Multi-Agent Consensus-based Bundle Allocation for Multi-mode Composite Tasks

Gauthier Picard

Abstract: We consider agents having to schedule tasks within time slots they own on some resources. We focus on composite tasks that require multiple atomic tasks to be completed, potentially slotted into different private plans, and on disjunctive resources that can only perform one task at a time. There are multiple ways (or modes) to fulfill such composite tasks, with more or less atomic tasks to perform. Some non-owner agents may want to schedule such multi-mode composite tasks requiring access to one or more private slots. Slot owners thus have to coordinate as to collectively fulfill the requests, without disclosing their own plans. This scenario is motivated by innovative concepts of operations in Earth observation satellite constellations, where some users own some orbit slots, and plan any observation task they want by directly communicating with the satellites flying within their slots. We address this problem from a multi-agent perspective where agents are slot owners, which make use of a coordination mechanism built upon an auction-based task allocation technique, MM-CBGA, adapting the consensus framework to the case of multi-mode composite requests. The contribution is evaluated and compared to centralized greedy allocations and sequential auctions, using simulated constellations and realistic order books for observations over Europe.