Petri Net-Based Cooperation In Multi-Agent Systems (original) (raw)
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We present a formal framework for robotic cooperation in which we use an extension to Petri nets, known as workflow nets, to establish a protocol among mobile agents based on the task coverage they maintain. Our choice is motivated by the fact that Petri nets handle concurrency and that goal reachability, or soundness, can be theoretically established. In particular, we
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2008
The aim of this paper is to describe a novel representation framework for high level robot and multi-robot programming, called Petri Net Plans (PNP), that allows for representing all the action features that are needed for describing complex plans in dynamic environments. We provide a sound and complete execution algorithm for PNPs based on the semantics of Petri nets. Moreover, we show that multi-robot PNPs allow for a sound and complete distributed execution algorithm, given that a reliable communication channel is provided. PNPs have been used for describing effective plans for actual robotic agents which inhabit dynamic, partially observable and unpredictable environments, and experimented in different application scenarios.
Synchronized Petri Net: A Formal Specification Model for Multi Agent Systems
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This paper proposes a formal model for specifying multi agent systems, named SyPN (for Synchronized Petri Net). This model allows the specification of various kinds of agent-based systems' behaviors, such as individual and collective behaviors. SyPN is an extension of Recursive Petri net allowing synchronization of several nets. In fact, SyPN borrows the specification of dynamic processes from Recursive Petri net and introduces several valuable concepts that enable concise multi agent system specifications, such as: typed places, transitions and tokens, synchronization points, synchronization condition, synchronization relation and binding function. We illustrate our approach by two case studies of remote interactions between agents.
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29th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, 1990
A Petri net model of the coordination level of an intelligent mobile robot system (IMRS) is presented. The purpose of this model is to specify the integration of the individual efforts on path planning, supervisory motion control, and vision system that are necessary for the autonomous operation of the mobile robot in a structured dynamic environment. This is achieved by analytically modeling the various units of the system as Petri net transducers and, explicitly representing the task precedence and information dependence among them. The model can also be used to simulate the task processing and evaluate the efficiency of operations and the responsibility of decisions in the coordination level of the intelligent mobile robot system. Some simulations results of the task processing and learning are presented in the paper.
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Methodology of Designing Multi-agent Robot Control Systems Utilising Hierarchical Petri Nets
2019 International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2019
A robot system is designed as a set of embodied agents. An embodied agent is decomposed into cooperating subsystems. In our previous work activities of subsystems were defined by hierarchical finite state machines. With their states activities were associated. In that approach communication between subsystems was treated as an implementation issue. This paper represents activities of a robot system using hierarchical Petri nets with conditions. Such net is created by specifying consecutive layers: multi-agent robot system layer, agent layer, subsystem layer, behaviour layer and communication layer. This decomposition not only organizes in a systematic manner the development of a robot system, but also introduces a comprehensive description of concurrently acting subsystems. Based on those theoretical considerations, a tool was created for producing hierarchical Petri nets defining the model of a robotic system and enabling automatic generation of the robot controller code, resulting in a significant acceleration of the implementation phase. The capabilities of the tool are presented by the development of a robot controller performing a rudimentary task.
Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems, 2011
The aim of this paper is to describe a novel representation framework for high level robot and multi-robot programming, called Petri Net Plans (PNP), that allows for representing all the action features that are needed for describing complex plans in dynamic environments. We provide a sound and complete execution algorithm for PNPs based on the semantics of Petri nets. Moreover, we show that multi-robot PNPs allow for a sound and complete distributed execution algorithm, given that a reliable communication channel is provided. PNPs have been used for describing effective plans for actual robotic agents which inhabit dynamic, partially observable and unpredictable environments, and experimented in different application scenarios.
Workflow-Net Based Cooperative Multi-Agent Systems
2011
Workflow-nets are mathematical frameworks that are used to formally describe, model and implement workflows. First, we propose critical section workflow nets (abbreviated WFCS net). This framework allows feedbacks in workflow systems while ensuring the soundness of the workflow. Feedback is generally not recommended in workflow systems as they threaten the soundness of the system. The proposed WFCS net allows safe feedback and limits the maximum number of activities per workflow as required. A Theorem for soundness of WFCS net is presented. Serializability, Separability, Quasi-liveness and CS-Properties of WFCS net are examined and some Theorems and Lemmas are proposed to mathematically formalize them. In this Thesis, we define some formal constructs that we then build upon. We define the smallest formal sub-workflow that we call a unit. We propose some mathematical characteristics for the unit and show how it can be used. We study similarities between units and whether two units can be used interchangeably or not. We then use composites out of simple units to build more complex constructs and we study their properties. We define the concept of cooperation and propose a mathematical definition of the concept. We discuss the concept of task coverage and how it affects cooperation. We claim that task coverage is necessary for any task to be achieved and therefore, a necessity for cooperation. We use mathematical methods to determine the task coverage and the candidate cooperative partners based on their capabilities that can contribute to the desired task. Workflow-net based cooperative behaviour among agents is proposed. First, we propose a cooperative algebra, which takes the desired objective of cooperation as a plan and then transforms this plan into a workflow-net structure describing dependencies and concurrency among sub-workflow elements constituting the overall plan. Our proposed coopiii erative algebra converts the plan into a set of matrices that model the cooperative workflow among agents. We then propose a cooperative framework with operators that assign tasks to agents based on their capabilities to achieve the required task.
Strategies for Multi-agent Coordination in a Grid World Using Petri Nets
2005
In this work, we describe strategies for multi-agent coordination, where adequate coordination means a system performance increase. In the main strategy, when an agent cannot perform an action, for whatever reason, it chooses the agent more capable in the environment to execute this action. All the specification of the multi-agent system, from the social strategy to the actions in the environment, is made using a particular Petri Net model. The results show the strategy efficacy especially when the environment increases the necessity for a reaction.
Fault Tolerance Multi Agent co-ordination:A petri net based approach
Ijca Proceedings on International Conference on Recent Advances and Future Trends in Information Technology, 2012
As technology shifts from centralized computing to distributed computing and then to ubiquitous computing, the users are more dependent on the computer system for task delegation. Here autonomous agent and Multi Agent System (MAS) plays an important role to perform the task delegated by the user. As the fault in MAS is not-deterministic in nature, so designing fault tolerant MAS is a challenging research area. Here we propose a dynamic fault tolerant MAS interaction protocol. We model the proposed protocol using a high level Petri net. The model is analyzed to check the fault tolerance capability in different fault tolerant situation of the system.