MetaConstraint (   The Meta-CSP FrameworkA Java API for Meta-CSP based reasoning)

java.lang.Object
- org.metacsp.framework.Constraint
- - org.metacsp.framework.meta.MetaConstraint

All Implemented Interfaces:

java.io.Serializable, java.lang.Cloneable

Direct Known Subclasses:

FuzzyActivityDomain, MetaOccupiedConstraint, MetaSpatialAdherenceConstraint, MultiMetaConstraint, Schedulable, SensingSchedulable, SimpleDomain, TCSPLabeling
```
public abstract class MetaConstraint
extends Constraint
```
A MetaConstraint is a generalization of the concept of constraint in classical CSPs. Like variables in a metaCSP, constraints are often implicit - e.g., a resource in scheduling, whose principal feature is a capacity; or an operator in planning, whose principal features are expressed as preconditions and effects. All MetaConstraints have in common a number of features:
- They represent a set of requirements which must be upheld in the particular application domain (e.g., no over-consumption of resources in scheduling).
- They subsume one or more concrete constraints that are relevant for the ground solvers - e.g., n-ary nogoods in resource scheduling.
- They can be used to synthesize values for the MetaVariables in the meta-CSP - e.g., ordering constraints for the activities in a scheduling problem.
Often it is also the case that value and variable ordering heuristics for meta-CSP search are related to the meta-CSP's MetaConstraints. For instance, in scheduling, a variable ordering heuristic may use the capacity of a resource to assess how critical a particular conflict set is.
Author:

Federico Pecora

See Also:

Serialized Form

Field Summary

Fields
Modifier and Type	Field and Description
`protected boolean`	`independentMC`
`protected MetaConstraintSolver`	`metaCS`
`protected ValueOrderingH`	`valOH`
`protected VariableOrderingH`	`varOH`

Fields inherited from class org.metacsp.framework.Constraint
annotation, autoRemovable, color, id, logger, masked, numIDs, scope

Constructor Summary

Constructors
Constructor and Description
`MetaConstraint(VariableOrderingH varOH, ValueOrderingH valOH)` Creates a `MetaConstraint` with given variable and value ordering heuristics (one or both of these can be `null`).

Method Summary

All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods Concrete Methods
Modifier and Type	Method and Description
`abstract void`	`draw(ConstraintNetwork network)` Method to draw the metaCSP's constraint network according to the rationale of this `MetaConstraint` (e.g., for a resource, this could be the resource usage profile as it is determined by the given constraint network).
`java.lang.String`	`getDescription()` Get the description of this `Constraint`'s type.
`abstract ConstraintSolver`	`getGroundSolver()` Provides the definition of how to get the/a groundSolver for this `MetaConstraint`.
`ConstraintNetwork`	`getMetaValue(MetaVariable metaVariable)` Get one meta value for a given `MetaVariable`.
`abstract ConstraintNetwork[]`	`getMetaValues(MetaVariable metaVariable)` Get all meta values for a given `MetaVariable`.
`ConstraintNetwork`	`getMetaVariable()` Get one `MetaVariable` according to this `MetaConstraint`.
`abstract ConstraintNetwork[]`	`getMetaVariables()` Get all `MetaVariable`s according to this `MetaConstraint`.
`ValueOrderingH`	`getValOH()` Method to get the Value Ordering heuristic used by this `MetaConstraint`.
`VariableOrderingH`	`getVarOH()` Method to get the Variable Ordering heuristic used by this `MetaConstraint`.
`abstract void`	`markResolvedSub(MetaVariable metaVariable, ConstraintNetwork metaValue)` Method to mark a `MetaVariable` as solved.
`void`	`setMetaSolver(MetaConstraintSolver metaCS)` Set the `MetaConstraintSolver` of this `MetaConstraint`.
`void`	`setValOH(ValueOrderingH valOH)` Method to set the Value Ordering heuristic of this `MetaConstraint`.
`void`	`setVarOH(VariableOrderingH varOH)` Method to set the Variable Ordering heuristic of this `MetaConstraint`.

Methods inherited from class org.metacsp.framework.Constraint
clone, getAnnotation, getColor, getEdgeLabel, getID, getScope, isAutoRemovable, isEquivalent, isMasked, isSkippableSolver, isUnary, mask, setAnnotation, setAutoRemovable, setColor, setScope, skipSolver, toString, unmask

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait

- Field Detail
  - varOH
```
protected VariableOrderingH varOH
```
  - valOH
```
protected ValueOrderingH valOH
```
  - metaCS
```
protected MetaConstraintSolver metaCS
```
  - independentMC
```
protected boolean independentMC
```
- Constructor Detail
  - MetaConstraint
```
public MetaConstraint(VariableOrderingH varOH,
                      ValueOrderingH valOH)
```
    Creates a MetaConstraint with given variable and value ordering heuristics (one or both of these can be null). This constructor must be called by the implementing class.
    
