Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Partners Selection in Multi-Agent Systems by Using Linear and Non-linear Approaches

  • Chapter
Transactions on Computational Science I

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((TCOMPUTATSCIE,volume 4750))

Abstract

Traditional negotiation approaches pay intensive attention to decision making models in order to reach the optimal agreements, while placing insufficient efforts on the problem of partner selection. In open and dynamic environments, when the number of potential partners is huge, it may be expensive or even impractical to perform complicated negotiations with all of its potential partners. In this paper, based on the proposed extended dual model, we propose both linear and non-linear approaches for partner selection in multi-agent systems. By employing these two approaches with the extended dual concern model, agents can adapt their individual behaviors for partners selection in negotiation. The proposed approaches have three merits, which are: (1) both agents’ own benefits and their potential partners’ benefits are considered during the partners selection process; (2) agents’ preferences are employed by the proposed approaches which ensure the selection results to accord with agents’ expectations; (3) the proposed approaches are sensitive to changes of the negotiation environment, so they can be adopted in open and dynamic negotiation environments. According to the case study in four scenarios, the selection results are reasonable and accord with agents’ expectations.

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 74.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 99.00
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. Rubinstein, Z., Corkill, D.: Mixed-Initiative Management of Dynamic Business Processes. In: Proceedings of the 2003 IEEE International Workshop on Soft Computing in Industrial Applications, Binghamton, New York, June 2003, pp. 39–44 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Li, C., Sycara, K., Giampapa, J.: Dynamic Outside Options in Alternating-Offers Negotiations. In: HICSS, IEEE Computer Society Press, Los Alamitos (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Faratin, P., Sierra, C., Jennings, N.: Negotiation Decision Functions for Autonomous Agents. Journal of Robotics and Autonomous Systems 24(3-4), 159–182 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Lai, G., Li, C., Sycara, K.: A General Model for Pareto Optimall Multi-Attribute Negotiations. In: Second International Workshop on Rational, Robust, and Secure Negotiations in Multi-Agent Systems (RRS 2006), Future University, Hakodate, Japan, May 2006, pp. 55–76 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Sierra, C., Faratin, P., Jennings, N.: A Service-Oriented Negotiation Model between Autonomous Agents. In: Boman, M., Van de Velde, W. (eds.) MAAMAW 1997. LNCS, vol. 1237, pp. 17–35. Springer, Heidelberg (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Rahwan, I., Ramchurn, S., Jennings, N., McBurney, P., Parsons, S., Sonenberg, L.: Argumentation-Based Negotiation. The Knowledge Engineering Review 18(4), 343–375 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Parsons, S., Sierra, C., Jennings, N.: Agents that Reason and Negotiate by Arguing. Journal of Logic and Computation 8(3), 261–292 (1998)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  8. Amgoud, L., Dimopoulos, Y., Moraitis, P.: A Unified and General Framework for Argumentation-based Negotiation. In: Sixth International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems (AAMAS 2007), Honolulu, Hawai’i, IFAAMAS, May 2007, pp. 963–970 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  9. nón, S.O., Plaza, E.: Learning and Joint Deliberation through Argumentation in Multi-Agent Systems. In: Sixth International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems (AAMAS 2007), Honolulu, hawai’i, IFAAMAS May, 2007, pp. 971–978 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Kraus, S.: Strategic Negotiation in Multiagent Environments. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA (2001)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  11. Ren, F., Sim, K., Zhang, M.: Market-Driven Agents with Uncertain and Dynamic Outside Options. In: Sixth International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems (AAMAS 2007), Honolulu, Hawai’i (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Sim, K., Choi, C.: Agents That React to Changing Market Situations. In: IEEE Transaction on Systems, Man and Cybernetics, Part B: Cybernetics, April 2003, vol. 33, pp. 188–201 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Zhang, X., Lesser, V., Wagner, T.: Integrative Negotiation In Complex Organizational Agent Systems. In: Gini, M., Ishida, T., Castelfranchi, C., Johnson, W.L. (eds.) Proceedings of the First International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents & MultiAgent Systems (AAMAS 2002), pp. 503–504 (July 2002)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Jung, H., Tambe, M., Kulkarni, S.: