Conflict detection during plan integration for multi-agent systems

This paper describes techniques developed for conflict detection during pla n integration. Agents' intensions are represented with intended goal struct ure (IGS) and the E-PERT1 diagrams. Conflicts are classified as goal, plan, and belief conflicts. Before integrating individual plans and detecting pl an conflicts, agents first detect and eliminate their goal conflicts by exc hanging their IGS. Plan integration is done through merging individual E-PE RT diagrams. Project estimation and review technique (PERT) diagrams have b een used extensively in the systems analysis area since the 1980s to provid e a global consistent view of parallel activities within a project. We exte nded the PERT diagrams for use in the plan integration activity within mult i-agent systems (MAS). The E-PERT diagram contributes to maintain traceable temporal relations among agents' local scheduled actions. Combined with pa ttern matching, plan conflicts due to resource sharing, or conflicting cond itions (i.e., postconditions of one action disabling preconditions of anoth er action) can be detected. The conflict detection techniques are implement ed in a sensible agent testbed to promote deployment and performance analys is.