Consultants 1
C 1999 KPMG
kpmg MediaGeniXMediaGeniX
ConsultantsConsultantskpmgkpmg
Symposium on Intelligent Agents
Intelligent Freight Planner
Symposium on Intelligent Agents
Intelligent Freight Planner
MediaGeniXMediaGeniX
Consultants 2
C 1999 KPMG
kpmg MediaGeniXMediaGeniX
Agenda
WelcomeBackgroundProject objectivesAgent technologyFuture
WelcomeBackgroundProject objectivesAgent technologyFuture
Consultants 3
C 1999 KPMG
kpmg MediaGeniXMediaGeniX
Background Manufacturing processes are automated
and locally optimised Supply chain management is still focused
on manufacturing ICT’s scope is devoted to manufacturing European industry have at least 20 %
more overhead than US companies Overhead due to:
Old-style management of transportation Regulations Structure of the sector Lack of IT and OR skills
Manufacturing processes are automated and locally optimised
Supply chain management is still focused on manufacturing
ICT’s scope is devoted to manufacturing European industry have at least 20 %
more overhead than US companies Overhead due to:
Old-style management of transportation Regulations Structure of the sector Lack of IT and OR skills
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Background
Transport Load occupation of trucks Road traffic problems Intermodal transport
not known by companies (shippers AND freight forwarders)
difficult to integrate in the ongoing-concern Logistics
Location of warehouses / choice of transport mode Material handling
Supply chain End-to-end supply chain Supply chain as strong as the weakest element in the
chain Performance of supply chain is driven by variation
Transport Load occupation of trucks Road traffic problems Intermodal transport
not known by companies (shippers AND freight forwarders)
difficult to integrate in the ongoing-concern Logistics
Location of warehouses / choice of transport mode Material handling
Supply chain End-to-end supply chain Supply chain as strong as the weakest element in the
chain Performance of supply chain is driven by variation
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Background
Objective of supply chain management is the delivery to the final customer of the right product or service at the right time,
in the right place, for the right price and with the least possible cost
Flawless information flows are crucial
Flawless information flows are crucial
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Information flow & E-business
E-business is the information technology application that facilitates the buying and selling of products, services and information over public standard-based networks
E-business is the information technology application that facilitates the buying and selling of products, services and information over public standard-based networks
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SCM and E-business
Channel enhancement
Value chainIntegration
Industry transformation
E-business portals
Added value
Leverage of e-businessStrategic / organisational
change
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Project objectives ...
while maintaining a high level of security, it must be able to cope with a constantly changing pool of suppliers and customers whose relationships vary enormously in intimacy and scope;
it must give the members a great deal of dedicated functionality, including the capacity to transfer information, the power to share common pools of information, and the capability to access and utilise electronic services;
it must be able to grow and adapt- not only in size but also in terms of functionality - along with the growth and evolution of the sector.
while maintaining a high level of security, it must be able to cope with a constantly changing pool of suppliers and customers whose relationships vary enormously in intimacy and scope;
it must give the members a great deal of dedicated functionality, including the capacity to transfer information, the power to share common pools of information, and the capability to access and utilise electronic services;
it must be able to grow and adapt- not only in size but also in terms of functionality - along with the growth and evolution of the sector.
A network should meet next demands:A network should meet next demands:
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Project Objectives
the appearance of information brokers performing a number of functions. These information brokers oversee security, constantly ensuring that each partner has the proper security clearance and access codes;
open standard protocols as they are established for the Internet.
the appearance of information brokers performing a number of functions. These information brokers oversee security, constantly ensuring that each partner has the proper security clearance and access codes;
open standard protocols as they are established for the Internet.
Two critical elements make these new types of networked manufacturing/trading possible:
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Managing the Business Process
Planning Raw materials Manufacturing Distribution Finance Mantainance Delivery Synchronisati
on
Planning Raw materials Manufacturing Distribution Finance Mantainance Delivery Synchronisati
on
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Managing the Business Process
The Competence is in the network !
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Refinement of objectives ...
Sector Needs
Electronic Market Place
Pre-Contract Phase
Focus on Pre-Contract PhaseDistributed ServicesSupport of Decision MakingIntegration of VarietyHigh Technological Push
Strategic Project Objectives:
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Refinement of objectives
S erviceS erviceP rovider
S erviceR equester
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Agent Technology
Why ? Metaphor Non-functional requirements
Autonomy Robustness Enhancebility
Framework
Why ? Metaphor Non-functional requirements
Autonomy Robustness Enhancebility
Framework
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Intelligent Software Agents
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Intelligent Software Agent
CompetenceModel
CommunicationModel
SelfModel
Environm.Model
Planner
Competence model Environment model Planner Communication Self model
Competence model Environment model Planner Communication Self model
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Technical Architecture of a Single Agent
C om . S e lf P lan C om p. E nv
parser
com poser
to do
m esgen
to do
conv.m anag.
cap.m an.
goals
ident.
todo
agenda
requesthandler
tasks
todo
m eth-ods
to do
agentm odel
resourcem odel
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Example Workflow
C om . S e lf P lan C om p. E nv
parser
com poser
to do
m esgen
to do
conv.m anag.
cap.m an.
goals
ident.
todo
agenda
requesthandler
tasks
todo
m eth-ods
to do
agentm odel
resourcem odel
m essage
receiver ok?
internalm essage
existingconversation
check ?
existingrequest
existingjob
knowntask
knownm ethod
Reactive Behavior
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Example Workflow ...
