Distributed blackboard decision-making framework for collaborative planning based on nested genetic algorithm

A distributed blackboard decision-making framework for collaborative planning based on nested genetic algorithm (NGA) is proposed. By using blackboard-based communication paradigm and shared data structure, multiple decision-makers (DMs) can collaboratively solve the tasks-platforms allocation scheduling problems dynamically through the coordinator. This methodology combined with NGA maximizes tasks execution accuracy, also minimizes the weighted total workload of the DM which is measured in terms of intra-DM and inter-DM coordination. The intra-DM employs an optimization-based scheduling algorithm to match the tasks-platforms assignment request with its own platforms. The inter-DM coordinates the exchange of collaborative request information and platforms among DMs using the blackboard architecture. The numerical result shows that the proposed blackboard DM framework based on NGA can obtain a near-optimal solution for the tasks-platforms collaborative planning problem. The assignment of platforms-tasks and the patterns of coordination can achieve a nice trade-off between intra-DM and inter-DM coordination workload.