2001
Tobias Müller
This thesis presents constraint propagation in Mozart which is based on computational agents called propagators. The thesis designs, implements, and evaluates propagator-based propagation engines. A propagation engine is split up in generic propagation services and domain specific domain solvers which are connected by a constraint programming interface. Propagators use filters to perform constraint propagation. The interface isolates filters from propagators such that they can be shared among various systems.
This thesis presents the design and implementation of a finite integer set domain solver for Mozart which reasons over bound and cardinality approximations of sets. The solver cooperates with a finite domain solver to improve its propagation and expressiveness.
This thesis promotes constraints to first-class citizens and thus, provides extra control over constraints. Novel programming techniques taking advantage of the first-class status of constraints are developed and illustrated.