A distributed data processing system employing negotiation among autonomous
agents for allocation of resources is presented herein. The system
includes a communications network for passing messages between computers
connected thereto, a plurality of computers connected to the network for
running programs thereon including at least first and second autonomous
agents. Each agent receives a graph associated therewith and wherein the
graph represents for the associated agent what resources that agent has
and what task or tasks that agent may perform. Each agent employs the
associated graph to determine what resource or resources are needed by
that agent to carry out the task or tasks to be performed by that agent.
The agents negotiate with each other for the resources needed to carry out
the task or tasks to be performed by the agents.
