a model for Message Semanticsusing Social Commitments

Christopher Newport UniversityDepartment of Physics, Computer Science & EngineeringNewport News, Virginia, USA

Christopher Newport UniversityDepartment of Physics, Computer Science & EngineeringNewport News, Virginia, USA

Laval UniversityDAMAS groupQuebec City, Quebec, Canada

Laval UniversityDAMAS groupQuebec City, Quebec, Canada

Roberto A. FloresPhilippe PasquierBrahim Chaib-draa

2. Approach2. Approach1. Objective1. Objective

3. Example3. Example

batch payment

CustomerCustomer MerchantMerchant

IntermediationServer

IntermediationServer

NetBill’sBank

NetBill’sBank

Consumer’sBank

Consumer’sBank

Merchant’sBank

Merchant’sBank

1122

3344

5588

66

77accountfunding

1. Request quote 2. Present quote 3. Accept quote 4. Deliver goods5. Send EPO 6. Send EPO 7. Send receipt & key 8. Send receipt & key1. Request quote 2. Present quote 3. Accept quote 4. Deliver goods5. Send EPO 6. Send EPO 7. Send receipt & key 8. Send receipt & key

(4b) accept( -γ )accept( +δ)

(5a) propose( -δ )inform( key + receipt )

(3a) propose( -β )inform( encrypted goods )propose( +γ: SC( c, m, communicate( c, m, EPO )))

(1a) propose( +α: SC( m, c, communicate( m, c, quote)))inform( description )

(1b) accept( +α )(2a) propose( -α )

inform( quote )propose( +β: SC( m, c, communicate( m, c, encrypted goods )))

(2b) accept( -α )accept( +β )

(3b) accept( -β )accept( +γ )

(4a) propose( -γ )inform( EPO )propose( +δ: SC( m, c, communicate( m, c, key + receipt )))

(5b) accept( -δ )

reply: propose( +α )reply: propose( +α )

αreply: propose( -α )reply: propose( +β )

αreply: propose( -α )reply: propose( +β )

ββ

αα

ββ

βreply: propose( -β )reply: propose( +γ )

βreply: propose( -β )reply: propose( +γ )

ββ

γreply: propose( -γ )reply: propose( +δ )

γreply: propose( -γ )reply: propose( +δ )

γγ

δδδreply: propose( -δ )δreply: propose( -δ )

c :Customer m :Merchant

11

22

33

44

55

88

99

compositionallevel

conversationallevel

commitment statelevel

joint activitylevel

RequestingAdoptionToQuoteRequestingAdoptionToQuote

RequestingAdoptionRequestingAdoption

ProposingAdoptionProposingAdoption

InactiveCommitmentInactiveCommitment

RequestingRequesting

ProposingProposing

SoundProposalSoundProposal

SharedProposalsSharedProposals

SharedCommitmentsSharedCommitments SharedUtterancesSharedUtterances

ToRequestToRequest

ToProposeToPropose

CustomerRequestQuoteRequestQuote

InformDescriptionTokenInformDescriptionToken RequestQuoteTokenRequestQuoteTokenNetBill Protocol (Sirbu, 1997) NetBill: Customer & Merchant Interaction

NetBill RequestQuote meaning lattice

Fourth International Joint Conference on Agents and Multi-Agent Systems • AAMAS 2005 • Utrecht, The Netherlands • July 25-29, 2005

NetBill Messages

commitment message shared commitment storecommitment message shared commitment store

NetBill Interaction Legend

joint actionsjoint activities

joint actionsjoint activities

compositional

conversational

commitment state

joint activity

social commitmentssocial commitments

conversationsconversations

messagesmessages

4 Message-meaning layers

LAYERS

Conversational agreement

PFP

Pro

toco

l fo

r Pro

posa

ls

Commitment states

AcceptedAccepted RejectedRejected

ActiveActive

ViolatedViolated

FulfilledFulfilled

InactiveInactive

CancelledCancelled

11

44

22

33

1. Adoption 2. Violation 3. Fulfillment 4. Discharge1. Adoption 2. Violation 3. Fulfillment 4. Discharge

Transitions

To support meaning & sequencing of messagesin conversations by using Social Commitments

4-Layered Modelmessage meaning: defined based on their use as coordinating devices advancing conversations and the state of commitments that bring about the actions advancing joint activities.

4-Layered Modelmessage meaning: defined based on their use as coordinating devices advancing conversations and the state of commitments that bring about the actions advancing joint activities.

Language Use defines two types of meaning: • speaker's meaning: messages communicate intent• signal meaning: messages coordinate & advance joint activities

Protocol for ProposalsProtocol for Proposals

Pattern αPattern α Pattern βPattern β

a:Agent b:Agent

propose

Pattern α (a,b)

Pattern β (a,b)

deadline

a:Agent b:Agentaccept

Pattern β (b,a)

a:Agent b:Agent

Pattern α (a,b)

Pattern β (a,b)

deadlinereject

counter

Agentdeadlinepropose

Agentdeadline

counter, reject

Agentaccept