mil.navy.nps.relate
Interface Goal

All Known Implementing Classes:

GoalCoordinate, GoalDefensive, GoalOffensive

public interface Goal

This interface implements the RELATE Goal.

Defines the minimum requirements for a RELATE Goal. Provides a mechanism to select from a collection of methods (rules) that affect an Agent's internal state or it's environment. These methods are selected based on the activeRule of a collection of Rules. The method, or action, taken is intended to satisfy the Goal. A feedback mechanism is provided in the assignCredit method to determine the health of the Goal as well as the current active Rule.

Since:

JDK1.3

Version:

1.0, 17 Aug 00

Author:

Michael R. Dickson, Kimberly A. Roddy

Method Summary

void	addRule(Rule pRule) Adds the passed in Rule to the ruleList Vector.
void	assignCredit(SensedEnvironment pPE) Assigns credit to itself (i.e.
Rule	getActiveRule() Gets the Goal active rule
java.lang.String	getGoalName() Gets the Goal name
int	getGoalType() Gets the Goal type
Rule	getPastActiveRule() Gets the Goal past active rule
java.util.Vector	getRuleList() Returns the ruleList Vector.
boolean	removeRule(Rule pRule) Removes the Rule from the ruleList Vector.
java.lang.Object	runActiveRule(SensedEnvironment pPE) Passes the PerceivedEnvironment to the activeRule in its calculate() method.
void	setActiveRule(Rule pRule) Sets the ActiveRule, used for goal attainment.
void	setGoalType(int pType) Sets the Goals type, the developer should designate specific goal types to be used in the RELATE architecture.
void	setPastActiveRule(Rule pRule) Sets the PastActiveRule, used for comparison and rule weight calculation
java.lang.String	toString() Returns a formated description of this Goal suitable for printing

Method Detail

addRule

public void addRule(Rule pRule)

Adds the passed in Rule to the ruleList Vector.

removeRule

public boolean removeRule(Rule pRule)

Removes the Rule from the ruleList Vector.

Parameters:

pRule - The Rule that is to be removed

Returns:

The success of the removal operation:

true - The Rule was successfully removed

false - The Rule did not exist in the Goal's ruleList

getRuleList

public java.util.Vector getRuleList()

Returns the ruleList Vector.

Returns:

ruleList

assignCredit

public void assignCredit(SensedEnvironment pPE)

Assigns credit to itself (i.e. updates goal attainment weight )and the lastRule by receiving the new PerceivedEnvironment to the Goal and letting the Goal determine the credit assignment to itself (goal attainment) and all of the Rules associated with that Goal, both active and inactive. Assigns the Rule with the highest weight to the activeRule.

Parameters:

pPE - The agent's perceived environment.

runActiveRule

public java.lang.Object runActiveRule(SensedEnvironment pPE)

Passes the PerceivedEnvironment to the activeRule in its calculate() method.

Returns:

an Object associated with the active Rules calculation

setPastActiveRule

public void setPastActiveRule(Rule pRule)

Sets the PastActiveRule, used for comparison and rule weight calculation

Parameters:

pRule - The agent's past active rule.

setGoalType

public void setGoalType(int pType)

Sets the Goals type, the developer should designate specific goal types to be used in the RELATE architecture.

Parameters:

pType - Integer representing the goal type.

setActiveRule

public void setActiveRule(Rule pRule)

Sets the ActiveRule, used for goal attainment.

Parameters:

pRule - The agent's active rule.

getGoalType

public int getGoalType()

Gets the Goal type

Returns:

an Int representing the goal type

getGoalName

public java.lang.String getGoalName()

Gets the Goal name

Returns:

a String of the goals name (should be the goal class name)

getActiveRule

public Rule getActiveRule()

Gets the Goal active rule

Returns:

the Goals active rule

getPastActiveRule

public Rule getPastActiveRule()

Gets the Goal past active rule

Returns:

the Goals oast active rule

toString

public java.lang.String toString()

Returns a formated description of this Goal suitable for printing

Returns:

String message describing this Goal object.