consultants 1 c 1999 kpmg kpmg mediagenix consultants kpmg symposium on intelligent agents...

Consultants 1

C 1999 KPMG

kpmg MediaGeniXMediaGeniX

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Symposium on Intelligent Agents

Intelligent Freight Planner

Symposium on Intelligent Agents

Intelligent Freight Planner

MediaGeniXMediaGeniX

Consultants 2

C 1999 KPMG


Agenda

WelcomeBackgroundProject objectivesAgent technologyFuture

WelcomeBackgroundProject objectivesAgent technologyFuture

Consultants 3

C 1999 KPMG


Background Manufacturing processes are automated

and locally optimised Supply chain management is still focused

on manufacturing ICT’s scope is devoted to manufacturing European industry have at least 20 %

more overhead than US companies Overhead due to:

Old-style management of transportation Regulations Structure of the sector Lack of IT and OR skills

Manufacturing processes are automated and locally optimised

Supply chain management is still focused on manufacturing

ICT’s scope is devoted to manufacturing European industry have at least 20 %

more overhead than US companies Overhead due to:

Old-style management of transportation Regulations Structure of the sector Lack of IT and OR skills

Consultants 4

C 1999 KPMG


Background

Transport Load occupation of trucks Road traffic problems Intermodal transport

not known by companies (shippers AND freight forwarders)

difficult to integrate in the ongoing-concern Logistics

Location of warehouses / choice of transport mode Material handling

Supply chain End-to-end supply chain Supply chain as strong as the weakest element in the

chain Performance of supply chain is driven by variation

Transport Load occupation of trucks Road traffic problems Intermodal transport

not known by companies (shippers AND freight forwarders)

difficult to integrate in the ongoing-concern Logistics

Location of warehouses / choice of transport mode Material handling

Supply chain End-to-end supply chain Supply chain as strong as the weakest element in the

chain Performance of supply chain is driven by variation

Consultants 5

C 1999 KPMG


Background

Objective of supply chain management is the delivery to the final customer of the right product or service at the right time,

in the right place, for the right price and with the least possible cost

Flawless information flows are crucial

Flawless information flows are crucial

Consultants 6

C 1999 KPMG


Information flow & E-business

E-business is the information technology application that facilitates the buying and selling of products, services and information over public standard-based networks

E-business is the information technology application that facilitates the buying and selling of products, services and information over public standard-based networks

Consultants 7

C 1999 KPMG


SCM and E-business

Channel enhancement

Value chainIntegration

Industry transformation

E-business portals

Added value

Leverage of e-businessStrategic / organisational

change

Consultants 8

C 1999 KPMG


Project objectives ...

while maintaining a high level of security, it must be able to cope with a constantly changing pool of suppliers and customers whose relationships vary enormously in intimacy and scope;

it must give the members a great deal of dedicated functionality, including the capacity to transfer information, the power to share common pools of information, and the capability to access and utilise electronic services;

it must be able to grow and adapt- not only in size but also in terms of functionality - along with the growth and evolution of the sector.

while maintaining a high level of security, it must be able to cope with a constantly changing pool of suppliers and customers whose relationships vary enormously in intimacy and scope;

it must give the members a great deal of dedicated functionality, including the capacity to transfer information, the power to share common pools of information, and the capability to access and utilise electronic services;

it must be able to grow and adapt- not only in size but also in terms of functionality - along with the growth and evolution of the sector.

A network should meet next demands:A network should meet next demands:

Consultants 9

C 1999 KPMG


Project Objectives

the appearance of information brokers performing a number of functions. These information brokers oversee security, constantly ensuring that each partner has the proper security clearance and access codes;

open standard protocols as they are established for the Internet.

the appearance of information brokers performing a number of functions. These information brokers oversee security, constantly ensuring that each partner has the proper security clearance and access codes;

open standard protocols as they are established for the Internet.

Two critical elements make these new types of networked manufacturing/trading possible:

Consultants 10

C 1999 KPMG


Managing the Business Process

Planning Raw materials Manufacturing Distribution Finance Mantainance Delivery Synchronisati

on

Planning Raw materials Manufacturing Distribution Finance Mantainance Delivery Synchronisati

on

Consultants 11

C 1999 KPMG


Managing the Business Process

The Competence is in the network !

