Agent-based transportation planning compared with scheduling heuristics

Here we consider the problem of dynamically assigning vehicles to transportation orders that have di¤erent time windows and should be handled in real time. We introduce a new agent-based system for the planning and scheduling of these transportation networks. Intelligent vehicle agents schedule their own routes. They interact with job agents, who strive for minimum transportation costs, using a Vickrey auction for each incoming order. We use simulation to compare the on-time delivery percentage and the vehicle utilization of an agent-based planning system to a traditional system based on OR heuristics (look-ahead rules, serial scheduling). Numerical experiments show that a properly designed multi-agent system may perform as good as or even better than traditional methods

Transforming Energy Networks via Peer to Peer Energy Trading: Potential of Game Theoretic Approaches

Peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading has emerged as a next-generation energy management mechanism for the smart grid that enables each prosumer of the network to participate in energy trading with one another and the grid. This poses a significant challenge in terms of modeling the decision-making process of each participant with conflicting interest and motivating prosumers to participate in energy trading and to cooperate, if necessary, for achieving different energy management goals. Therefore, such decision-making process needs to be built on solid mathematical and signal processing tools that can ensure an efficient operation of the smart grid. This paper provides an overview of the use of game theoretic approaches for P2P energy trading as a feasible and effective means of energy management. As such, we discuss various games and auction theoretic approaches by following a systematic classification to provide information on the importance of game theory for smart energy research. Then, the paper focuses on the P2P energy trading describing its key features and giving an introduction to an existing P2P testbed. Further, the paper zooms into the detail of some specific game and auction theoretic models that have recently been used in P2P energy trading and discusses some important finding of these schemes.Comment: 38 pages, single column, double spac

Airport regulation: tackling congestion and environmental problems

This paper deals with alternative policy options for tackling congestion and environmental problems in the German airport sector. The starting point of the discussion is the planned privatisation of several airports in Germany, which is normally justified on productive efficiency grounds. However, when designing an appropriate airport policy, allocative efficiency must also be regarded, which means the efficient usage of existing facilities and timely investment in new capacity. Airport charges must not only reflect operational costs of infrastructure supply but also take account of the social costs of airport usage. This paper shows the inefficiency of the current regulatory rules for solving congestion and environmental problems and proposes alternative solutions, taking into account the need for planning stability not only for the airlines but also for the airports, which is a prerequisite for lowering the transaction costs of the air transport and infrastructure system.

Integrity protection for code-on-demand mobile agents in e-commerce

The mobile agent paradigm has been proposed as a promising solution to facilitate distributed computing over open and heterogeneous networks. Mobility, autonomy, and intelligence are identified as key features of mobile agent systems and enabling characteristics for the next-generation smart electronic commerce on the Internet. However, security-related issues, especially integrity protection in mobile agent technology, still hinder the widespread use of software agents: from the agent’s perspective, mobile agent integrity should be protected against attacks from malicious hosts and other agents. In this paper, we present Code-on-Demand(CoD) mobile agents and a corresponding agent integrity protection scheme. Compared to the traditional assumption that mobile agents consist of invariant code parts, we propose the use of dynamically upgradeable agent code, in which new agent function modules can be added and redundant ones can be deleted at runtime. This approach will reduce the weight of agent programs, equip mobile agents with more flexibility, enhance code privacy and help the recoverability of agents after attack. In order to meet the security challenges for agent integrity protection, we propose agent code change authorization protocols and a double integrity verification scheme. Finally, we discuss the Java implementation of CoD mobile agents and integrity protection

Online advertising: analysis of privacy threats and protection approaches

Online advertising, the pillar of the “free” content on the Web, has revolutionized the marketing business in recent years by creating a myriad of new opportunities for advertisers to reach potential customers. The current advertising model builds upon an intricate infrastructure composed of a variety of intermediary entities and technologies whose main aim is to deliver personalized ads. For this purpose, a wealth of user data is collected, aggregated, processed and traded behind the scenes at an unprecedented rate. Despite the enormous value of online advertising, however, the intrusiveness and ubiquity of these practices prompt serious privacy concerns. This article surveys the online advertising infrastructure and its supporting technologies, and presents a thorough overview of the underlying privacy risks and the solutions that may mitigate them. We first analyze the threats and potential privacy attackers in this scenario of online advertising. In particular, we examine the main components of the advertising infrastructure in terms of tracking capabilities, data collection, aggregation level and privacy risk, and overview the tracking and data-sharing technologies employed by these components. Then, we conduct a comprehensive survey of the most relevant privacy mechanisms, and classify and compare them on the basis of their privacy guarantees and impact on the Web.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Exploring the limits of incentive compatibility and allocative efficiency in complex economic environments

In this dissertation auction formats are developed and discussed that focus on three specific economic environments. Regarding the impossibility results from mechanism design, the main task for the implementation of auction designs is to balance allocative efficiency and incentive compatibility – the main characteristics a mechanism should provide. Therefore, the dissertation investigates the limits of conceivable relaxations of allocative efficiency and incentive compatibility for complex settings such as double auctions, interdependent-valuation environments and electricity market designs. The overall aim is to carefully weigh up the advantages and disadvantages for either relaxing allocative efficiency or respectively incentive compatibility.:Preface … 7 1. Introduction … 8 1.1. Applications of auction design … 8 1.2. Optimal use of information in allocation processes … 12 1.3. Modeling non-cooperative situations … 14 1.4. Motivation for the dissertation … 16 2. An Incentive Compatible Double Auction for Multi-Unit Markets with Heterogeneous Goods … 21 2.1. Introduction into double auctions … 21 2.2. Setting of a multi-unit market with heterogeneous goods … 25 2.3. Concept of the Incentive Compatible Double Auction (ICDA) … 29 2.4. Definition of the allocation rule … 31 2.5. Creation of the price vector and the trading bundles … 37 2.6. Characteristics of the Incentive Compatible Double Auction (ICDA) … 40 2.7. Discussion of the properties of the Incentive Compatible Double Auction (ICDA) … 43 3. An Alternating-Price Auction for Interdependent-Valuation Environments … 46 3.1. Introduction into ex-post efficient auction design … 46 3.2. Setting of an interdependent-valuation environment … 50 3.3. Concept of the Alternating-Price Auction (APA) … 54 3.4. Characteristics of the Alternating-Price Auction (APA) 62 3.5. Discussion of the properties of the Alternating-Price Auction (APA) … 64 4. Facilitating Short-Term and Long-Term Efficiency with an Integrated Electricity Market Design … 66 4.1. Introduction into electricity market designs … 66 4.2. Setting of an electricity market … 72 4.3. Concept of the Integrated Electricity Market Design (IEMD) … 78 4.4. Characteristics of the Integrated Electricity Market Design (IEMD) … 88 4.5. Discussion of the properties of the Integrated Electricity Market Design (IEMD) … 91 5. Conclusion ... 94 Reference List … 9