Constraint programming and multi-agent systems engineering

This paper presents a design approach for multi-agent reactive systems in CIM context. This approach allows the user to clearly define its needs and avoid ambiguities and contradictions. Also, it permits to specify the multi-agent structure of Real Time Software and to make a rigorous verification of these specifications and especially to validate the behaviour of the system. The validation process by reduction in the rewriting logic theory is implemented with the constraint programming language PrologIII. Valid code is automatically generated by using the vertical refinement technical (transformations). This method constitutes a complete approach for the analysis, the structuring and the design of reactive systems.