Process Algebra for Agent Communication: A General Semantic Approach

In this paper, we consider the process algebra acpl, which models the basics of agent communication. This algebra combines the information-processing aspects of Concurrent Constraint Programming (ccp) with a generalisation of the synchronous handshaking communication mechanism of Communicating Sequential Processes (csp). The operational semantics of acpl is given in terms of a transition system that consists of local and global transition rules. The local rules describe the operational behaviour of agents, like the local effects of communication actions. The global rules define the operational behaviour of multi-agent systems including the matching of communication actions. We show how acpl provides a general basis to address the semantics of agent communication languages such as kqml and fipa-acl. Finally, we address several extensions of the basic algebra.