PADRÕES ARQUITETURAIS PARA O DESENVOLVIMENTO DE APLICAÇÕES MULTIAGENTE

Abstract

This work proposes a collection of architectural patterns for the development of multi-agent systems. Main architectural concerns like communication, cooperation and coordination mechanisms between the agents of the society are particularly analyzed in each described pattern. The generation of new patterns through the extension or composition of the proposed ones is also approached. The methodology for pattern extraction is based on the study of frequently used architectures of multi-agent systems, like blackboard and federative architectures, and on mechanisms of cooperation and coordination usually identified in such architectures, like master-slave, meeting and negotiator mechanisms, as well. Pattern description is based on AUML and KQML. Main AUML diagrams, like agent packages, agent diagrams and agent interaction diagrams are used to represent the structure and behavior of the society. In those diagrams, agent interactions are represented as KQML performatives. Proposed patterns are validated through the construction of three case studies related to the development of multi-agent systems for information retrieval and filtering. In these case studies, the architectures RETSINA, AMALTHAEA and ABARFI are analyzed and the reuse or potential application of proposed patterns is identified.