Agent Modeling to Support Allocation Decisions in Mobile Cyber-Physical Systems

This paper addresses the conceptual design of Mobile Cyber-Physical Systems (MCPS) forming a part of a convoy of similar vehicles operating as a system of systems. MCPS are a type of cyber-physical system with intelligent control that may be realized by cyber components, human operators or a combination of the two. Traditional systems engineering modeling and design methodologies are not adequate for representing the intelligent behaviors exhibited by MCPS without early commitment to design solutions. As a result, many of the important design decisions made during conceptual design have inadequate model support. This paper presents an agent-based model framework specifically for MCPS during conceptual design. The agents are abstract logical components corresponding to elements of the MCPS vehicle. An important part of the model is representation of goals as a driver of intelligent behaviors. We describe the model using a current Army system, the Palletized Loading System (PLS).