The parallel terraced scan: an optimization for an agent-oriented architecture

A relatively new area of research concerns computer programs which operate by the action of many small agents, rather than the serial execution of an algorithm. Because they differ drastically from conventional programs, new approaches are required for developing and maintaining them. An optimization technique, the parallel terraced scan, has been applied to one such program: a letter-recognition system called the Examiner. The parallel terraced scan is the exploration of many possible paths, but with more computation devoted to paths which are identified as being more promising. Thus, it resembles pruning of search trees in some respects, but it does not completely abandon paths which are tentatively identified as less fruitful