Mirko Viroli, Alessandro Ricci

Constrasting the standard framework based on agent-to-agent direct communication, in this paper we focus on agent interaction with the environment. In particular, the environment is seen as populated by ~coordination artifacts~, automatising coordination tasks and mediating agent interaction. As a semantic framework for this context we propose operating instructions, which the agent reads and interprets to become aware of the allowed actions and perceptions at a given time, and the MAS infrastructure can exploit to enforce correct agent behaviours and detect wrong ones. This allows us to conceptually handle a number of crucial aspects related to agent interaction, including interaction protocols, timing properties — such as delays and timeouts —, and a notion of contract featuring violation and guarantees.

Formally, our framework is based on a process algebra featuring (i) explicit connection between action and its related perceptions, (ii) a time-based branch operator, (iii) violation and guarantee deadlock states, and (iv) association of mental properties to interactions.

Keywords: artifacts, operating instructions, timing

Agent Communication, Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence 3396, pages 173-192, January 2005.
Rogier M. van Eijk, Marc-Philippe Huget, Frank Dignum (eds.), Springer
AAMAS 2004 International Workshop (AC 2004), New York, NY, USA, 19 July, 2004. Revised Selected and Invited Papers

@incollection{oi-acIII,
	Author = {Viroli, Mirko and Ricci, Alessandro},
	Booktitle = {Agent Communication},
	Doi = {10.1007/b106468},
	Editor = {van Eijk, Rogier M. and Huget, Marc-Philippe and Dignum, Frank},
	Isbn = {978-3-540-25015-9},
	Isbn-10 = {3-540-25015-8},
	Issn = {0302-9743},
	Issn-Online = {1611-3349},
	Keywords = {artifacts, operating instructions, timing},
	Month = jan,
	Note = {AAMAS 2004 International Workshop (AC 2004), New York, NY, USA, 19~} # jul # {~2004. Revised Selected and Invited Papers},
	Pages = {173--192},
	Publisher = {Springer},
	Series = {LNAI},
	Title = {Agent Interaction Semantics by Timed Operating Instructions},
	Url = {http://www.springerlink.com/content/76j4c80xvvjqpwkc/},
	Volume = 3396,
	Year = 2005}