196020410
Distributed Partial Information Management (DPIM) schemes for survivable networks - Part I
15521655
An ultra-fast shared path protection scheme - distributed partial information management, part II
For pt.I see Chunming Qiao and Dahai Xu, INFOCOM'02, p.302-11, (2002). This paper describes a novel, ultra-fast heuristic algorithm to address an NP-hard optimization problem. One of its significances is that, for the first time, it is shown that a heuristic algorithm can also have better overall performance than its time-consuming, integer linear programming (ILP) based counterparts in the online case, which is non-intuitive. The proposed heuristic algorithm is useful for developing effective shared path (mesh) protection schemes that establish survivable connections in modern networks. The advantage of our heuristic algorithm over existing algorithms for finding a pair of link (or node) disjoint paths, active path (AP) and backup path (BP), comes from the following salient feature. It uses a so-called potential backup cost (PBC) function when selecting an AP in the first phase, in order to take into consideration the backup bandwidth needed by the corresponding BP yet to be chosen in the second phase. The PBC function is derived mathematically based on a rigorous statistical analysis of experimental data. While the use of PBC only requires partial aggregate information on existing connections and distributed control, it can also be applied even more effectively when complete information is available.
8591259
On the complexity of and algorithms for finding the shortest path with a disjoint counterpart
Finding a disjoint path pair is an important component in survivable networks. Since the traffic is carried on the active (working) path most of the time, it is useful to find a disjoint path pair such that the length of the shorter path (to be used as the active path) is minimized. In this paper, we first address such a Min-Min problem. We prove that this problem is NP-complete in either single link cost (e.g., dedicated backup bandwidth) or dual link cost (e.g., shared backup bandwidth) networks. In addition, it is NP-hard to obtain a K-approximation to the optimal solution for any K > 1. Our proof is extended to another open question regarding the computational complexity of a restricted version of the Min-Sum problem in an undirected network with ordered dual cost links (called the MSOD problem). To solve the Min-Min problem efficiently, we introduce a novel concept called conflicting link set which provides insights into the so-called trap problem, and develop a divide-and-conquer strategy. The result is an effective heuristic for the Min-Min problem called COnflicting Link Exclusion (COLE), which can outperform other approaches in terms of both the optimality and running time. We also apply COLE to the MSOD problem to efficiently provide shared path protection and conduct comprehensive performance evaluation as well as comparison of various schemes for shared path protection. We show that COLE not only processes connection requests much faster than existing integer linear programming (ILP)-based approaches but also achieves a good balance among the active path length, bandwidth efficiency, and recovery time.
14485762
Modeling and Analyzing Multi-Agent Behaviors Using Predicate/Transition Nets
How agents accomplish a goal task in a multi-agent system is usually specified by multi-agent plans built from basic actions (e.g. operators) of which the agents are capable. The plan specification provides the agents with a shared mental model for how they are supposed to collaborate with each other to achieve the common goal. Making sure that the plans are reliable and fit for the purpose for which they are designed is a critical problem with this approach. To address this problem, this paper presents a formal approach to modeling and analyzing multi-agent behaviors using Predicate/Transition (PrT) nets, a high- level formalism of Petri nets. We model a multi-agent problem by representing agent capabilities as transitions in PrT nets. To analyze a multi-agent PrT model, we adapt the planning graphs as a compact structure for reachability analysis, which is coherent to the concurrent semantics. We also demonstrate that one can analyze whether parallel actions specified in multi-agent plans can be executed in parallel and whether the plans can achieve the goal by analyzing the dependency relations among the transitions in the PrT model.
8195983
Poisson shape interpolation
In this paper, we propose a novel shape interpolation approach based on Poisson equation. We formulate the trajectory problem of shape interpolation as solving Poisson equations defined on a domain mesh. A non-linear gradient field interpolation method is proposed to take both vertex coordinates and surface orientation into account. With proper boundary conditions, the in-between shapes are reconstructed implicitly from the interpolated gradient fields, while traditional methods usually manipulate vertex coordinates directly. Besides of global shape interpolation, our method is also applicable to local shape interpolation, and can be further enhanced by incorporating with deformation. Our approach can generate visual pleasing and physical plausible morphing sequences with stable area and volume changes. Experimental results demonstrate that our technique can avoid the shrinkage problem appeared in linear shape interpolation.
14482795
Collaborative multi-agents for workflow management
Workflow management helps organizations to organize their work on different activities in such a way that the predictable underlying processes are carried out effectively and efficiently in a distributed environment. We describe a business workflow management system with intelligent multi-agent support in a collaborative organization environment. With the help from multi-agent collaboration, our workflow management system can organize the organization's work processes and provide resource control, data mediation, semantic mapping, and knowledge visualization processing. Such systems are able to manage the organizational workflow more effectively and more efficiently.
12991047
The Application of Adaptive Partitioned Random Search in Feature Selection Problem
Feature selection is one of important and frequently used techniques in data preprocessing. It can improve the efficiency and the effectiveness of data mining by reducing the dimensions of feature space and removing the irrelevant and redundant information. Feature selection can be viewed as a global optimization problem of finding a minimum set of M relevant features that describes the dataset as well as the original N attributes. In this paper, we apply the adaptive partitioned random search strategy into our feature selection algorithm. Under this search strategy, the partition structure and evaluation function is proposed for feature selection problem. This algorithm ensures the global optimal solution in theory and avoids complete randomness in search direction. The good property of our algorithm is shown through the theoretical analysis.
7446737
A web-service agent-based decision support system for securities exception management
Abstract With rising trading volumes and increasing risks in securities transactions, the securities industry is making an effort to shorten the trade lifecycle and minimize transaction risks. While attempting to achieve this, exception management is crucial to pass trade information within the trade lifecycle in a timely and accurate fashion. For a competitive solution to exception management, a web-service-agent-based decision support system is developed in this paper. Agent technology is applied to deal with the dynamic, complex, and distributed processes in exception management; web services techniques are proposed for more scalability and interoperability in network-based business environment. By integrating agent technology with web services to make use of the advantages from both, this approach leads to more intelligence, flexibility and collaboration in business exception management. The effectiveness of this approach is evaluated through a use case and demonstration feedback.