A Methodology for Role-Based Modeling of Open Multi-Agent Software Systems

Multi-agent systems (MAS) are rapidly emerging as a powerful paradigm for modeling and developing distributed information systems. In an open multi-agent system, agents can not only join or leave an agent society at will, but also take or release roles dynamically. Most of existing work on MAS uses role modeling for system analysis; however, role models are only used at conceptual level with no realizations in the implemented system. In this paper, we propose a methodology for role-based modeling of open multiagent software systems. We specify role organization and role space as containers of conceptual roles and role instances, respectively. Agents in an agent society can take or release roles from a role space dynamically. The relationships between agents are deduced through a mechanism called A-R mapping. As a potential solution for automated MAS development, we summarize the procedures to generate a role-based design of open multi-agent software systems.