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Method and apparatus for performing computer-based on-line commerce using an intelligent agent

  • US 5,926,798 A
  • Filed: 06/06/1997
  • Issued: 07/20/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of performing computer-based on-line commerce in which a client computer issues a commercial request and a plurality of server computers is available to service said request, said method, performed by an intelligent agent, comprising steps of:

  • receiving said request from said client computer;

    reviewing content-related information and business policies of each server computer of said plurality of server computers; and

    making decisions as to which server should serve the request based on said content-related information and said business policies,wherein the request issued by the client computer is made up of a group of inter-related sub-requests, and said intelligent agent decides which server should serve each sub-request based on said content-related information and said business policies;

    wherein said business policies of each server include cancellation conditions concerning consequences of cancelling service by that server once a decision is made by the intelligent agent to use that server to serve a particular sub-request, said conditions ranging from a first extreme where cancellation is most difficult to a second extreme where cancellation is easiest; and

    wherein, after making preliminary decisions as to which server should serve which request based on said content related information, said intelligent agent makes final decisions on said group of requests in the order such that a sub-request matched with a server with a cancellation condition closest to or at said second extreme is decided upon first.

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