scope:

This recommended practice describes integrating and deploying the multi-agent systems (MAS) (Ferber [B4] and Wooldridge [B24]) technology in industrial environments for use in building the intelligent decisionmaking layer on top of legacy industrial control platforms.¹

The integration of software agents with the low-level real-time control systems, mainly based on the programmable logic controllers (PLCs) running the IEC 61131-3:2013 control programs (forming in this manner a new component known as "industrial agents") are also identified.² In addition, the integration of software agents with the control applications based on IEC 61499-1:2012 or executed on embedded controllers is described. This recommended practice supports and helps the engineers leverage the best practices of developing industrial agents for specific automation control problems and given application fields. Therefore, corresponding rules, guidelines and design patterns are provided.

Purpose

The recommended practice intends to solve the interface problem when applying industrial agents, namely integrating software agents with automation control level in the context of cyber-physical systems (CPS) (Lee [B11]). The idea is to provide a description of a collection of best practices for the integration process according to the automation use cases and automation control level, aiming to standardize the interface process to allow the reuse and transparency.

¹The numbers in brackets correspond to those of the bibliography in Annex C.

²Information on references can be found in Clause 2.