Algorithms and Ordering Heuristics for Distributed Constraint Satisfaction Problems [Hardcover]

DisCSP (Distributed Constraint Satisfaction Problem) is a general framework for solving distributed problems arising in Distributed Artificial Intelligence.

A wide variety of problems in artificial intelligence are solved using the constraint satisfaction problem paradigm. However, there are several applications in multi-agent coordination that are of a distributed nature. In this type of application, the knowledge about the problem, that is, variables and constraints, may be logically or geographically distributed among physical distributed agents. This distribution is mainly due to privacy and/or security requirements. Therefore, a distributed model allowing a decentralized solving process is more adequate to model and solve such kinds of problem. The distributed constraint satisfaction problem has such properties.

PREFACE ix

INTRODUCTION xiii

PART 1. BACKGROUND ON CENTRALIZED AND DISTRIBUTED CONSTRAINT REASONING 1

CHAPTER 1. CONSTRAINT SATISFACTION PROBLEMS 3

1.1. Centralized constraint satisfaction problems 3

1.3. Summary 28

CHAPTER 2. DISTRIBUTED CONSTRAINT SATISFACTION PROBLEMS 29

2.1. Distributed constraint satisfaction problems 29

2.2. Methods for solving DisCSPs 36

2.3. Summary 47

PART 2. SYNCHRONOUS SEARCH ALGORITHMS FOR DISCSPS 49

CHAPTER 3. NOGOOD-BASED ASYNCHRONOUS FORWARD CHECKING (AFC-NG) 51

3.1. Introduction 51

3.2. Nogood-based asynchronous forward checking 53

3.3. Correctness proofs 59

3.4. Experimental evaluation 60

3.5. Summary 68