Adaptive communication system

• US 5,802,396 A
• Filed: 01/03/1995
• Issued: 09/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
• Original Assignee: Zarlink Semiconductor Inc. (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gray, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan, Daniel H.
• Application Number:
  US08/367,821
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.15, 395/200.16, 395/676, 395/872, 395/382, 395/800, 395/500, 395/840, 395/183.11, 395/183.21, 395/200.11, 395/587, 395/200.01, 395/595 , 395/702, 395/200.49, 395/707, 395/708, 395/183.14, 395/567, 340/825.54, 455/76, 455/33.3, 455/33.4, 455/38.1, 455/35.1, 375/365, 364/DIG. 1, 364/DIG. 2
• US Class Current: 710/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4484 Executing subprograms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method of operating an agent is comprised of receiving a message (goal) from another agent and performing a sequence of actions required by the goal, each action of the sequence of actions containing at least one instruction, each instruction containing an index number (PC), an action pointing to another action in a thread of actions, informing a subsequent action of a previous instruction including designating the PC of the previous instruction whereby a subsequent action is informed of an instructing PC, and returning an action completion acknowledgment message to a preceding action containing an instruction designated by the instructing PC, whereby the action containing the instructing PC can point to various different PCs to carry out different actions upon receipt of various acknowledgment messages.

Claims

1. A method of operating an agent comprising receiving a message (goal) from another agent and performing a sequence of actions required by the goal, each action of the sequence of actions containing at least one instruction, each instruction containing an index number (PC), an action pointing to another action in a thread of actions, informing a subsequent action of a previous instruction including designating the PC of the previous instruction whereby a subsequent action is informed of an instructing PC, and returning an action completion acknowledgment message to a preceding action containing an instruction designated by the instructing PC, whereby the action containing the instructing PC is able to point to various different PCs to carry out different actions upon receipt of various acknowledgment messages.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the various acknowledgment messages include an indication that the action has been successfully completed (ACK), and at least one of an indication that the action has not been achieved (NACK) and that the action cannot be achieved (CACK).

3. A method as defined in claim 1 in which one of the actions is a split to at least two subsequent parallel sequences of action (threads), each action informing a subsequent action in its thread of the PC of an instruction in a preceding action, and returning an acknowledgment message to the preceding action at the split or in its thread if subsequent to the split.

4. A method of operating a communication system comprising:

(a) providing a plurality of process agents for receiving goal commands (goals) and for invoking a process to achieve said goals,

(b) providing a plurality of device agents, each in communication with its own device, for receiving and storing goals from a process agent, and for operating its corresponding device in response to receiving said goals from a process agent,

(c) interconnecting all of said agents and carrying goals between agents thereby,

(d) receiving a goal from another agent and performing a sequence of actions required by the goal, each action of the sequence of actions containing at least one instruction, each instruction containing an index number (PC), an action pointing to another action in a thread of actions,

(e) informing a subsequent action of a previous instruction including designating the PC of the previous instruction whereby a subsequent action is informed of an instructing PC, and

(f) returning an action completion acknowledgment message to a preceding action containing an instruction designated by the instructing PC, whereby the action containing the instructing PC is able to point to various different PCs to carry out different actions upon receipt of various acknowledgment messages.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 wherein the various acknowledgment messages include an indication that the action has been successfully completed (ACK), and at least one of an indication that the action has not been achieved (NACK) and that the action cannot be achieved (CACK).

6. A method as defined in claim 4 in which one of the actions is a split to at least two subsequent parallel sequences of action (threads), each action informing a subsequent action in its thread of the PC of an instruction in a preceding action, and returning an acknowledgment message to the preceding action at the split or in its thread if subsequent to the split.