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Concurrent engineering using collaborating truth maintenance systems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 August 2010

M. A. Bramer
Affiliation:
University of Portsmouth
C. J. Hinde
Affiliation:
Dept. Computer Studies University of Technology Loughborough Leics LE11 3TU.
A. D. Bray
Affiliation:
Dept. Computer Studies University of Technology Loughborough Leics LE11 3TU.
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Summary

ABSTRACT

The truth maintained blackboard model of problem solving as used in the Loughborough University Manufacturing Planner had supported collaboration between experts which were closely linked to the management system. On realistic problems the size of the assumption bases produced by the system and the overall size of the blackboard combined to impair the performance of the system. This model of design supported the collaboration of experts around a central blackboard. Clearly collaboration is a necessary condition for concurrent decision making and so the basic framework for collaboration is preserved in this model.

The Design to Product management system within which the Planner had to operate had a central “Tool Manager” through which all communication was routed. In order to implement a model of simultaneous engineering and also to support collaborative work using this model a multiple context design system is useful, if not essential. Our model extends this by distributing the control between the various expert agents where each agent treats the others as knowledge sources to its own private blackboard. All interaction between agents is done using a common communication protocol which is capable of exchanging contextual information necessary to separate contexts in the Assumption based Truth Maintenance System (de Kleer 84) environment. The hierarchical model of control by a central tool manager has been replaced by a hierarchical model of distributed control. The agents are configured using a single line inheritance scheme which endows each agent with its required knowledge and also allows it to declare its functionality to its colleagues.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 1993

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