Abstract
Ordering heuristics are a powerful tool in CSP search algorithms. Among the most successful ordering heuristics are heuristics which enforce a fail first strategy by using the min-domain property [10,4,20,6]. Ordering heuristics have been introduced recently to Asynchronous backtracking (ABT), for distributed constraints satisfaction (DisCSP) [27]. However, the pioneering study of dynamically ordered ABT, ABT_DO, has shown that a straightforward implementation of the min-domain heuristic does not produce the expected improvement over a static ordering. The best ordering heuristic for asynchronous backtracking was found to be the Nogood-triggered heuristic.
The present paper proposes an asynchronous dynamic ordering which does not follow the standard restrictions on the position of reordered agents in ABT_DO. Agents can be moved to a position that is higher than that of the target of the backtrack (culprit).
Combining the Nogood-triggered heuristic and the min-domain property in this new class of heuristics results in the best performing version of ABT_DO. The new version of retroactively ordered ABT is faster by a large factor than the best form of ABT.
Supported by the Lynn and William Frankel center for Computer Sciences and the Paul Ivanier Center for Robotics and Production Management.
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Zivan, R., Zazone, M., Meisels, A. (2007). Min-Domain Ordering for Asynchronous Backtracking. In: Bessière, C. (eds) Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming – CP 2007. CP 2007. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 4741. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-74970-7_53
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