An approximate dynamic programming approach for semi-cooperative multi-agent resource management

Complex problems involving multiple agents exhibit varying degrees of cooperation. The levels of cooperation might reflect both differences in information as well as differences in goals. In this research, we develop a general mathematical model for distributed, semicooperative planning and suggest a solution strategy which involves decomposing the system into subproblems, each of which is specified at a certain period in time and controlled by an agent. The agents communicate marginal values of resources to each other, possibly with distortion. We design experiments to demonstrate the benefits of communication between the agents and show that, with communication, the solution quality approaches that of the ideal situation where the entire problem is controlled by a single agent.