C om . S e lf P lan C om p. E nv
parser
com poser
to do
m esgen
to do
conv.m anag.
cap.m an.
goals
ident.
todo
agenda
requesthandler
tasks
todo
m eth-ods
to do
agentm odel
resourcem odel
check ?
new jobknown
task
knownm ethod
Proactive Behavior
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Competence Model
task execution (P) memory
information accumulation forgetting
learning
task execution (P) memory
information accumulation forgetting
learning
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Communication Model
perception (P) interaction (P)
message generation (P)
send messages receive messages parsing interpretation
perception (P) interaction (P)
message generation (P)
send messages receive messages parsing interpretation
conversation trace meta conversation learning
conversation trace meta conversation learning
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Environment Model
maintain environment links (P) actor modeling
define interaction protocol define roles contract management
learn the environment accumulate environment explore environment
maintain environment links (P) actor modeling
define interaction protocol define roles contract management
learn the environment accumulate environment explore environment
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Self Model
identity representation (P) representation of goals introspection reflection ontology handling
ontology use ontology adaptation
learning
identity representation (P) representation of goals introspection reflection ontology handling
ontology use ontology adaptation
learning
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Plan Model
task selection task execution
control task launching
task interruption task re-activation
time monitoring
task selection task execution
control task launching
task interruption task re-activation
time monitoring
emergency handling
conflict handling time-bound handling handling long waiting
times learning
emergency handling
conflict handling time-bound handling handling long waiting
times learning
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Model Transcending Functions
learning problem resolution emotion
learning problem resolution emotion
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Advantages of 5C Model
Clearly distinguished and seperated capabilities different dimensions of the capabilities of an agent
Incremental development approach Stepwise increase of complexity
possible Not only a conceptual model, but also
technical agent architecture
Clearly distinguished and seperated capabilities different dimensions of the capabilities of an agent
Incremental development approach Stepwise increase of complexity
possible Not only a conceptual model, but also
technical agent architecture
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C 1999 KPMG
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Implementation
JAVA (Jbuilder 3) Agents developed according to 5C
model Agents built on top of FIPA platform CORBA XML
JAVA (Jbuilder 3) Agents developed according to 5C
model Agents built on top of FIPA platform CORBA XML
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FIPA ...
The foundation for Intelligent Physical Agents (FIPA) is a non-profit organization established in 1996 and registered in Geneva, Switzerland.
It's purpose is to promote the development of specifications of generic agent technologies that maximise interoperability within and across agent based applications
The foundation for Intelligent Physical Agents (FIPA) is a non-profit organization established in 1996 and registered in Geneva, Switzerland.
It's purpose is to promote the development of specifications of generic agent technologies that maximise interoperability within and across agent based applications
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FIPA
Agent Communication FIPA is concerned only with how communication is
carried out between agents Agent Management
Agent Communication FIPA is concerned only with how communication is
carried out between agents Agent Management
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FIPA Agent Management: Reference Model
Internal Platform Message Transport
Agent
DirectoryFacilitator
AgentManagement
System
Software
Agent Platform
ACC
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Demonstrator Scenario
TransportService
Requestor
LogisticsProvider
LogisticsServiceProvider
SimulationEngine
transport cost-benefit analysis simulation
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Demonstator
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Intelligent Freight Planner - set-up
The following drawing shows the main logical components of the demonstrator.
User Interface
FIPA_SMART Agent platform
Agent ManagementSystem(AMS)
DirectoryFacilitator
(DF)
Agent CommunicationChannel(ACC)
Logistics ProviderLP_001
GuardianCMP_001
GuardianCBA-Room
Virtual Freight Simulator(VFS)
Simulation AgentLSP_001
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Demonstrator Design
c.b.a. Providers RoomConsultancy Market Place
Agent Server 1
LP_001
Agent Server 2
LSP_001 CBAS_001
SimulationTool
GuardianGuardian LSP_001 CBAS_001
LP_001
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Uses Case Diagram
LP_001 LSP_001
Ask for access(2)
Ask for access(4)
Move to location(3)
Search for ser vice p rovider(5)
A nnounce fi t(6)
Make contact(7)
Start conversat ion(8)
Moves to m arketplace( 1)
No service prov ider(5A)
N o mar ket place(1A)
Access denied(2A)
Collaboration fails(9)
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Interaction
Diagram
LP-001C M P-001-G uard ian
C BA-R oom -G uard ian
request reg is ter
agree
request find-location
in form cba-room
request provider
agree
LSP-001
inform LSP-001
request o ffer-service
agree
request perform service
request reg is ter
agree
inform accept
agree
inform accept
in form 'I o ffer service '
agree
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C 1999 KPMG
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Future Benefits
Flexible framework for installing an electronic marketspace with low technological entry barriers
Advanced yellow pages Enormous amount of potential services could
be exposed to the Internet Business driven
Problems Prototype is not a full blown “commercial”
solution Availability of data and readiness to co-
operate and to share competences
Benefits Flexible framework for installing an electronic
marketspace with low technological entry barriers
Advanced yellow pages Enormous amount of potential services could
be exposed to the Internet Business driven
Problems Prototype is not a full blown “commercial”
solution Availability of data and readiness to co-
operate and to share competences
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IFP is not bound to any software package IFP can be deployed as an intra- and Extranet
application IFP links knowledge and competences IFP supports every old and new business model IFP integrates services and processes
IFP is not bound to any software package IFP can be deployed as an intra- and Extranet
application IFP links knowledge and competences IFP supports every old and new business model IFP integrates services and processes
Intelligent Freight Intelligent Freight Planner is a Planner is a business business
portalportal
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C 1999 KPMG
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Contacts
Kris Van Marcke [email protected]
Bert Taeymans [email protected]
Kris Van Marcke [email protected]
Bert Taeymans [email protected]
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ConsultantsConsultantskpmgkpmg
MediaGeniXMediaGeniX
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