A Framework for On-line Adaptive Control of Problem Solving

The design of a problem solver for a particular problem depends on the problem type, the system resources, and the application requirements, as well as the specific problem instance. The difficulty in matching a solver to a problem can be ameliorated through the use of online adaptive control of solving. In this approach, the solver or problem representation selection and parameters are defined appropriately to the problem structure, environment models, and dynamic performance information, and the rules or model underlying this decision are adapted dynamically. This paper presents a general framework for the adaptive control of solving and discusses the relationship of this framework both to adaptive techniques in control theory and to the existing adaptive solving literature. Experimental examples are presented to illustrate the possible uses of solver control.