Many multi-agent planning systems ca~ perform more effectively than single-agent systems due to redundancy, concurrency, and betemgencous capabilities. However, lack of an effective coordination mechanism can diminish the advantages of using multiple agents. Researchers have suggested a variety of coordination configurations, such as centralized planning, distributed planning, and local planning. While each configuration offers some advantages, no single planning configuration is optimal for all planning scenarios ¯ In this paper, we identify the need for reconfiguration in multi-agent planning systems. Instead of selecting just one planning configuration, we design a system that can make use of a number of planning modes. In order to determine the best configuration for a given problem, a decision-theoretic model is designed. This models selects the configuration that will maximize the expected payoff for the system. P~conflguration of the multi-agent system can be initiated by a single or by multiple agents, and can occur between plans or during plan execution.
['Diane J. Cook']
Reconfiguration of Multi-Agent Planning Systems*