genius.core.utility

Interface UtilitySpace

All Superinterfaces:

java.io.Serializable

All Known Implementing Classes:

AbstractUtilitySpace, AdditiveUtilitySpace, AdditiveUtilitySpaceWithPerturbation, ConstraintUtilitySpace, FlattenedUtilitySpace, NonlinearUtilitySpace, UncertainUtilitySpace

public interface UtilitySpace
extends java.io.Serializable

A utility space is a function that maps bids to utilities. Implementors MUST implement #equals(Object) and #hashCode().

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
UtilitySpace	copy()
java.lang.Double	discount(double util, double time) Computes the discounted utility of a bid.
Domain	getDomain()
java.lang.String	getName()
java.lang.Double	getReservationValue() The reservation value is the least favourable point at which one will accept a negotiated agreement.
double	getUtility(Bid bid)
java.lang.String	isComplete() Check if this utility space is complete and ready for negotiation.
SimpleElement	toXML() Creates an xml representation (in the form of a SimpleElements) of the utilityspace.

Method Detail

getDomain

Domain getDomain()

Returns:

domain belonging to this preference profile.

getUtility

double getUtility(Bid bid)

Parameters:

bid - of which we are interested in its utility.

Returns:

Utility of the given bid. This utility is undiscounted: there is no time dependent devaluation of the utility. See also discount(double, double).

discount

java.lang.Double discount(double util,
                          double time)

Computes the discounted utility of a bid. The actual implementation is implementation specific but we assume that this function is monotonically decreasing so that the discount at time 1.0 gives the biggest possible discount.

Parameters:

util - the undiscounted utility as coming from getUtility(Bid).

time - a real number in the range [0,1] where 0 is the start of the negotiation and 1 the end. See also TimeLineInfo.

Returns:

the time-discounted utility at given time.

copy

UtilitySpace copy()

Returns:

a deep copy of this utility space.

isComplete

java.lang.String isComplete()

Check if this utility space is complete and ready for negotiation.

Returns:

null if util space is complete, else returns String containing explanation why not.

toXML

SimpleElement toXML()
             throws java.io.IOException

Creates an xml representation (in the form of a SimpleElements) of the utilityspace.

Returns:

A representation of this utilityspace or null when there was an error.

Throws:

java.io.IOException

getReservationValue

java.lang.Double getReservationValue()

The reservation value is the least favourable point at which one will accept a negotiated agreement. Also sometimes referred to as the walk away point.

This is value remains constant during the negotiation. However, by default, the reservation value descreases with time. Refer to discount(double, double) or use support functions.

Returns:

undiscounted reservation value of the preference profile (may be null).

getName

java.lang.String getName()

Returns:

a simple name for easy reference. Typically the filename.