Argumentation as Distributed Constraint Satisfaction: Applications and Results. In: Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Autonomous Agents, Montreal, Canada, pp. 324–331. ACM Press, New York (2001)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  15. Dondio, P., Barrett, S.: Presumptive Selection of Trust Evidence. In: Sixth International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems (AAMAS 2007), Honolulu, hawai’i, IFAAMAS, May 2007, pp. 1071–1078 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Fullam, K., Barber, K.: Dynamically Learning Sources of Trust Information: Experience vs. Reputation. In: Sixth International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems (AAMAS 2007), Honolulu, hawai’i, IFAAMAS, May 2007, pp. 1055–1062 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Reece, S., Rogers, A., Roberts, S., Jennings, N.: Rumours and Reputation: Evaluating Multi-Dimensional Trust within A Decentralised Reputation System. In: Sixth International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems (AAMAS 2007), Honolulu, hawai’i, IFAAMAS, May 2007, pp. 1063–1070 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Munroe, S., Luck, M.: Balancing Conflict and Cost in the Selection of Negotiation Opponents. In: First International Workshop on Rational, Robust, and Secure Negotiations in Multi-Agent Systems (RRS 2005), Amsterdam, Netherlands, pp. 39–53 (July 2005)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Fatima, S., Wooldridge, M., Jennings, N.: The Influence of Information on Negotiation Equilibrium. In: Padget, J.A., Shehory, O., Parkes, D.C., Sadeh, N.M., Walsh, W.E. (eds.) AMEC 2002. LNCS (LNAI), vol. 2531, Springer, Heidelberg (2002)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  20. Brzostowski, J., Kowalczyk, R.: On Possibilistic Case-Based Reasoning for Selecting Partners for Multi-Attribute Agent Negotiation. In: 4th International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems (AAMAS 2005), Unversity Utrecht, The Netherlands, pp. 273–279. ACM, New York (2005)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  21. Brzostowski, J., Kowalczyk, R.: On Possibilistic Case-Based Reasoning for Selecting Partners in Multi-agent Negotiation. In: Webb, G.I., Yu, X. (eds.) AI 2004. LNCS (LNAI), vol. 3339, Springer, Heidelberg (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Munroe, S., Luck, M., d’Inverno, M.: Motivation-Based Selection of Negotiation Partners. In: 3rd International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems (AAMAS 2004), pp. 1520–1521. IEEE Computer Society, Los Alamitos (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Brzostowski, J., Kowalczyk, R.: Negotiation Partners Selection Mechanism based on Context-Dependent Similarity Relations. In: Sixth International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems (AAMAS 2007), Honolulu, hawai’i, IFAAMAS, May 2007, pp. 1037–1039 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Leake, D. (ed.): Case-Based Reasoning: Experiences, Lessons, and Future Directions. AAAI Press/MIT Press, Menlo Park, CA (1996)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Gilboa, I., Schmeidler, D.: Case-Based Decision Theory. The Quarterly Journal of Economics 110(3), 605–639 (1995)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  26. Yan, J., Ryan, M., Power, J. (eds.): Using Fuzzy Logic. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ (1994)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Klir, G., Yuan, B. (eds.): Fuzzy Sets and Fuzzy Logic Theory and Applications. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ (1995)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  28. Zhang, X., Lesser, V., Wagner, T.: Integrative Negotiation among Agents Situated in Organizations. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, Part C 36(1), 19–30 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Eberhart, R., Simpson, P., Dobbin, R. (eds.): Computational Intelligence PC Tools. AP Professional Press, Orlando, USA (1996)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Information Technology and Software Engineering, University of Wollongong, Australia

    Fenghui Ren & Minjie Zhang

Authors
  1. Fenghui Ren
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Minjie Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Marina L. Gavrilova C. J. Kenneth Tan

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2008 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Ren, F., Zhang, M. (2008). Partners Selection in Multi-Agent Systems by Using Linear and Non-linear Approaches. In: Gavrilova, M.L., Tan, C.J.K. (eds) Transactions on Computational Science I. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 4750. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-79299-4_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-79299-4_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-79298-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-79299-4

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation