Further extensions of FIPA Contract Net Protocol: threshold plus DoA

TLDR: Two further extensions to CNP by the ideas of Threshold and Degree of Availability (DoA) are made, which might become another feasible way to increase system effectiveness and efficiency.

Abstract: Being easily understood and implemented for resource allocation or task assignment, FIPA Contract Net Protocol (CNP) has been widely applied to kinds of Multi-Agent System (MAS). Basing on a typical extension to the original CNP, which was named as Contract Net with Confirmation Protocol (CNCP), this paper made two further extensions to CNP by the ideas of Threshold and Degree of Availability (DoA). CNCP enabled the agents to make proposals or accept offers in a continuous time, but it also increased the risk of getting sub-optimal deal or nothing for individual agent. Our research is just aiming at relieving this risk. The idea of threshold comes from the fact that: no matter how much proposals one agent sent out, it will get only one task to do at last. By setting a proper threshold, we can save many unnecessary computational costs in making or evaluating proposals. The concept of DoA is derived from the principle of Maximum Expected-Utility (MEU). With this concept, one agent will evaluate proposals not only by the required costs, it also takes the DoA of a participant as an important factor in choosing its best deal, so initiators can act in a more rational way. We also presented an under-consideration idea "Deadline", which might become another feasible way to increase system effectiveness and efficiency.