Task management and itinerary planning : an integrated view based on multi-agent systems

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to describe the framework of an agent-based agenda manager. The technology herein presented is intended to be able to assist a user in his/hers every days life, supporting all aspects of activities to be carried out in different places and times. Differently from other tools with the same ability, our agenda agent goes beyond the simple task of managing activities and their common attributes, such as date, time and place at which an activity is to be performed. Profiting from all potentials offered by mobile communication and portable devices, activities must now be assisted throughout their whole lifecycle, meaning the user will be able to optimize his/hers daily agenda including journeys he/she must make between places of two consecutive activities. This paper reports on the first steps towards the specification of the whole multi-agent architecture for an agenda management system, accounting for realtime and geographical distribution constraints that are inherent in this kind of systems.