Architecture-Based Design of Multi-Agent Systems

By: Danny Weyns

Write A Review

Hardcover | 9 June 2010

At a Glance

Hardcover
244 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
23.5 x 15.88 x 1.91

Hardcover

$179.00

or 4 interest-free payments of $44.75 with

Ships in 5 to 7 business days

Multi-agent systems are claimed to be especially suited to the development of software systems that are decentralized, can deal flexibly with dynamic conditions, and are open to system components that come and go. This is why they are used in domains such as manufacturing control, automated vehicles, and e-commerce markets.

Danny Weyns' book is organized according to the postulate that "developing multi-agent systems is 95% software engineering and 5% multi-agent systems theory." He presents a software engineering approach for multi-agent systems that is heavily based on software architecture - with, for example, tailored patterns such as "situated agent", "virtual environment", and "selective perception" - and on middleware for distributed coordination - with programming abstractions such as "views" and "roles." Next he shows the feasibility and applicability of this approach with the development of an automated transportation system consisting of a number of automatic guided vehicles transporting loads in an industrial setting.

Weyns puts the development of multi-agent systems into a larger perspective with traditional software engineering approaches. With this, he opens up opportunities to exploit the body of knowledge developed in the multi-agent systems community to tackle some of the difficult challenges of modern-day software systems, such as decentralized control, location-awareness, self-adaption, and large-scale. Thus his book is of interest for both researchers and industrial software engineers who develop applications in areas such as distributed control systems and mobile applications where such requirements are of crucial importance.

Industry Reviews

From the reviews:

"The book renders a comprehensive view upon multi-agent systems from both the theoretical and practical sides. ... The aim of the author, which is fully accomplished, is to offer a handy guide for both software engineers studying the architecture of real-world multi-agent systems and theoreticians looking for an industrial application of the presented concepts. A book many readers with diverse backgrounds will find valuable. It is clearly written based on vast experience and dedication to the field of applied multi-agent systems." (Catalin Stoean, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1204, 2011)

"This volume offers an integrated, coherent guide to architectural tools for designing such real-world systems. ... Due to its clear, accessible engineering approach to designing multiagent systems, this book will be invaluable for industrial practitioners, and essential reading in academic courses in software engineering." (H. Van Dyke Parunak, ACM Computing Reviews, November, 2011)

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.

Defective items

If there is a problem with any of the items received for your order then the Booktopia Customer Care team is ready to assist you.

For more info please visit our Help Centre.

You Can Find This Book In

Non-Fiction Computing & I.T.Computer Science Computer Architecture & Logic Design Computer Programming & Software Development Software Engineering Engineering & Technology Mechanical Engineering & Materials Production & Industrial Engineering Systems Analysis & Design Technology in General Engineering in General

Technical Design Artificial Intelligence Expert Systems & Knowledge-Based Systems

