Amelia Badica

Role activity diagrams as finite state processes

Many formal modelling notations for business processes have been proposed during the last decade. They can be broadly classified into high-level visual notations, with an intuitive meaning, mainly addressed to the business management community and low-level foundational notations, with a detailed and formal semantics, mainly addressed to the computer science community. Role activity diagrams are a popular high-level visual notation for capturing the dynamics and role structure of an organization. This paper establishes that role activity diagrams have a formal semantics as well and thus making them suitable to formal verification. The result is obtained by mapping of a role activity diagram model to a process algebra model. Process algebras are mathematical languages for the specification and understanding of concurrent and cooperating computational processes.

The design and implementation of an agent-based auction service

In this paper, we present the architecture, design and implementation of an agent-based service for automated auctions. The presentation covers the conceptual architecture, types of agents, agent communication and design and implementation issues. The experimental results to assess the performance of the service in terms of latency and throughput as functions of the number of auction participants and number of simultaneously active auctions are also included. The results confirmed that while the solution allows an increased level of flexibility and reusability as compared with existing approaches, it still suffers from performance and scalability problems that we plan to address in the near future.

Specification and Verification of an Agent-Based Auction Service

In this chapter we propose a rigorous modelling and analysis of complex interactions occurring between providers and users of an agent-based English auction service. In our model several auctions initiated by different seller agents are carried out in parallel. Buyer agents can dynamically decide to register for participation in auctions that match their goals. Our approach is based on conceptualising these interactions by formal specification using FSP process algebra and formal verification using FLTL temporal logic.

Middle-Agents Interactions as Finite State Processes: Overview and Example

We propose the use of finite state process algebra for modeling interactions between requesters, providers and middle-agents in global environments like the Internet. The results are threefold: (i) precise specification of interactions depending on type of middle-agent; (ii) understanding the requirements of parties involved in interactions; (iii) improvement of communication between designers and developers and enable of formal verification.

Enhanced Reputation Model with Forgiveness for E-Business Agents

Trust is a very important quality attribute of an e-service. In particular, the increasing complexity of the e-business environment requires the development of new computational models of trust and reputation for e-business agents. In this paper, the authors introduce a new reputation model for agents engaged in e-business transactions. The model enhances classic reputation models by the addition of forgiveness factor and the use of new sources of reputation information based on agents groups. The paper proposes an improvement of this model by employing the recent con-resistance concept. Finally, the authors show how the model can be used in an agent-based market environment where trusted buyer and seller agents meet, negotiate, and transact multi-issue e-business contracts. The system was implemented using JADE multi-agent platform and initially evaluated on a sample set of scenarios. The paper introduces the design and implementation of the agent-based system together with the experimental scenarios and results.

Implementing Logic Wrappers Using XSLT Stylesheets

The Web has become a major source of information that is easily accessible at low cost by individual and business consumers. Logic wrappers are a new technology that was proposed to help automate the task of data extraction from the Web. In this paper we present an approach for efficiently implementing logic wrappers with the help of XSLT transformation language. The approach was successfully applied in various application areas: collecting product features from product information sheets and mining travel resources as found on Web sites of online transaction brokers

Integrating role activity diagrams and hybrid IDEF for business process modeling using MDA

Business process modeling is an important phase during requirements collection. Usually functional, dynamic and role models are needed. We propose to integrate role activity diagrams and hybrid IDEF for business process modeling within model driven architecture. Our proposal is demonstrated with a sample implementation.

Reputation Model with Forgiveness Factor for Semi-Competitive E-Business Agent Societies

In this paper we introduce a new reputation model for agents engaged in e-business transactions. Our model enhances classic reputation models by adding forgiveness factor and new sources of reputation information based on agents groups. The model was implemented using JADE multi-agent platform and initially evaluated for e-business scenarios comprising societies of buyer and seller agents.

An Approach of Temporal Difference Learning Using Agent-Oriented Programming

Reinforcement Learning -- RL is an important agent problem that was not approached using the tools provided by Agent Oriented Programming -- AOP. Agent Speak (L) and its Jason implementation based on Java platform are representing state-of-the-art approaches of AOP based on the Belief-Desire-Intention -- BDI model. Temporal Difference Learning -- TDL is a passive RL method that can be used by an agent to learn its utility function while it is acting according to a given policy in an uncertain and dynamic environment. In this paper we present an approach for modeling and implementation of TDL using the Jason AOP language. So, our paper is presenting a contribution towards narrowing the gap between RL and AOP, by endowing BDI agents with TDL skills.

Learning Logic Wrappers for Information Extraction from the Web

This paper discusses a methodology for applying general-purpose first-order inductive learning to extract information from Web documents structured as unranked ordered trees. The methodology is applied to information extraction from real-world HTML page sets that represent product information sheets, an important task in product data integration. The methodology addresses the problems of defining information extraction rules in the form of logic wrappers and mapping the task of learning these rules to general purpose first-order inductive learning.