Time-bound negotiation framework for electronic commerce agents

• DOI: 10.1016/s0167-9236(99)00096-2
• Publication Date: 2002-07-25T17:13:06Z
• Authors: Kyoung Jun Lee; Yong Sik Chang; Jae Kyu Lee
• Keywords: Communication protocols; Contract Net Protocol; 330; Computer Sciences; Electronic commerce; 0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering; 02 engineering and technology; Multi-agent negotiation; Management Information Systems; Multi-agent coordination

Abstract For efficient and informative coordination of agents especially in electronic commerce environment, a time-bound agent negotiation framework is proposed utilizing a time-based commitment scheme. By attaching commitment duration to agent messages, the traditional contract net protocol is extended to a time-bound negotiation framework (TBNF). The proposed negotiation framework has a new message type which allows for parties to agree upon the extension of a commitment duration, and a novel commitment concept in the form of negative commitment. The semantics of the messages with the commitment duration are interpreted, and then the three typical negotiation protocols are formally defined and compared — nothing-guaranteed protocol, acceptance-guaranteed protocol , and finite-time guarantee protocol — which can be incorporated into TBNF. The TBNF should provide a background for efficient and effective electronic commerce negotiation while accommodating each agent's adaptive negotiation strategy.