Scribd
Upload
42 views

CSPS: Arc Consistency

The document discusses arc consistency in constraint satisfaction problems (CSPs). It defines arc consistency as requiring that for every value in the domain of a variable, there exists a compatible value in the domain of a related variable such that their constraint is satisfied. The document outlines an algorithm for enforcing arc consistency by repeatedly pruning inconsistent values from variable domains until all arcs are arc consistent or a domain is empty. It runs in O(ed^3) time in general and can solve some CSPs without search by pruning domains down to a single value.

Uploaded by

Mihai Ilie
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
42 views

CSPS: Arc Consistency

The document discusses arc consistency in constraint satisfaction problems (CSPs). It defines arc consistency as requiring that for every value in the domain of a variable, there exists a compatible value in the domain of a related variable such that their constraint is satisfied. The document outlines an algorithm for enforcing arc consistency by repeatedly pruning inconsistent values from variable domains until all arcs are arc consistent or a domain is empty. It runs in O(ed^3) time in general and can solve some CSPs without search by pruning domains down to a single value.

Uploaded by

Mihai Ilie
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 17

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

CSPs: Arc Consistency


CPSC 322 CSPs 3

Textbook 4.5

CSPs: Arc Consistency

CPSC 322 CSPs 3, Slide 1

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

Lecture Overview

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

CSPs: Arc Consistency

CPSC 322 CSPs 3, Slide 2

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

Constraint Satisfaction Problems: Denition

Denition
A constraint satisfaction problem consists of: a set of variables a domain for each variable a set of constraints

Denition
A model of a CSP is an assignment of values to variables that satises all of the constraints.

CSPs: Arc Consistency

CPSC 322 CSPs 3, Slide 3

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

CSPs as Search Problems

We map CSPs into search problems: nodes: assignments of values to a subset of the variables neighbours of a node: nodes in which values are assigned to one additional variable start node: the empty assignment (no variables assigned values) goal node: a node which assigns a value to each variable, and satises all of the constraints Note: the path to a goal node is not important

CSPs: Arc Consistency

CPSC 322 CSPs 3, Slide 4

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

Lecture Overview

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

CSPs: Arc Consistency

CPSC 322 CSPs 3, Slide 5

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

Consistency Algorithms

Idea: prune the domains as much as possible before selecting values from them.

Denition
A variable is domain consistent if no value of the domain of the node is ruled impossible by any of the constraints. Example: dom(B ) = {1, 2, 3, 4} isnt domain consistent if we have the constraint B = 3.

CSPs: Arc Consistency

CPSC 322 CSPs 3, Slide 6

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

Constraint Networks
Domain consistency only talked about constraints involving a single variable
what can we say about constraints involving multiple variables?

Denition
A constraint network is dened by a graph, with one node for every variable one node for every constraint and undirected edges running between variable nodes and constraint nodes whenever a given variable is involved in a given constraint. When all of the constraints are binary, constraint nodes are not necessary: we can drop constraint nodes and use edges to indicate that a constraint holds between a pair of variables.
why cant we do the same with general k -ary constraints?
CSPs: Arc Consistency CPSC 322 CSPs 3, Slide 7

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

Example Constraint Network

A<B

B<C

Recall: Variables: A, B, C Domains: {1, 2, 3, 4} Constraints: A < B , B < C

CSPs: Arc Consistency

CPSC 322 CSPs 3, Slide 8

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

Lecture Overview

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

CSPs: Arc Consistency

CPSC 322 CSPs 3, Slide 9

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

Arc Consistency
Denition
) is arc consistent if for each value of X in An arc X, r(X, Y in dom(Y ) such that r(X, Y ) is dom(X ) there is some value Y satised. ) such that r(X, Y dom(Y ) In symbols, X dom(X ), Y is satised. A network is arc consistent if all its arcs are arc consistent. is not arc consistent, all values of X in If an arc X, Y ) dom(X ) for which there is no corresponding value in dom(Y may be deleted from dom(X ) to make the arc X, Y consistent.
This removal can never rule out any models (do you see why?)
CSPs: Arc Consistency CPSC 322 CSPs 3, Slide 10

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

Arc Consistency Outcomes

Three possible outcomes (when all arcs are arc consistent):


One domain is empty no solution Each domain has a single value unique solution Some domains have more than one value may or may not be a solution
in this case, arc consistency isnt enough to solve the problem: we need to perform search

CSPs: Arc Consistency

CPSC 322 CSPs 3, Slide 11

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

Arc Consistency Algorithm

Consider the arcs in turn making each arc consistent.


) needs to be revisited if the domain of Y An arc X, r(X, Y is reduced.

Regardless of the order in which arcs are considered, we will terminate with the same result: an arc consistent network. Worst-case complexity of this procedure:
let the max size of a variable domain be d let the number of constraints be e complexity is O(ed3 )

Some special cases are faster


e.g., if the constraint graph is a tree, arc consistency is O(ed)

CSPs: Arc Consistency

CPSC 322 CSPs 3, Slide 12

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

Arc Consistency Algorithm (binary constraints case)

CSPs: Arc Consistency

CPSC 322 CSPs 3, Slide 13

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

Adding edges back to T DA (binary constraints case)

When we change the domain of a variable X in the course of making an arc X, r arc consistent, we add every arc Z, r where r involves X and:
r=r Z=X

Thus we dont add back the same arc:


This makes senseits denitely arc consistent.

CSPs: Arc Consistency

CPSC 322 CSPs 3, Slide 14

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

Adding edges back to T DA (binary constraints case)

When we change the domain of a variable X in the course of making an arc X, r arc consistent, we add every arc Z, r where r involves X and:
r=r Z=X

We dont add back other arcs that involve the same variable X
Weve just reduced the domain of X If an arc X, r was arc consistent before, it will still be arc consistent
in the for all well just check fewer values

CSPs: Arc Consistency

CPSC 322 CSPs 3, Slide 14

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

Adding edges back to T DA (binary constraints case)


When we change the domain of a variable X in the course of making an arc X, r arc consistent, we add every arc Z, r where r involves X and:
r=r Z=X

We dont add back other arcs that involve the same constraint and a dierent variable:
Imagine that such an arcinvolving variable Y had been arc consistent before, but was no longer arc consistent after X s domain was reduced. This means that some value in Y s domain could satisfy r only when X took one of the dropped values But we dropped these values precisely because there were no values of Y that allowed r to be satised when X takes these valuescontradiction!
CSPs: Arc Consistency CPSC 322 CSPs 3, Slide 14

Recap

Consistency

Arc Consistency

Arc Consistency Example


A A<B B B<C C

dom(A) = {1, 2, 3, 4}; dom(B ) = {1, 2, 3, 4}; dom(C ) = {1, 2, 3, 4} Suppose you rst select the arc A, A < B .
Remove A = 4 from the domain of A. Add nothing to T DA.

Suppose that B, B < C is selected next.


Prune the value 4 from the domain of B . Add A, A < B back into the T DA set (why?)

Suppose that B, A < B is selected next.


Prune 1 from the domain of B . Add no element to T DA (why?)

Suppose the arc A, A < B is selected next


The value A = 3 can be pruned from the domain of A. Add no element to T DA (why?)

Select C, B < C next.


Remove 1 and 2 from the domain of C . Add B, B < C back into the T DA set

The other two edges are arc consistent, so the algorithm terminates with dom(A) = {1, 2}, dom(B ) = {2, 3}, dom(C ) = {3, 4}.
CSPs: Arc Consistency CPSC 322 CSPs 3, Slide 15

You might also like