Influence networks: a reactive planning architecture

An architecture for reactive planning, called an influence network, is presented. Most approaches to planning involve goal decomposition, action generation, and action fusion, the latter being the most difficult. In an influence network, fusion involves influences, rather than fully specified actions. An influence serves to constrain or bias the eventual selection of actions. Plans to satisfy individual goals generate influences. These influences are validated as they are generated to ensure that they are consistent with influences already accepted. After all influences have been processed, actions are generated which satisfy the influences that have been accepted. Influence networks provide a simple method of action fusion by delaying commitment while not delaying validation. As a result, plan repair, can be accomplished by the individual planning agents as their plans are being constructed, rather than being performed at the system level