Consortium based negotiation for distributed multi-equipment execution control

The execution control of a complex multi-equipment system poses a challenging problem to the conventional approaches that adopt centralized or hierarchical control architecture. Distributed execution control was therefore introduced as an alternative approach. A distributed autonomous multi-equipment system is perceived in be more robust and responsive to the dynamic operating environment. Nevertheless, the efficiency of the system lies in its ability to communicate, cooperate and negotiate effectively among the peers. This paper proposes a new negotiation approach specifically designed for the dynamic and time-critical environment of a multi-equipment system that requires high-speed decision-making capability.