There are several types of mutexes that can be added to the
.
To start with, we only concentrate on those that can evolve in a
single possible world because same-world mutexes are more effective
as well as relatively easy to understand. We extend the mutex
propagation that was used in the multiple graphs so that the mutexes
are on one planning graph. The savings of computing mutexes on the
instead of multiple graphs is that we can reduce computation
when a mutex exits in several worlds. In Appendix B we describe how
to handle cross-world mutexes, despite their lack of effectiveness
in the experiments we conducted. Cross-world mutexes extend the
to compute the same set of mutexes found by CGP
[30].
Same-world mutexes can be represented with a single label,
, between two elements (actions, effect, or
literals). The mutex holds between elements
and
in all
worlds
where
. If the
elements are not mutex in any world, we can assume the label of a
mutex between them is false
. We discuss how the labelled
mutexes are discovered and propagated for actions, effect relations,
and literals.
By using mutexes, we can refine what it means for a formula
to
be reachable from a set of worlds
. We must ensure that for
every state in
, there exists a state of
that is
reachable. A state
of
is reachable from a state
of
when there are no two literals in
that are mutex in
world
and
.
In each of the action, effect, and literal layers there are multiple ways for the same pair of elements to become mutex (e.g. interference or competing needs). Thus, the mutex label for a pair is the disjunction of all labelled mutexes found for the pair by some means.
Action Mutexes: The same-world action mutexes at a level
are a set of labelled pairs of actions. Each pair is labelled with a
formula that indicates the set of possible worlds where the actions
are mutex. The possible reasons for mutex actions are interference
and competing needs.
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In the above formula we find all worlds where a pair of execution
preconditions
are mutex and both
actions are reachable.
Effect Mutexes: The effect mutexes are a set of labelled
pairs of effects. Each pair is labelled with a formula that
indicates the set of possible worlds where the effects are mutex.
The possible reasons for mutex effects are associated action
mutexes, interference, competing needs, or induced effects.
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In the above formula we find all worlds where a pair of execution
preconditions
are mutex and both
actions are reachable.
Induced mutexes, involving the inducing effect
, come
about when an induced effect
is mutex with another
effect
(see Figure 8). The induced
mutex is between (a) the effect
that is mutex with
the induced effect
and (b) the inducing effect
. The label of the mutex is the conjunction of the
label of the mutex
and
the label of the induced effect
. For additional
discussion of the methodology behind induced mutexes we refer to
[30].
Literal Mutexes: The literal mutexes are a set of labelled
pairs of literals. Each pair is labelled with a formula that
indicates the set of possible worlds where the literals are mutex.
The only reason for mutex literals is inconsistent support.
The meaning of the above formula is that the two literals are mutex
in all worlds
where all pairs of effects that support the
literals in
are mutex in
.