Software agent hosting environment with extensible middleware integration
First Claim
1. A method for hosting software agents, the method comprising:
- accepting an agent package associated with an agent, the agent package including an agent module and a runtime specification, the runtime specification specifying a runtime module required by the agent module;
preparing the agent module for execution; and
storing a runtime reference that includes an association of the runtime specification and the agent module.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A structured software agent hosting environment that supports installing software agents, runtime environments and agent software extensions along with bindings of those objects that are to occur at runtime. According to a method that is provided for hosting software agents, there is accepted an agent package associated with an agent. The agent package includes an agent module, a runtime specification and zero or more extension specifications. The runtime specification specifies a runtime module required by the agent module. The agent module is prepared for execution, and there is stored a runtime reference that includes an association of the runtime specification and the agent module. This allows a single software agent manager to provide uniform security processing, agent maintenance functionality and operational control of agents that are developed with a variety of software tools and that operate under disparate runtime environments.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for hosting software agents, the method comprising:
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accepting an agent package associated with an agent, the agent package including an agent module and a runtime specification, the runtime specification specifying a runtime module required by the agent module;
preparing the agent module for execution; and
storing a runtime reference that includes an association of the runtime specification and the agent module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A software agent manager comprising:
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an agent package input for accepting an agent package associated with an agent, the agent package including an agent module and a runtime specification, the runtime specification specifying a runtime module required by the agent module;
an agent module preparer for preparing the agent module for execution; and
a runtime reference database for storing a runtime reference that includes an association of the runtime specification and the agent module. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A machine-readable medium encoded with a program for hosting software agents, the program containing instructions for:
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accepting an agent package associated with an agent, the agent package including an agent module and a runtime specification, the runtime specification specifying a runtime module required by the agent module;
preparing the agent module for execution; and
storing a runtime reference that includes an association of the runtime specification and the agent module. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification