Function allocation for multi-agent systems and middleware in industrial automation systems

The trend towards the integration of application domains and technologies in the field of industrial automation and information technology leads to an increasing complexity of systems and applications. Even though integration has always been one of the major goals of automation, it is still challenging. Both, multi-agent systems and middleware technologies have been successfully used in a number of industrial applications. Each of these technologies have significant advantages in the application domains they are used. The aim of our work is to develop an approach which focuses on the optimal distribution of functionalities between multi-agent systems and middleware. In this paper we discuss the technologies characteristics and identify open questions towards a solution of the function allocation problem.