Engineering MAS – A Device Integration Framework for Smart Home Environments

Abstract

We introduce a layered approach to multi-agent programming and motivate this with a perspective to smart home environments. Apart from the core layer, layer components can be updated at runtime to reflect, e.g., attributes like credibility and the addition of proprietary functionality. The Layered Agent Framework (LAF) is defined by interfaces and organised into layers. This approach minimises system fragmentation while allowing developers to create and maintain meaningful and effective agents. A Petri net model is provided to visualise and execute prototypes of the agents. Although fully functional, the Petri nets will later be translated into dedicated programs with a smaller footprint and more efficient execution.