Tackling the error correcting code problem via the cooperation of local-search-based agents

Abstract

We consider the problem of designing error correcting codes (ECC), a hard combinatorial optimization problem of relevance in the field of telecommunications. This problem is firstly approached via a battery of local search (LS) methods that are compared and analyzed. Then, we study how to tackle this problem by having a society of interacting autonomous agents where each agent is endowed with a specific (not necessarily unique) strategy for local improvement. Distinct topologies and forms of interaction are analyzed and discussed in the paper. Specifically, it is shown how the election of the LS methods and their combination influences the results. An empirical evaluation shows that agent-based models are promising to solve of this problem. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.