A Timed Extension of ReSpecT

Among the existing extensions to the basic tuple space coordination model, the tuple centre approach has been introduced to allow for the flexible programming of a tuple space behaviour, so as to encapsulate coordination laws directly as behaviour of the coordination medium. In particular, the logic-based language ReSpecT has been used for programming tuple centres in the TuCSoN coordination infrastructure. However, among the application contexts that can be suitably engineered with agents and coordination infrastructures, some involve coordination processes where the notion of time and duration play a relevant role. Examples include distributed control systems, protocol-based interactions as in auctions, and in general all the coordination contexts where high dynamism and openness are concerned, which call for time-aware coordination artifacts supporting timed system engineering. Accordingly, in this work we discuss how the basic ReSpecT tuple centre model has been extended to support the definition and enaction of time-aware coordination policies.