    Parameters:
    
    varOH - The variable ordering heuristic to be used by the meta-CSP search when dealing with this MetaConstraint.
    
    valOH - The value ordering heuristic to be used by the meta-CSP search when dealing with this MetaConstraint.
- Method Detail
  - setMetaSolver
```
public void setMetaSolver(MetaConstraintSolver metaCS)
```
    Set the MetaConstraintSolver of this MetaConstraint.
    
    Parameters:
    
    metaCS - The MetaConstraintSolver of this MetaConstraint.
  - getMetaVariable
```
public ConstraintNetwork getMetaVariable()
```
    Get one MetaVariable according to this MetaConstraint. This returns the highest-priority MetaVariable according to this MetaConstraint's variable ordering heuristic.
    
    Returns:
    
    A MetaVariable according to this MetaConstraint.
  - getMetaVariables
```
public abstract ConstraintNetwork[] getMetaVariables()
```
    Get all MetaVariables according to this MetaConstraint. This method must be implemented by the designer of the implementing MetaConstraint class.
    
    Returns:
    
    All MetaVariables according to this MetaConstraint.
  - getMetaValue
```
public ConstraintNetwork getMetaValue(MetaVariable metaVariable)
```
    Get one meta value for a given MetaVariable. Note that this calls the getMetaValues method (which must be implemented in the specific MetaConstraint) and returns the value with highest score as determined by this MetaConstraint's ValueOrderingH.
    
    Parameters:
    
    metaVariable - The MetaVariable for which we seek a meta value.
    
    Returns:
    
    The best meta value for the given MetaVariable.
  - getMetaValues
```
public abstract ConstraintNetwork[] getMetaValues(MetaVariable metaVariable)
```
    Get all meta values for a given MetaVariable. This method must be implemented in the specific MetaConstraint.
    
    Parameters:
    
    metaVariable - The MetaVariable for which we seek meta values.
    
    Returns:
    
    All meta values for the given MetaVariable.
  - markResolvedSub
```
public abstract void markResolvedSub(MetaVariable metaVariable,
                                     ConstraintNetwork metaValue)
```
    Method to mark a MetaVariable as solved. This method is called by the MetaConstraintSolver and must be implemented by the developer of the MetaConstraint.
    
    Parameters:
    
    metaVariable - The MetaVariable that is to be considered solved by the given meta value.
    
    metaValue - The solving meta value.
  - draw
```
public abstract void draw(ConstraintNetwork network)
```
    Method to draw the metaCSP's constraint network according to the rationale of this MetaConstraint (e.g., for a resource, this could be the resource usage profile as it is determined by the given constraint network). This method must be implemented by the developer of the MetaConstraint.
    
    Parameters:
    
    network - The constraint network to draw.
  - getDescription
```
public java.lang.String getDescription()
```
    Description copied from class: Constraint
    
    Get the description of this Constraint's type.
    
    Overrides:
    
    getDescription in class Constraint
    
    Returns:
    
    The description of this Constraint's type.
  - getVarOH
```
public VariableOrderingH getVarOH()
```
    Method to get the Variable Ordering heuristic used by this MetaConstraint.
    
    Returns:
    
    the Variable Ordering heuristic used by this MetaConstraint.
  - setVarOH
```
public void setVarOH(VariableOrderingH varOH)
```
    Method to set the Variable Ordering heuristic of this MetaConstraint.
    
    Parameters:
    
    varOH - the Variable Ordering heuristic of this MetaConstraint
  - getValOH
```
public ValueOrderingH getValOH()
```
    Method to get the Value Ordering heuristic used by this MetaConstraint.
    
    Returns:
    
    the Value Ordering heuristic used by this MetaConstraint.
  - setValOH
```
public void setValOH(ValueOrderingH valOH)
```
    Method to set the Value Ordering heuristic of this MetaConstraint.
    
    Parameters:
    
    valOH - the Value Ordering heuristic of this MetaConstraint
  - getGroundSolver
```
public abstract ConstraintSolver getGroundSolver()
```
    Provides the definition of how to get the/a groundSolver for this MetaConstraint.
    
    Returns:
    
    The/a groundSolver for this MetaConstraint.

Class MetaConstraint

Field Summary

Fields inherited from class org.metacsp.framework.Constraint

Constructor Summary

Method Summary

Methods inherited from class org.metacsp.framework.Constraint

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

Field Detail

varOH

valOH

metaCS

independentMC

Constructor Detail

MetaConstraint

Method Detail

setMetaSolver

getMetaVariable

getMetaVariables

getMetaValue

getMetaValues

markResolvedSub

draw

getDescription

getVarOH

setVarOH

getValOH

setValOH

getGroundSolver