Network System Extensible By Users

• US 20110225227A1
• Filed: 05/20/2011
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Byteweavr, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ben Franklin Patent Holding LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Su, Jing, Nelson, Barbara, White, James E., Lange, Danny
• Granted Patent: US 8,326,914 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0209 Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

In one aspect, a network system includes a user interface which allows a user to interact with the network system. An agent server is coupled to the user interface. The agent server manages the operation of the network system. Furthermore, the agent server in conjunction with the user interface is operable to create or modify an agent in response to interaction by the user. In another aspect, a network system includes an agent server which manages the operation of the network system. An agent is operable to utilize a service within the network system. A service wrapper, associated with the service, cooperates with the agent server to mediate interaction between the service and the agent.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of agents configurable based on received user data, wherein each agent in the plurality of agents includes an event handler configured to direct each agent upon an occurrence of an event, and

an agent server configured to;

determine which agent of the plurality of agents is responsible for performing a task,

select the determined agent,

allocate a predetermined amount of processing time to the determined agent, and

manage an execution of the task.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the event is identified by a uniform resource locator (URL) specifying an event type and a recipient agent.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the URL is chosen by the determined agent and the agent server in combination.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the agent server is configured to relay the event to the determined agent using HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests sent to a web page at the URL.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each agent in the plurality of agents further comprises an event queue configured to store information regarding unhandled events.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the agent server stores permissions held by each agent in the plurality of agents.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the agent server is configured to transmit data regarding permissions of the determined agent in response to a query for permissions of the determined agent.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the permissions include an amount of a resource allocated to each agent in the plurality of agents, and wherein at least a portion of the resource is consumed by the determined agent to perform the task.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the determined agent is configured to send an inter-agent event to a second agent in the plurality of agents.

10. A method, comprising:

configuring a first agent of a plurality of agents based on received user data, wherein configuring the first agent includes configuring an event handler for directing the first agent upon an occurrence of an event;

selecting the first agent in response to determining that the first agent is responsible for performing a task;

allocating a predetermined amount of processing time to the first agent; and

managing an execution of the task.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the event is identified by a uniform resource locator (URL) specifying an event type and a recipient agent.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the URL is chosen by the first agent and an agent server in combination.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein an agent server is configured to relay the event to the first agent using HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests sent to a web page at the URL.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein each agent in the plurality of agents further comprises an event queue configured to store information regarding unhandled events.

15. An article of manufacture including a tangible computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, execution of which by a computing device causes the computing device to perform operations comprising:

configuring a first agent of a plurality of agents based on received user data, wherein configuring the first agent includes configuring an event handler for directing the first agent upon an occurrence of an event;

selecting the first agent in response to determining that the first agent is responsible for performing a task;

allocating a predetermined amount of processing time to the first agent; and

managing an execution of the task.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the event is identified by a uniform resource locator (URL) specifying an event type and a recipient agent.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 16, wherein the URL is chosen by the first agent and an agent server in combination.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 16, wherein an agent server is configured to relay the event to the first agent using HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests sent to a web page at the URL.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein each agent in the plurality of agents further comprises an event queue configured to store information regarding unhandled events.

20. A method, comprising:

authorizing, using a computing device, access to a computer network, wherein the computer network is programmed to be customized using an agent program;

receiving, using the computing device, data for creating the agent program, wherein the agent program is programmed to perform a task of a service;

creating the agent program, using the computing device and the data, wherein the agent program has a plurality of executable instructions for performing the task, wherein the instructions comprise an event handler defining a predetermined event to occur during execution of the service, wherein performing the task comprises using the service and a service resource, and wherein a service wrapper links the service to the service resource and mediates interaction between the service and the service resource;

accessing, using the computing device and the service wrapper, information defining an amount of the service resource allocated to be consumed by a principal of the agent program, wherein the service wrapper is configured to monitor consumption of the service resource by the agent program; and

executing the instructions, using the computing device, upon the occurrence of the predetermined event, wherein the instructions include;

defining the operations supported by the service required to perform the task,

receiving a response from the service including parameters required by the agent program to complete the task, and

providing an output associated with the task over a network communications link.