A Structured View of Real-Time Problem Solving

Real-time problem solving is not only reasoning about time, it is also reasoning in time. Many techniques, mostly ad hoc, have been developed in both the real-time community and the AI community for solving problems within time constraints. This article is an attempt to step back from the details and examine the entire issue of real-time problem solving from first principles. We examine the degrees of freedom available in structuring the problem space and the search process to reduce problem-solving variations and produce satisficing solutions within the time available.