System for ontology-based creation of software agents from reusable components

• US 20030005412A1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: James Thomas Eanes
• Original Assignee: James Thomas Eanes
• Inventors: Eanes, James Thomas
• Application Number:
  US10/117,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20030005412A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/120
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse

Abstract

Provided is a system for the creation of autonomous and semi-autonomous networked and non-networked software agents from reusable software components based on domain-specific ontologies and component metadata to reduce the workload and improve the efficiency of end-users. The reusable software components that this system combines into software agents exist either as individual programming entities, such as C++ classes or Java Beans, as component-based system entities, such as Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) objects or Component Object Model (COM) clients/servers, as stand-alone applications, as Web Services, or as any other individual software entity. Each knowledge domain of interest for agent processing is described using metadata based on one or more ontologies. Each reusable software component is described by metadata adhering to one or more relevant ontologies, defining the component'"'"'s relationship(s) with the data and procedural model(s) of the relevant knowledge domain(s). A software program combines software components into software agents based on all available metadata and end-user preferences for agent behavior within the bounds of the given knowledge domain(s) and computer or computer network(s). A set of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) provide end-user creation of agents from reusable components through drag-and-drop component combination and domain-specific agent behavior definition.

Claims

1. A system for creating autonomous and semi-autonomous software agents from reusable software components, comprising:

a) a computer, including an operating system providing access to platform-specific hardware and software;

b) a set of software components on said operating system, said software components existing as atomic entities exposed for human or machine manipulation on said operating system and performing specialized tasks within larger software components or as stand-alone applications;

c) a set of ontologies describing knowledge domains, said ontologies being metadata descriptions of data and procedural models and existing in human-readable or machine-readable form on said operating system;

d) an agent creation program combining said software components into software agents based on said ontologies, said software agents providing results based on end-user goals and preferences.

2. A system according to claim 1, additionally comprising:

a set of component metadata relating said software components to said ontologies for automated combination of software components into software agents.

3. A system according to claim 1, additionally comprising:

a set of interfaces for creation of software agents using said agent creation program.

4. A system according to claim 1, additionally comprising:

a set of communications interfaces providing a distributed architecture for said agent creation program, said ontologies, said software components, and said software agents.