Cooperative distributed problem solver
First Claim
1. A distributed problem solving apparatus, comprising:
- a communications network for passing messages between computers connected thereto; and
first and second computers, coupled to said communications network, said first computer comprising a first agent, said second computer comprising a second agent, wherein said first agent comprises;
first problem-solving means for solving a problem requiring execution of a first plurality of tasks;
first problem solving management means, coupled to said first problem-solving means, for managing information which defines dependencies among said first plurality of tasks;
first transmission means for transmitting to said second agent information regarding tasks which may be executed by said first agent; and
first receiving means for receiving from said second agent information regarding tasks which may be executed by said second agent; and
wherein said second agent comprises;
second problem-solving means for solving a problem requiring execution of a second plurality of tasks;
second problem solving management means, coupled to said second problem-solving means, for managing information which defines dependencies among said second plurality of tasks;
second transmission means for transmitting to said first agent information regarding tasks which may be executed by said second agent; and
second receiving means for receiving from said first agent information regarding tasks which may be executed by said first agent.
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Abstract
Each of a plurality of agents includes a self-information management section for managing information associated with the self-agent, an information exchanging section for exchanging the information associated with the self-agent and pieces of information associated with the remaining agents, a problem solving information selecting section for selecting information associated with a problem solving operation of the self-agent from the pieces of information, associated with the remaining agents, which is output from the information exchanging section, and a problem solving information management section for managing the information managed by the self-information management section and the information selected by the problem solving information selecting section. Each agent exchanges information associated with itself and information associated with the remaining agents so that each agent can use pieces of management information associated with the remaining agents which are required to select cooperative agents required to solve a problem held by each agent. Therefore, the communication amount between the respective agents in selection of cooperative agents can be reduced. In addition, concentration of load on a specific agent can be prevented, and hence the influence of a defective agent on the remaining agents can be reduced.
78 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A distributed problem solving apparatus, comprising:
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a communications network for passing messages between computers connected thereto; and first and second computers, coupled to said communications network, said first computer comprising a first agent, said second computer comprising a second agent, wherein said first agent comprises; first problem-solving means for solving a problem requiring execution of a first plurality of tasks; first problem solving management means, coupled to said first problem-solving means, for managing information which defines dependencies among said first plurality of tasks; first transmission means for transmitting to said second agent information regarding tasks which may be executed by said first agent; and first receiving means for receiving from said second agent information regarding tasks which may be executed by said second agent; and wherein said second agent comprises; second problem-solving means for solving a problem requiring execution of a second plurality of tasks; second problem solving management means, coupled to said second problem-solving means, for managing information which defines dependencies among said second plurality of tasks; second transmission means for transmitting to said first agent information regarding tasks which may be executed by said second agent; and second receiving means for receiving from said first agent information regarding tasks which may be executed by said first agent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification