TWlib – a Library for Distributed Search Applications

Abstract

We present TWlib, a library to support the knowledge-based distribution concept teamwork, that is intended for such search processed that use a set of facts as representation of the state and addition and removal of facts as transition between states. Teamwork has proven to be quite successful in different applications by generating synergetic effects. Teamwork employs four types of components. Experts and specialists work independently on solving the search problem. Cooperation is achieved by periodically judging the new generated facts by referees and generating a new start state out of the best facts. A supervisor controls the whole system and can adapt it to the given problem by exchanging bad experts and specialists. TWlib provides communication functions (including a secure broadcast) and controls skeletons for the teamwork specific flow of control.