Publication - A Multi-Leveled Negotiation Framework

Authors: Zhang, Xiaoqin; Lesser, Victor; Wagner, Thomas
Title: A Multi-Leveled Negotiation Framework
Abstract: In this paper, we present a multi-leveled negotiation framework in which the negotiation process is performed at two levels. The upper level deals with the formation of high level goals and objectives for the agent, and the decision about whether or not to negotiate with other agents to achieve particular goals or bring about particular objectives. The negotiation at this upper level determines the rough scope of the commitment (i.e. the time and the quality characteristics) and the cost of the commitment. The lower level deals with feasibility and implementation operations, such as the detailed analysis of candidate tasks and actions and the formation of the detailed temporal and resource-specific commitments among agents. The negotiation at this lower level involves the refinement of the rough commitments proposed at the upper level. The experimental work shows this two-leveled negotiation framework enables the agent to handle complicated negotiation issues and uncertainties in a more efficient way.
Keywords: Framework, Multi-Agent Systems, Negotiation
Publication: Proceedings 2nd International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems. (Extended abstract), Vol: AAMAS03, pp. 1172 - 1173
Location: Melbourne, AUS
Publisher: ACM Press
Date: July 2003
Sources: HTML: http://www.cis.umassd.edu/~x2zhang/home/pub/02-44.ps
PDF: /Documents/02-44.pdf
Notes: Full version available as University of Massachusetts Computer Science Technical Report #02-44.
Reference: Zhang, Xiaoqin; Lesser, Victor; Wagner, Thomas. A Multi-Leveled Negotiation Framework. Proceedings 2nd International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems. (Extended abstract), Volume AAMAS03, ACM Press, pp. 1172-1173. July 2003. Full version available as University of Massachusetts Computer Science Technical Report #02-44.
bibtex: 
@inproceedings{02-44,
  author    = "Xiaoqin Zhang and Victor Lesser and Thomas Wagner",
  title     = "{A Multi-Leveled Negotiation Framework}",
  booktitle = "Proceedings 2nd International Joint Conference on
               Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems.
               (Extended abstract)",
  volume    = "AAMAS03",
  publisher = "ACM Press",
  pages     = "1172-1173",
  month     = "July",
  year      = "2003",
  address   = "Melbourne, AUS",
  url       = "http://mas.cs.umass.edu/paper/235",
}