science can benefit from this concept. Recent research in the multi-agent systems field has highlighted the relevance of complex interaction models such as multi-party communication and context awareness for simulation and adaptive systems. In this article, we present a generic interaction model that enables to use these different models in a standardized way. Emerging as a first-order abstraction, the environment, in the sense of a common medium for the agents, is a suitable paradigm to support the agents’ awareness. We present an operational model, called Environment as Active Support of Interaction, to take into account all the agents that can be interested in a communication. This model is then extended for the regulation of multiagent systems interactions. Priority policies are given to manage the rules governing the context (un-)awareness of the agents. We also present a new AUML connector to create protocols that take into account the agent awareness to implement proactive behaviour, and several communication scenarios are proposed to show practical applications of this model.

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Notes

  1. Such as \(=\), \(>\) or \(\subset \), more details on symbolic data operators can be found in Bock and Diday (2000).

  2. Formally, \(f_c\) is a horde, i.e. a conjunction of assertions containing tests on several entities descriptions (Diday 1991).

  3. The Foundation for Intelligent Physical Agents (FIPA) is the main standards organization for agents and multi-agent systems: http://www.fipa.org.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Computer Science, Information Processing and Systems Laboratory (LITIS), INSA-Rouen, Avenue de l’Université - BP8, 76801 , Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray Cedex, France

    Julien Saunier

  2. Henri Fayol Institute/ENS Mines Saint-Etienne, 158 Cours Fauriel, 42023 , Saint-Étienne Cedex, France

    Flavien Balbo

  3. Laboratoire CNRS-Lamsade Place du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, Université Paris Dauphine, 75775 , Paris Cedex 16, France

    Suzanne Pinson

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  1. Julien Saunier
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  2. Flavien Balbo
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Correspondence to Julien Saunier.

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Saunier, J., Balbo, F. & Pinson, S. A Formal Model of Communication and Context Awareness in Multiagent Systems. J of Log Lang and Inf 23, 219–247 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10849-014-9198-8

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