Other Editions and Formats

Paperback

Published: 23rd September 2014

View Product

Introduction	p. 1
Software Architecture and Middleware	p. 1
Software Architecture	p. 2
Middleware	p. 3
Agent-Oriented Methodologies	p. 4
Case Study	p. 5
Overview of the Book	p. 6
Overview of Architecture-Based Design of Multi-Agent Systems	p. 9
General Overview of the Approach	p. 9
Architectural Design in the Development Life Cycle	p. 9
Steps of Architecture-Based Design of Multi-Agent Systems	p. 11
Functional and Quality Attribute Requirements	p. 12
Architectural Design	p. 14
Architectural Patterns	p. 14
ADD Process	p. 16
Middleware Support for Multi-Agent Systems	p. 17
Documenting Software Architecture	p. 17
Architectural Views	p. 18
Architectural Description Languages	p. 19
Evaluating Software Architecture	p. 20
From Software Architecture to Downstream Design and Implementation	p. 23
Summary	p. 24
Capturing Expertise in Multi-Agent System Engineering with Architectural Patterns	p. 27
Situated Multi-Agent Systems	p. 28
Single-Agent Systems	p. 28
Multi-Agent Systems	p. 30
Target Domain of the Pattern Language for Situated Multi-Agent Systems	p. 32
Overview of the Pattern Language	p. 33
Pattern Template	p. 34
Virtual Environment	p. 35
Primary Presentation	p. 35
Architectural Elements	p. 35
Interface Descriptions	p. 37
Design Rationale	p. 38
Situated Agent	p. 39
Primary Presentation	p. 39
Architectural Elements	p. 39
Interface Descriptions	p. 41
Design Rationale	p. 41
Selective Perception	p. 43
Primary Presentation	p. 43
Architectural Elements	p. 43
Interface Descriptions	p. 44
Design Rationale	p. 44
Roles and Situated Commitments	p. 45
Primary Presentation	p. 45
Architectural Elements	p. 45
Design Rationale	p. 47
Free-Flow Trees Extended with Roles and Situated Commitments	p. 47
Protocol-Based Communication	p. 50
Primary Presentation	p. 50
Architectural Elements	p. 50
Interface Descriptions	p. 52
Design Rationale	p. 52
Summary	p. 53
Architectural Design of Multi-Agent Systems	p. 55
Designing and Documenting Multi-Agent System Architectures	p. 55
Designing and Documenting Architecture in the Development Life Cycle	p. 56
Inputs and Outputs of ADD	p. 57
Overview of the ADD Activities	p. 57
Case Study	p. 58
The Domain of Automated Transportation Systems	p. 58
Business Case	p. 60
System Requirements	p. 61
General Overview of the Design	p. 63
Challenges at the Outset	p. 64
The System and Its Environment	p. 65
Design Process	p. 67
Design Rationale	p. 68
High-Level Design	p. 69
Architecture Documentation	p. 75
Introduction to the Architecture Documentation	p. 75
Deployment View	p. 76
Module Uses View	p. 79
Collaborating Components View	p. 83
Summary	p. 92
Middleware for Distributed Multi-Agent Systems	p. 93
Middleware Support for Distributed, Decentralized Coordination	p. 93
Middleware in Distributed Software Systems	p. 94
Middleware in Multi-Agent Systems	p. 95
Case Study	p. 96
Scope of the Middleware and Requirements	p. 96
Objectplaces	p. 97
Views	p. 99
Coordination Roles	p. 103
Middleware Architecture	p. 106
High-Level Module Decomposition	p. 106
Group Formation	p. 109
View Management	p. 111
Role Activation	p. 113
Collision Avoidance in the AGV Transportation System	p. 114
Collision Avoidance	p. 114
Collision Avoidance Protocol	p. 115
Software Architecture: Communicating Processes for Collision Avoidance	p. 119
Summary	p. 122
Task Assignment	p. 123
Schedule-Based Task Assignment	p. 124
FiTA: Field-Based Task Assignment	p. 124
Coordination Fields	p. 125
Adaptive Task Assignment	p. 127
Software Architecture	p. 127
Dealing With Local Minima	p. 130
DynCNET Protocol	p. 131
Adaptive Task Assignment	p. 132
Monitoring the Area of Interest	p. 135
Convergence	p. 137
Synchronization Issues	p. 137
Evaluation	p. 137
Test Setting	p. 137
Test Results	p. 139
Tradeoff Analysis	p. 144
Summary	p. 147
Evaluation of Multi-Agent System Architectures	p. 149
Evaluating Multi-Agent System Architectures with ATAM	p. 149
Architecture Evaluation in the Development Life Cycle	p. 150
Objectives of a Multi-Agent System Architecture Evaluation	p. 151
Overview of the ATAM Activities	p. 151
Case Study	p. 152
AGV Transportation System for a Tea Processing Warehouse	p. 153
Evaluation Process	p. 153
Quality Attribute Workshop	p. 155
Analysis of Architectural Approaches	p. 156
Reflection on ATAM for Evaluating a Multi-Agent System Architecture	p. 161
ATAM Follow-Up and Demonstrator	p. 163
Summary	p. 163
Related Approaches	p. 165
Architectural Approaches and Multi-Agent Systems	p. 165
Architectural Styles	p. 165
Reference Models and Architectures for Multi-Agent Systems	p. 168
Middleware for Mobile Systems	p. 172
Work Related to Views	p. 172
Work Related to Coordination Roles	p. 174
Scheduling and Routing of AGV Transportation Systems	p. 177
AI and Robotics Approaches	p. 177
Multi-Agent System Approaches	p. 178
Conclusions	p. 181
Reflection on Architecture-Based Design of Multi-Agent Systems	p. 181
It Works!	p. 181
Reflection on the Project with Egemin	p. 183
Lessons Learned and Challenges	p. 185
Dealing with Quality Attributes	p. 185
Designing a Multi-Agent System Architecture	p. 185
Integrating a Multi-Agent System with Its Software Environment	p. 186
Impact of Adopting a Multi-Agent System	p. 187
¿-ADL Specification of the Architectural Patterns	p. 189
Language Constructs	p. 189
Virtual Environment Pattern	p. 190
Situated Agent Pattern	p. 194
Synchronization in the DynCNET Protocol	p. 199
Synchronization of Abort and Bound Messages	p. 199
Synchronization of Scope Dynamics	p. 201
Collision Avoidance Protocol	p. 203
Overview	p. 203
Invariant	p. 204
Maintaining the Invariant	p. 205
Glossary	p. 209
References	p. 213
Index	p. 223
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Architecture-Based Design of Multi-Agent Systems

At a Glance

Hardcover

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

Other Editions and Formats

Paperback

More in Systems Analysis & Design

Effective Modern C++

42 Specific Ways to Improve Your Use of C++11 And C++14

Site Reliability Engineering

How Google Runs Production Systems

Fundamentals of Software Architecture

A Modern Engineering Approach

DAMA-DMBOK

Data Management Body of Knowledge: 2nd Edition, Revised

Artificial Intelligence for HR

Use AI to Support and Develop a Successful Workforce

Systems Analysis and Design

12th edition

The Software Architect Elevator

Redefining the Architect's Role in the Digital Enterprise

Algorithms in C, Parts 1-4

3rd Edition - Fundamentals, Data Structures, Sorting, Searching

Business Driven Information Systems ISE

9th Edition

Domain-Driven Transformation

Modernize Legacy Systems and Mitigate Risk

Learning Systems Thinking

Essential Non-Linear Skills and Practices for Software Professionals

Head First Software Architecture

A Learner's Guide to Architectural Thinking

Cloud Native Application Protection Platforms

A Guide to CNAPPs and the Foundations of Comprehensive Cloud Security

Rust Atomics and Locks

Low-Level Concurrency in Practice

Refactoring 2ed

Improving the Design of Existing Code

Fundamentals of Software Engineering

From Coder to Engineer

Fundamentals of DevOps and Software Delivery

A Hands-On Guide to Deploying and Managing Software in Production

Technology Strategy Patterns

Analyzing and Communicating Architectural Decisions

Raspberry Pi Cookbook, 4E

Software and Hardware Problems and Solutions

Mastering API Architecture

Defining, Connecting, and Securing Distributed Systems and Microservices

Data Mesh

Delivering Data-Driven Value at Scale

UX For Beginners

A Crash Course in 100 Short Lessons

Coexistence and Coevolution of Humans and Intelligent, Adaptive Environments

Coexistence and Coevolution of Humans and Intelligent, Adaptive Environments

This product is categorised by