Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Optimizing Agent-Based Negotiations with Branch-and-Bound

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Active Media Technology (AMT 2001)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 2252))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

This paper presents an algorithm called Nstar (N*) that performs optimizing agent-based negotiation. N* borrows concepts from branch-andbound and A* optimal search algorithms. The N* negotiation algorithm can be used for a general class of negotiation problems that requires consensus among two or more collaborating agents. N* schedules events through a negotiation protocol that mimics a process of proposing and counter proposing. It makes use of an evaluation function that represents an underestimation of the “global” preference for a particular proposal. This preference is computed based on a user preference model. An optimal solution is found when there is a compromise and the evaluation function is maximized.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Bradshaw, J.M., (ed.), Software Agents, MIT Press, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bui, H.H., Venkatesh, S., Kieronska, D., "A Multi-agent Incremental Negotiation Scheme for Meetings Scheduling," In the Proceedings of the Third Australian and New Zealand Conference on Intelligent Information Systems, ANZIIS-95, 1995, pp. 175–180.

    Google Scholar 

  3. H.W. Chun, Steve Chan, Francis Tsang and Dennis Yeung, “Stand Allocation System (SAS)-A Constraint-Based System Developed with Software Components,” AI Magazine, Vol. 21,No. 4, Winter 2000, pp.63–74.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Ferber, J., Multi-Agent Systems: An Introduction to Distributed Artificial Intelligence, Addison-Wesley Pub Co, 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Danny Lange and Mitsuru Oshima, Programming and Deploying Java Mobile Agents with Aglets, Addison-Wesley, 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  6. E. L. Lawler and D. W. Wood, "Branch and Bound Methods: A Survey," Operations Research, Vol. 14, pp. 699–719, ORSA, 1966.

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  7. Sandip Sen and Edmund H. Durfee, “A Formal Study of Distributed Meeting Scheduling Group Decision and Negotiation,” Group Decision and Negotiation Support System, Vol. 7, 1998, pp. 265–289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Sandip Sen, Thomas Haynes, and Neeraj Arora, “Satisfying User Preferences while negotiating Meetings,” International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, Vol. 47, 1997 pp. 407–427.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Sen, S., "Developing an Automated Distributed Meeting Scheduler," IEEE Expert, Vol. 12,Issue 4, July-Aug, 1997, pp. 41–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Sandip Sen and Edmund H. Durfee, “A Contracting Model for Flexible Distributed Scheduling,” Annals of Operations Research, Vol. 65, 1996, pp.195–222.

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  11. Sandip Sen and Edmund H. Durfee, “On the Design of an Adaptive Meeting Scheduler,” In Proceedings of the Tenth IEEE Conference on Artificial Intelligence for Application, San Antonio, Texas, March, 1994, pp.40–46.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Sandip Sen and Edmund H. Durfee, “The Role of Commitment in Cooperative Negotiation,”International Journal on Intelligent Cooperative Information Systems, Vol. 3,No. 1, 1994, pp.67–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Smith, Reid G, “The contract net protocol: High-level communication and control in a distributed problem solver,” IEEE Transactions on Computers, C-29 (12), 1980, pp. 1104–1113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Stuart C. Shapiro (ed.), Encyclopedia of Artificial Intelligence, John Wiley & Sons, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Weiss, G. (Ed.), Multiagent Systems: A Modern Approach to Distributed Artificial Intelligence, MIT Press, 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Rebecca Y. M. Wong, Alex T.T. Ho, Spencer K.L. Fung, and Andy H. W. Chun, “A Model for Resource Negotiation Using Mobile Agents”, In Proceedings of 4th World Multiconference on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics (SCI 2000), Orlando, Florida, July 23-26, 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Rebecca Y. M. Wong, H. W. Chun, “Optimizing User Preferences While Scheduling Meetings”, submitted to International Conference on Enterprise Information Systems 2001, Setubal, Portugal, July 7-10, 2001.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Engineering and Information Technology, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR

    Andy Hon Wai Chun & Rebecca Y. M. Wong

Authors
  1. Andy Hon Wai Chun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rebecca Y. M. Wong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China

    Jiming Liu , Pong C. Yuen , Chun-hung Li  & Joseph Ng , ,  & 

  2. Department of Social Informatics, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, 606-8501, Kyoto, Japan

    Toru Ishida

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2001 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Chun, A.H.W., Wong, R.Y.M. (2001). Optimizing Agent-Based Negotiations with Branch-and-Bound. In: Liu, J., Yuen, P.C., Li, Ch., Ng, J., Ishida, T. (eds) Active Media Technology. AMT 2001. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 2252. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-45336-9_28

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-45336-9_28

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-43035-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-45336-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation