Scheduling of distributed agents in a dialup network
First Claim
1. A method of managing a plurality of agents vying for a resource in a computer network having a central authority, comprising the steps of:
- at a given agent, generating a set of available agent start times based on resource usage statistic s and given scheduling criteria distributed to the given agent by the central authority;
at the given agent, initiating agent activity at an available agent start time selected from the set of available agent start times; and
upon a given occurrence, selecting a new start time for the agent activity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of managing a plurality of client machine "Web agents" vying for a resource in a computer network having a central authority. The resource may be a limited number of telephone connections in a dialup telephone network. At each client machine, a map of available agent start times is generated based on resource usage statistics and given scheduling criteria distributed by the central authority. Using this information, an available agent start time is selected at random from the map. This start time is then set as a "regular" start time at which the particular agent initiates some agent activity on behalf of a user of the client machine. If, however, the client machine is unable to obtain access to the resource according to a given criteria, the map of available agent start times is then regenerated to enable the agent associated with the client machine to reschedule itself to a new start time for the agent activity. Thus, each agent performs its own scheduling based on the resource usage statistics and/or given scheduling criteria distributed from the central authority.
46 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of managing a plurality of agents vying for a resource in a computer network having a central authority, comprising the steps of:
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at a given agent, generating a set of available agent start times based on resource usage statistic s and given scheduling criteria distributed to the given agent by the central authority; at the given agent, initiating agent activity at an available agent start time selected from the set of available agent start times; and upon a given occurrence, selecting a new start time for the agent activity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method or managing a plurality of client machine Web agents vying for a limited number of telephone connections in a dialup computer network having a central authority, comprising the steps of:
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at each client machine, generating a map of available agent start times based on resource usage statistics and given scheduling criteria distributed by the central authority; at each client machine, initiating agent activity at an available agent start time selected from the map; and if a given client machine is unable to obtain one of the limited number of telephone connections according to a given criteria, regenerating the map of available agent start times to enable the agent associated with the given client machine to reschedule a new start time for the agent activity. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer program product in computer-readable media for use in managing an agent vying for a resource in a computer network having a central authority, the agent running on a client machine in the network for use in effecting at least one task on behalf of a user of the client machine, the computer program product comprising:
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means for generating a first set of available agent start times based on resource usage statistics and given scheduling criteria distributed to the agent by the central authority; means for initiating agent activity at an available agent start time selected from the first set; and means, responsive to a given occurrence, for generating a second set of available agent start times to enable the agent to reschedule a new start time for the agent activity. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A computer connectable to a central authority by a dialup computer network having a limited number of telephone connections, comprising:
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a processor; an operating system; a browser; an agent for use in effecting at least one task on behalf of a user of the computer; and an agent scheduler, comprising; means for generating a set of available agent start times based on resource usage statistics and given scheduling criteria distributed to the agent by the central authority; means for initiating agent activity at an available agent start time selected from the set; and means, responsive to a given occurrence, for regenerating a new set of available agent start times to enable the agent to reschedule a new start time for the agent activity.
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27. A data processing system, comprising;
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a remote control unit; and a base unit connectable to a monitor for providing Internet access under the control of the remote control unit, the base unit comprising; a processor having an operating system; a browser application run by the operating system; an agent for use in effecting at least one task on behalf of a user of the computer; and an agent scheduler, comprising; means for generating a set of available agent start times based on resource usage statistics and given scheduling criteria distributed to the agent by the central authority; means for initiating agent activity at an available agent start time selected from the set; and means, responsive to a given occurrence, for regenerating a new set of available agent start times to enable the agent to reschedule a new start time for the agent activity.
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28. A computer program product in computer-readable media for use in managing a central authority to which a plurality of client machines are connectable through a limited number of connections in a dialup computer network, each of the plurality of client machines having an agent associated therewith for use in effecting at least one task on behalf of a user of the client machine, the computer program product comprising:
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means for maintaining resource usage statistics; means for generating given scheduling criteria to be applied by each of the agents; and means for distributing to the agents the resource usage statistics and the given scheduling criteria to enable the agents to schedule themselves subject to the distributed information. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification