AGENT FOR PERFORMING PROCESS USING SERVICE LIST, MESSAGE DISTRIBUTION METHOD USING SERVICE LIST, AND STORAGE MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM FOR REALIZING AGENT

• US 20010039562A1
• Filed: 07/07/1998
• Published: 11/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: SATO, AKIRA
• Granted Patent: US 6,728,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2471 Distributed queries

Abstract

A message distribution method for distributing a message among a plurality of software products distributed in a network realizes an efficient intelligent distribution environment. When a message is communicated among distributed software products, a service list defined by a combination of data of destination information of the message and process information specified by the message is added to the message. The portion of the service list processed by a destination software product is deleted, and the service list is rewritten as necessary. Thus, the message with the service list is transmitted from a software product to another software product.

Claims

1. An agent used in a multiple-agent system, comprising:

generation means for generating a service list defined by a combination of process information indicating contents of a process specified by a message and destination information about the message; and

transmission means for adding the service list to the message and transmitting the message to another agent.

2. The agent according to

claim 1

wherein:

said generation means generates the service list in a description format at an abstract level at which a part of information in the service list has not been defined.

3. The agent according to

claim 1

wherein:

said generation means generates the service list in a description format at a detail level at which a process to be performed and a position where the process is to be performed are defined.

4. The agent according to

claim 1

wherein:

said generation means generates the service list in a description format at an abstract level partly including a description format at a detail level.

5. An agent used in a multiple-agent system, comprising:

reception means for receiving a message transmitted from another agent;

extraction means for extracting a service list which is added to the message received by said reception means, and is defined by a combination of destination information about the message and process information specifying a process to be performed;

detail means for detailing the service list extracted by said extraction means according to knowledge about an agent for performing a process; and

transmission means for adding the detailed service list to the message and transmitting the message to another agent.

6. The agent according to

claim 5

wherein:

said detail means details the service list, extracted by said extraction means, in a description format at an abstract level into the service list at a detail level which comprises process information specifying a process to be performed and destination information specifying a position where the process is to be performed.

7. The agent according to

claim 5

wherein:

said detail means details the service list, extracted by said extraction means, in a description format at an abstract level into the service list comprising data including process information specifying a translating process for translating a word system of a user agent which generates the service list at the abstract level into a word system of an execution agent for performing a process and destination information specifying a translating agent for performing the translating process; and

data including process information specifying a process to be performed and destination information specifying the execution agent for executing the process to be performed.

8. The agent according to

claim 5

wherein:

said detail means copies the message when the message is processed by a plurality of agents, and generates a service list containing, for each of the copied messages, a combination of data of process information specifying the process to be performed, destination information specifying one of the plurality of agents for performing the process, and a number of copies of the message.

9. The agent according to

claim 5

wherein:

said detail means commits detailing a part of the service list to an agent not belonging to a knowledge space of a present agent when the process should be performed in a knowledge space to which the present agent does not belong.

10. An agent used in a multiple-agent system, comprising:

reception means for receiving a message transmitted from another agent;

extraction means for extracting a service list which is added to the message received by said reception means, and is defined by a combination of data of destination information about the message and process information specifying a process to be performed;

execution means for executing the process specified by process information corresponding to the destination information when leading destination information in the service list extracted by said extraction means specifies a present agent;

deletion means for deleting the combination of the data of the service list relating to the process to be executed by said execution means; and

transmission means for adding the service list from which the combination of the data has been deleted to a message of an execution result from said execution means, and transmitting the message to another agent.

11. The agent according to

claim 10

wherein:

said execution means executes the process specified by the process information in the service list after all copies of the message have been received when a number of the copies is recorded in the service list extracted by said extraction means.

12. The agent according to

claim 10

wherein:

said execution means merges process results of respective messages after all copies of the message have been received when a number of copies is recorded on the service list extracted by said extraction means and process results as process information are merged.

13. The agent according to

claim 10

wherein:

said execution means performs a series of processes entered in said service list even when another agent is specified as a destination if said execution means can process a leading and subsequent one or more pieces of process information in the service list; and

said deletion means deletes plural combinations of data relating to the process performed by said execution means from the service list.

14. The agent according to

claim 10

, further comprising:

amendment unit for amending one or both of the process information and the destination information in the service list based on an execution result from said execution means.

15. The agent according to

claim 10

, further comprising:

determination means for determining whether or not the message is returned to a present agent by referring to the service list;

removal means for removing process information about a process to be performed by the present agent from the service list when the message is returned if it is determined by said determination means that the message is returned to the present agent; and

return unit for returning the removed process information to the service list when the message to be removed by said removal means is returned.

16. The agent according to

claim 15

wherein:

said removal means removes process information about the process to be performed by the present agent when the message is returned, and subsequent process information about a process to be performed by another agent from the service list.

17. The agent according to

claim 10

, further comprising:

storage means for storing the service list received by said reception means; and

control means for resuming a process based on the service list stored in said storage means when the multiple-agent system becomes faulty.

18. The agent according to

claim 10

, further comprising:

collection means for collecting a process state of the message of an agent subordinate to a present agent.

