DeConNet: Deep Neural Network Model to Solve the Multi-Job Assignment Problem in the Multi-Agent System

Abstract

In a multi-agent system, multi-job assignment is an optimization problem that seeks to minimize total cost. This can be generalized as a complex problem in which several variations of vehicle routing problems are combined, and as an NP-hard problem. The parameters considered include the number of agents and jobs, the loading capacity, the speed of the agents, and the sequence of consecutive positions of jobs. In this study, a deep neural network (DNN) model was developed to solve the job assignment problem in a constant time regardless of the state of the parameters. To generate a large training dataset for the DNN, the planning domain definition language (PDDL) was used to describe the problem, and the optimal solution that was obtained using the PDDL solver was preprocessed into a sample of the dataset. A DNN was constructed by concatenating the fully-connected layers. The assignment solution obtained via DNN inference increased the average traveling time by up to 13% compared with the ground cost. As compared with the ground cost, which required hundreds of seconds, the DNN execution time was constant at approximately 20 ms regardless of the number of agents and jobs.