department of telecommunications 20051aose tfg, al3 modeling agent mobility with uml sequence...

2005

Department of Telecommunications

1AOSE TFG, AL3

Modeling Agent Mobility with UML Sequence Diagram

Mario Kusek, Gordan JezicDepartment of Telecommunications

Faculty of Electrical Engineering and ComputingUniversity of Zagreb, CROATIA

Agent-Oriented Software Engineering TFG, AL3February 28th – March 2nd, 2005, Ljubljana, Slovenia

2005AOSE TFG, AL3 2 of 14


Outline

Motivation

Related work

Proposed diagrams

Case study

Conclusions



Motivation

Existing diagrams Weak representation of agent moving and

execution path Does not represent mobility in Sequence Diagram

Proposition for modeling Agent creation, Mobility path, and Current location



AUML – Deployment and Activity Diagram

Captures why and where agents move

Activity nodes model plan Transitions model events Mobility is indicated as a note

“when: condition” on the transition that leads to the end point

Deployment diagram model combined with activity gives overall picture

Specific cases must be extracted from diagrams

Locate information

Obtain information

(Starts execution in visiting NodeInstance)

(Leaves NodeInstance)

{When: obtain information plan is complete}



Extending Activity Diagrams to Model Mobile Systems

Introduced concepts of location, mobile object, mobile location, move action and clone action

Locate information

<<mobile>> <<mobile>>

<<become>>

Two notations of mobility in Activity Diagrams responsibility centered

who is performing an action location centered

where an action is performed, and how activities change this relation



Modelling Mobile Agent Applications in UML 2.0 Activity Diagrams

Stereotype <<Host>> in swimlane represents location

Agent moving from location “host1” to “host2” is represented by using “Go”

Agent communication and cloning can be represented by subactivities

<<Host>> host1 <<Host>> host2

<<

agen

t>>

Age

nt1

Go Do Task



Agent Modeling Language (AML)

Defines metaclasses used to model structural and behavioural aspects of entity mobility

Dependency relationship with the stereotype <<move>> MobilityAction for modeling mobility action MoveAction for modeling removal of the entity from its

current hosting location

Host 1 Host 2 <<move>>



<<agent>>a1

<<node>>n1

<<node>>n2

<<at>>

<<move>>

create agent

<<agent>>a2

new

Stereotyped Mobility Diagram

Similar to “Sequence Diagrams for Mobility “ In the case of large number of nodes, the diagram is

useless



Swimlaned Mobility Diagram

Idea from “Modelling Mobile Agent Applications in UML 2.0 Activity Diagrams”

Clear representation of mobility

Needs less space than stereotyped diagram

In the case of large number of nodes it is also useless

<<agent>>a1

<<move>>

<<node>>n1

<<node>>n2

<<agent>>a1

<<agent>>a2

new



State Representation Mobility Diagram

Good for large number of nodes Poorer representation of mobility Consumes more space in

vertical representation Candidate for implementing

mobility in Sniffer agent (in JADE)

<<agent>>a1

<<agent>>a2

new

at noden1

at noden2

at noden2



Frame Fragment Mobility Diagram

Good for large number of nodes

Mobility is more clearer Occupied space is smaller In some cases it is not

possible to order agents in a way that one frame fragment can represent agents at the same node

node n2

node n1

<<agent>>a1

<<agent>>a2

new



Case study: Simple price searcher

Price listCaffe 5€Juice 12€

Home

Searcher



Stereotyped Mobility Diagram

<<host>>home

<<agent>>searcher

create agentnew

<<host>>host1

<<agent>>store1

<<host>>host2

<<agent>>store2

getrequest

<<move>>

get price list

price list

<<move>>

get price list

price list

<<move>>

showresults



Conclusions

Four variants of modeling agent mobility based on UML Sequence Diagram notations are proposed

Stereotyped Mobility Diagram For small number of nodes Clear representation of agent execution and mobility path

Swimlaned Mobility Diagram For small number of nodes Needs less space than Stereotyped Mobility Diagram

State Representation Mobility Diagram Good for large number of nodes Representation of agent execution and mobility path not so clear

Frame Fragment Mobility Diagram Good for large number of nodes Needs less space than State Representation Mobility Diagram Not always possible to use it

department of telecommunications 20051aose tfg, al3 modeling agent mobility with uml sequence...

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