Generating functions and Owen value in cooperative network cover game

Abstract We consider a cooperative game based on a network in which nodes represent players and the characteristic function is defined using a maximal covering by the pairs of connected nodes. Problems of this form arise in many applications such as mobile communications, patrolling, logistics and sociology. The Owen value, which describes the significance of each node in the network, is derived. We show that the method of generating functions can be useful for calculating this Owen value and illustrate this approach based on examples of network structures.