A Knowledge-Theoretic Approach to Distributed Problem Solving
Michael Wooldridge · 1998
. Traditional approaches to distributed problem solving have treated the problem as one of distributed search. In this paper, we propose an alternative, logic-based view of distributed problem solving, whereby agents cooperatively solve problems by exchanging information in order to derive the solution to a problem using logical deduction. In particular, we give a knowledge theoretic model of distributed problem solving, and show how various problem solving strategies can be represented within this scheme. 1 Introduction Distributed problem solving is perhaps the paradigm example of activity in multi-agent systems [1]. It occurs when a group of logically decentralised agents cooperate to solve problems that are typically beyond the capabilities of any individual agent. Historically, distributed problem solving has been viewed and modelled as a kind of distributed search, whereby a collection of agents collaboratively traverse the search space of a problem in order to find a solution [...