Consultants 12

C 1999 KPMG


Refinement of objectives ...

Sector Needs

Electronic Market Place

Pre-Contract Phase

Focus on Pre-Contract PhaseDistributed ServicesSupport of Decision MakingIntegration of VarietyHigh Technological Push

Strategic Project Objectives:

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C 1999 KPMG


Refinement of objectives

S erviceS erviceP rovider

S erviceR equester

Consultants 14

C 1999 KPMG


Agent Technology

Why ? Metaphor Non-functional requirements

Autonomy Robustness Enhancebility

Framework

Why ? Metaphor Non-functional requirements

Autonomy Robustness Enhancebility

Framework

Consultants 15

C 1999 KPMG


Intelligent Software Agents

Consultants 16

C 1999 KPMG


Intelligent Software Agent

CompetenceModel

CommunicationModel

SelfModel

Environm.Model

Planner

Competence model Environment model Planner Communication Self model

Competence model Environment model Planner Communication Self model

Consultants 17

C 1999 KPMG


Technical Architecture of a Single Agent

C om . S e lf P lan C om p. E nv

parser

com poser

to do

m esgen

to do

conv.m anag.

cap.m an.

goals

ident.

todo

agenda

requesthandler

tasks

todo

m eth-ods

to do

agentm odel

resourcem odel

Consultants 18

C 1999 KPMG


Example Workflow


parser

com poser

to do

m esgen

to do

conv.m anag.

cap.m an.

goals

ident.

todo

agenda

requesthandler

tasks

todo

m eth-ods

to do

agentm odel

resourcem odel

m essage

receiver ok?

internalm essage

existingconversation

check ?

existingrequest

existingjob

knowntask

knownm ethod

Reactive Behavior

Consultants 19

C 1999 KPMG


Example Workflow ...


parser

com poser

to do

m esgen

to do

conv.m anag.

cap.m an.

goals

ident.

todo

agenda

requesthandler

tasks

todo

m eth-ods

to do

agentm odel

resourcem odel

check ?

new jobknown

task

knownm ethod

Proactive Behavior

Consultants 20

C 1999 KPMG


Competence Model

task execution (P) memory

information accumulation forgetting

learning

task execution (P) memory

information accumulation forgetting

learning

Consultants 21

C 1999 KPMG


Communication Model

perception (P) interaction (P)

message generation (P)

send messages receive messages parsing interpretation

perception (P) interaction (P)

message generation (P)

send messages receive messages parsing interpretation

conversation trace meta conversation learning

conversation trace meta conversation learning

Consultants 22

C 1999 KPMG


Environment Model

maintain environment links (P) actor modeling

define interaction protocol define roles contract management

learn the environment accumulate environment explore environment

maintain environment links (P) actor modeling

define interaction protocol define roles contract management

learn the environment accumulate environment explore environment

Consultants 23

C 1999 KPMG


Self Model

identity representation (P) representation of goals introspection reflection ontology handling

ontology use ontology adaptation

learning

identity representation (P) representation of goals introspection reflection ontology handling

ontology use ontology adaptation

learning

Consultants 24

C 1999 KPMG


Plan Model

task selection task execution

control task launching

task interruption task re-activation

time monitoring

task selection task execution

control task launching

task interruption task re-activation

time monitoring

emergency handling

conflict handling time-bound handling handling long waiting

times learning

emergency handling

conflict handling time-bound handling handling long waiting

times learning

Consultants 25

C 1999 KPMG


Model Transcending Functions

learning problem resolution emotion

learning problem resolution emotion

Consultants 26

C 1999 KPMG


Advantages of 5C Model

Clearly distinguished and seperated capabilities different dimensions of the capabilities of an agent

Incremental development approach Stepwise increase of complexity

possible Not only a conceptual model, but also

technical agent architecture

Clearly distinguished and seperated capabilities different dimensions of the capabilities of an agent

Incremental development approach Stepwise increase of complexity

possible Not only a conceptual model, but also

technical agent architecture

Consultants 27

C 1999 KPMG


Implementation

JAVA (Jbuilder 3) Agents developed according to 5C

model Agents built on top of FIPA platform CORBA XML

JAVA (Jbuilder 3) Agents developed according to 5C

model Agents built on top of FIPA platform CORBA XML

Consultants 28

C 1999 KPMG


FIPA ...

