Agent-Based Distributed Control for Improving Complex Resource Scheduling: Application to Airport Ground Handling Operations

Abstract

Recent research on highly distributed control methods has produced a series of new philosophies based on negotiation, which bring together process engineering with computer science. Among these control philosophies, the ones based on multiagent systems (MASs) have proved to be especially suitable to address distributed decision making in highly volatile environments. Furthermore, this agent-based approach allows using new manufacturing concepts in scheduling problems because of its scalability, ability to negotiate, and distributed capabilities. However, MAS models have the drawback of excessive dependence on up-to-date field information. In this paper, a theoretical and experimental MAS is presented to test new strategies for managing handling operations supported by radio-frequency identification information feedback. Based on this new visibility framework, these strategies applied to scheduling control have been structured on a new distributed organization model to enforce the idea of the division between physical elements and information and communication technologies. This division into two platforms simplifies the design and development of the MAS, providing a higher level of abstraction and preserving the independence between platforms. The proposed MAS, called MAS-DUO, has been validated using a test bench simulator and at the Ciudad Real Central Airport in Spain.