Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
DOMAIN INTERFACE DRIVERS
(e.g., Data Storage Access, Information Processing,
Procurement, Real-Time Data Management System)
Decision-
Theoretic
Planner
(Strategist)
External & Internal
Models (Domain-
dependent Procedures)
Context of
Problem
Agent Knowledge Base
Monitor
Incoming/Outgoing
Messages and Procedures
Inter-agent Communication Interface
Agents/Other
Users
Fig. 4.1.
Architecture definition for a domain-independent knowledge-based (a.k.a.
deliberative) agent in Agent-based Flight Operations Associate (AFLOAT)
The external models module maintained global functions that were accessi-
ble to other agents. Both types of models were used to maintain a set of
actions necessary to achieve the agent's goals. The actions were stored as ei-
ther rules or procedures. In AFLOAT, the strategist was implemented as a
Strategy-Schema [
172
] that maintained each agent's subgoals for each request
it received. The problem context descriptor was modeled as a Context-Schema
to hold the features of a specific request, such as attention-focusing informa-
tion, default knowledge, and standing orders. Request-specific procedures were
modeled as Procedure-Schemas.
Behavioral Elements of an Agent in AFLOAT
Each agent in the AFLOAT architecture had six high-level behavior character-
istics similar to Laufmann's “action-oriented” attributes [
103
]. The attributes
or capabilities are:
1.
Autonomy
2.
Learning