The foundation for Intelligent Physical Agents (FIPA) is a non-profit organization established in 1996 and registered in Geneva, Switzerland.

It's purpose is to promote the development of specifications of generic agent technologies that maximise interoperability within and across agent based applications

The foundation for Intelligent Physical Agents (FIPA) is a non-profit organization established in 1996 and registered in Geneva, Switzerland.

It's purpose is to promote the development of specifications of generic agent technologies that maximise interoperability within and across agent based applications

Consultants 29

C 1999 KPMG


FIPA

Agent Communication FIPA is concerned only with how communication is

carried out between agents Agent Management

Agent Communication FIPA is concerned only with how communication is

carried out between agents Agent Management

Consultants 30

C 1999 KPMG


FIPA Agent Management: Reference Model

Internal Platform Message Transport

Agent

DirectoryFacilitator

AgentManagement

System

Software

Agent Platform

ACC

Consultants 31

C 1999 KPMG


Demonstrator Scenario

TransportService

Requestor

LogisticsProvider

LogisticsServiceProvider

SimulationEngine

transport cost-benefit analysis simulation

Consultants 32

C 1999 KPMG


Demonstator

Consultants 33

C 1999 KPMG


Intelligent Freight Planner - set-up

The following drawing shows the main logical components of the demonstrator.

User Interface

FIPA_SMART Agent platform

Agent ManagementSystem(AMS)

DirectoryFacilitator

(DF)

Agent CommunicationChannel(ACC)

Logistics ProviderLP_001

GuardianCMP_001

GuardianCBA-Room

Virtual Freight Simulator(VFS)

Simulation AgentLSP_001

Consultants 34

C 1999 KPMG


Demonstrator Design

c.b.a. Providers RoomConsultancy Market Place

Agent Server 1

LP_001

Agent Server 2

LSP_001 CBAS_001

SimulationTool

GuardianGuardian LSP_001 CBAS_001

LP_001

Consultants 35

C 1999 KPMG


Uses Case Diagram

LP_001 LSP_001

Ask for access(2)

Ask for access(4)

Move to location(3)

Search for ser vice p rovider(5)

A nnounce fi t(6)

Make contact(7)

Start conversat ion(8)

Moves to m arketplace( 1)

No service prov ider(5A)

N o mar ket place(1A)

Access denied(2A)

Collaboration fails(9)

Consultants 36

C 1999 KPMG


Interaction

Diagram

LP-001C M P-001-G uard ian

C BA-R oom -G uard ian

request reg is ter

agree

request find-location

in form cba-room

request provider

agree

LSP-001

inform LSP-001

request o ffer-service

agree

request perform service

request reg is ter

agree

inform accept

agree

inform accept

in form 'I o ffer service '

agree

Consultants 37

C 1999 KPMG


Future Benefits

Flexible framework for installing an electronic marketspace with low technological entry barriers

Advanced yellow pages Enormous amount of potential services could

be exposed to the Internet Business driven

Problems Prototype is not a full blown “commercial”

solution Availability of data and readiness to co-

operate and to share competences

Benefits Flexible framework for installing an electronic

marketspace with low technological entry barriers

Advanced yellow pages Enormous amount of potential services could

be exposed to the Internet Business driven

Problems Prototype is not a full blown “commercial”

solution Availability of data and readiness to co-

operate and to share competences

Consultants 38

C 1999 KPMG


IFP is not bound to any software package IFP can be deployed as an intra- and Extranet

application IFP links knowledge and competences IFP supports every old and new business model IFP integrates services and processes

IFP is not bound to any software package IFP can be deployed as an intra- and Extranet

application IFP links knowledge and competences IFP supports every old and new business model IFP integrates services and processes

Intelligent Freight Intelligent Freight Planner is a Planner is a business business

portalportal

Consultants 39

C 1999 KPMG


Contacts

Kris Van Marcke [email protected]

Bert Taeymans [email protected]

Kris Van Marcke [email protected]

Bert Taeymans [email protected]

Consultants 40

C 1999 KPMG


ConsultantsConsultantskpmgkpmg

MediaGeniXMediaGeniX

Consultants 41

C 1999 KPMG


Consultants 42

C 1999 KPMG


consultants 1 c 1999 kpmg kpmg mediagenix consultants kpmg symposium on intelligent agents...

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