Modelling and monitoring interdependent expectations

Abstract

Previous research on modelling and monitoring norms, contracts and commitments has studied the semantics of concepts such as obligation, permission, prohibition and commitment; languages for expressing behavioural constraints (such as norms or contracts) to be followed by agents in specific contexts; and mechanisms for run-time monitoring of fulfilment and violation of these constraints. However, there has been little work that provided all of these features while also allowing the current expectations of agents, and the fulfilment and violation of these expectations to be expressed as first-class constructs in the language. This paper demonstrates the benefits of providing this capability by considering a variety of use cases and demonstrating how these can be addressed as applications of a previously defined temporal logic of expectations and an associated monitoring technique.