Task allocation: a group self-design approach

This paper focuses on distributed task allocation mechanisms in Open Multi-Agents Systems. Our aim is to provide task allocation protocols for building Multi-Agents Systems in distributed environments. The mechanism we propose is based on a Group Self-Design (GSD) approach. From a global point of view the GSD protocols enable the search space to be organised into a tree-structure in which nodes are agent groups. From a local point of view they enable a group to be sub-divided autonomously and independently of the others. The purpose of GSD is to limit the network load created by the management of the system dynamic and by the search of task solvers. We put forward an evaluation of our approach in terms of network load in relation to the contract net protocol of R.G. Smith (1980) and to the agent group model of B. Dillenseger and F. Bourdon (1995).