19. A multiple-agent system comprising:

a first agent comprising;

generation means for generating a service list defined by a combination of data of process information specified by a message and destination information for the message; and

transmission means for adding the service list to the message and transmitting the message to another agent;

a second agent comprising;

reception means for receiving the message transmitted from said first agent;

extraction means for extracting the service list added to the message received by said reception means and defined by the combination of data of the process information specified by the message and the destination information for the message;

detail means for detailing the service list extracted by said extraction means based on knowledge about an agent for performing a process; and

transmission means for adding the detailed service list to the message and transmitting the message to another agent;

a third agent comprising;

reception means for receiving the message transmitted from said second agent;

extraction means for extracting the detailed service list added to the message received from said reception means;

execution means for executing the process specified by the process information corresponding to leading destination information in the detailed service list extracted by said extraction means when the leading destination information specifies a present agent;

deletion means for deleting a combination of data relating to a process performed by said execution means from said service list; and

transmission means for adding the service list from which the combination of data has been deleted to a message of an execution result obtained from said execution means, and transmitting the message to another agent.

20. The system according to

claim 19

wherein:

said first agent is a user agent for generating the service list in a description format at an abstract level at which a part of information is undefined;

said second agent is an intermediary agent for detailing the service list at the abstract level transmitted from said first agent into a service list in a description format at a detail level containing a combination data of the process information specifying the process to be performed based on knowledge relating to an execution agent for performing the process and the destination information specifying a position where the process is performed; and

said third agent is an execution agent, specified by the destination information in the service list at the detail level, for executing a process specified by the process information.

21. The system according to

claim 19

wherein:

said detail means of said second agent details the service list at the abstract level transmitted from said first agent into the service list at a detail level containing the combination of data of the process information specifying a translating process for translating a word system of said first agent into a word system of an execution agent for performing the process based on knowledge about the execution agent for performing the process and destination information specifying a translation agent for performing the translating process, and the combination of data of the process information specifying the process to be performed and the destination information specifying the execution agent for performing the process.

22. The system according to

claim 19

wherein:

said detail means of said second agent copies the message when the message can be processed by a plurality of said third agents, and generates the service list containing, for each of the copied messages, process information specifying the process to be performed, the destination information specifying one of the plurality of said third agents for performing the process, and a number of copied data based on knowledge about said third agent for performing the process.

23. The system according to

claim 22

wherein:

said third agent performs the process specified by process information in the detailed service list after all copies of the message have been received when the number of copies of the message is recorded in the service list.

24. A method of distributing a message communicated between software products through a network, comprising the steps of:

adding to the message a service list defined by a combination of data of destination information about the message and process information specified by the message, and then transmitting the message to destination software;

deleting the combination of data relating to a process performed by software from the service list; and

distributing the service list from which the combination of data has been deleted from a software product to another software product to perform a process.

25. A method of distributing a message between agents in a multiple-agent system, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a first service list defined by a combination of data of process information specified by a message indicating the contents of a process request from a user and destination information about the message;

(b) adding the first service list to the message and transmitting the message to a destination agent;

(c) defining a process to be performed by an agent based on the first service list, and selecting an agent capable of performing the process according to knowledge relating to an agent for performing a process;

(d) detailing the first service list into a second service list defined by a combination of data of process information specifying the process to be performed based on a selection result obtained in step (c) and destination information specifying a destination agent;

(e) adding the second service list to the message and transmitting the message to the destination agent;

(f) performing the process specified by leading process information in the second service list;

(g) deleting a processed combination of data from the second service list; and

(h) adding to the message the second service list from which the combination of data has been deleted, and transmitting the message to another agent.

26. The method according to

claim 25

wherein:

in said step (a), the first service list is generated in a description format at an abstract level at which a part of information in the service list is undefined according to a message from the user; and

in said step (d), the first service list is detailed into the second service list in a description format at a detail level containing a combination of data of process information specifying the process to be performed by the agent and destination information specifying the agent for performing the process.

27. The method according to

claim 25

wherein:

in said step (d), the message is copied when the message can be processed by a plurality of agents, and the second service list at a detail level containing, for each of the copied messages, process information specifying the process to be performed, destination information specifying one of the plurality of agents for performing the process, and a number of copied data; and

in said step (f), the process specified by process information in the second service list is performed after all copies of the messages have been received when the number of copies of the message is recorded in the second service list.

28. A computer-readable storage medium storing a process for realizing an agent used in a multiple-agent system, comprising the steps of:

generating a service list defined by a combination of data of destination information about a message to be transmitted to another agent and process information specified by the message; and

adding the service list to the message and transmitting the message to another agent.

29. A computer-readable storage medium storing a process for realizing an agent used in a multiple-agent system, comprising the steps of:

receiving a message transmitted from another agent;

extracting a service list added to the message and defined by a combination of data of destination information about the message and process information specified by the message;

detailing the service list according to knowledge about an agent for performing a process; and

adding the detailed service list to the message and transmitting the message to another agent.

30. A computer-readable storage medium storing a process for realizing an agent used in a multiple-agent system, comprising the steps of:

receiving a message transmitted from another agent;

extracting a detailed service list added to the message and defined by a combination of data of destination information about the message and process information specified by the message;

performing a process specified by the process information corresponding to the destination information when leading destination information in the detailed service list extracted in the extracting step specifies a present agent;

deleting the combination of data relating to the performed process from the service list; and

adding the service list from which the combination of data has been deleted to a message of a result of the performed process, and transmitting the message to another agent.