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An architecture for cooperating constraint solvers on reals

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Constraint Programming: Basics and Trends (TCS School 1994)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 910))

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Abstract

In this paper we introduce a cooperative scheme for solving systems of constraints over the reals. First, we informally show how an appropriate combination of symbolic and numeric solvers makes it possible to solve problems that none of these solvers can tackle alone. Then, we specify a cooperative architecture which allows to use concurrently heterogeneous solvers when handling constraints over the reals. This architecture is based upon agents that communicate via asynchronous message passing. Agent are synchronized when a failure or a success occurs. Disjunctive constraints are handled by backtracking. Operational semantics and terminating conditions of such systems are discussed. Message processing is detailed for both the general case where several non-deterministic solvers are involved in the cooperation, and for more specialized architectures.

Philippe Marti has implemented the prototype and we have had many constructive discussions. Thanks to Patrice Boizumault, Olivier Lhomme, Christine Solnon and Dan Vlasie for their careful reading of the different versions of the paper and for their helpful comments.

Thanks: Philippe Marti has implemented the prototype and we have had many constructive discussions. Thanks to Patrice Boizumault, Olivier Lhomme, Christine Solnon and Dan Vlasie for their careful reading of the different versions of the paper and for their helpful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. I3S, UNSA / CNRS, Route des Colles, B.P. 145, 06903, Sophia Antipolis Cedex, France

    Michel Rueher

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  1. Michel Rueher
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Andreas Podelski

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© 1995 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Rueher, M. (1995). An architecture for cooperating constraint solvers on reals. In: Podelski, A. (eds) Constraint Programming: Basics and Trends. TCS School 1994. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 910. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-59155-9_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-59155-9_13

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-59155-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-49200-9

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