Constraint Processing

Foreword

Constraint Processing by

Rina Dechter

Constraint satisfaction is a simple but powerful idea. If we can pose our world knowledge as a set of local constraints on the values assigned to variables in global solutions to a problem, then when we satisfy those constraints we solve the problem. Over the last three to four decades, that idea has motivated a community of researchers to pursue the goal of realizing the constraint satisfaction paradigm. This book captures that spirit, documents that pursuit, and provides a valuable systematic map of the territory discovered.

Constraint satisfaction has a unitary theoretical model with myriad practical applications. The research community has advanced the theoretical base by noting significant ...