Data-processing apparatus, data-processing method, and storage medium onto which is stored a data-processing program

• US 6,134,580 A
• Filed: 09/16/1997
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Nagai, Yasuo, Tahara, Yasuyuki, Ohsuga, Akihiko, Hattori, Masanori, Kagaya, Akira, Irie, Yutaka, Honiden, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): YUAN, ALMARI ROMERO
• Application Number:
  US08/931,509
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/303, 709/304, 709/201, 709/300
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4862 the task being a mobile agent, i.e. specifically designed to migrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5066 Algorithms for mapping a plurality of inter-dependent sub-tasks onto a plurality of physical CPUs mappping at compile time, see G06F8/451

Abstract

In a data-processing apparatus, in local information storage L and R at each node, local information for the purpose of accessing a constituent element is stored, this information being updated. A plan is generated that represents the action that should be taken by an agent in order to satisfy request code that has been input, this being generated as a set of actions, based on agent information and local information. The operation of the agent is implemented at the nodes L and R, based on the various actions that make up the thus-generated plan, and an agent is migrated to another node, based on a go action within the plan. It is possible to perform replanning and generation of a child agent at a migration destination node, if necessary, because of the failure of plan execution, for example.

Claims

1. A data-processing system for processing data by an executable process, the system comprising:

a plurality of nodes being connected by a network each node including constituent elements being accessed by the executable process,

a first storage part configured to store a first information representing a state of the constituent elements;

a second storage part configured to store a second information representing a series of actions to be executed by the executable process;

a plan-generating part configured to generate a plan representing the series of actions according to the first and second storage information, the series of actions including an action which implements a migration of the executable process between the nodes;

an execution part configured to execute the series of actions based on the generated plan; and

a control part configured to migrate the executable process between the nodes based on the generated plan.

wherein the plan-generating part generates another plan representing another series of actions according to the first and second information after the migration of the executable process.

2. A data-processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising updating means for updating said first information stored in said first storage means, said updating means including means for updating said first information based on the changed contents of said constituent elements, which are input at each node.

3. A data-processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising updating means for updating said first information stored in said first storage means, said updating means including means for updating said first information when a given condition is established, by referencing information corresponding to said network.

4. A data-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second storage means comprises:

means for storing a set of actions which is the unit for operations of said executable process;

means for storing action information that includes a pre-condition representative of action being executable and a post-condition representative of a change of state caused by execution;

means for storing a prescribed limitation condition of execution of said action; and

means for storing information representative of a causal relationship between said actions,

said plan-generating means comprising means for storing in said second storage means, for a prescribed action of said action set, at least one of a new limitation condition and said information representative of a causal relationship, based on said action information.

5. A data-processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said plan-generating means adding to said action set an action to migrate executable process to said another node with the pre-condition of an action that is to be executed at said another node as a post-condition, sequentially selecting unachieved goals as subgoals, further sequentially selecting actions having post-conditions which achieve said selected subgoals, and for each such selected action storing in said second storage means at least one of a new limitation condition and information.

6. A data-processing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a judgment means whereby, when said unachieved goal does not exist, for makings judgment that a plan succeeds and that a request code has been achieved, without proceeding to an execution, and further whereby when an unachieved goal exists and said action set is not empty, making a judgment that a plan succeeds and that execution of a plan is necessary.

7. A data-processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said plan-generating means adds to each said selected actions, a selected action which sacrifices a pre-condition of another action to said information corresponding to said causal relationship.

8. A data-processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said plan-generating means adds each selected action which sacrifices a pre-condition of another action, and which can be added said limitation condition which prevents the loss of said pre-condition before execution of the other action, to said information representative of said causal relationship and adds said limitation condition.

9. A data-processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said control means migrates said executable process based on a first action of said series of actions, and said execution means executes a second action other than said first action before executing said first action, while satisfying said prescribed limitation condition.

10. A data-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said executable process is set as a process at a node;

in response to migrating said executable process from said certain node to said another node, sending an acceptance request from said certain node to said another node, to prepare for acceptance of said executable process setting a process for said executable process at said another node which receives the acceptance request, sending a ready notification from said another node to said certain node, sending said first information from said certain node, having received said ready notification, to said another node, starting execution of said process based on said received first information at said another node, having received said first information, and terminating said process of said executable process at said another node.

11. A data-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plan-generating means generates a new plan using said first and second information when it is impossible for the actions of the executable process to be executed at the designated node based on the plan generated by the plan-generating means. node.

12. A data-processing system according to claim 1, further comprising an updating part configured to update the first information stored in the first storage part and the second information stored in the second storage part, wherein the updating part updates the first information based on the changed contents of the constituent elements, which are input at each of the nodes, wherein the plan-generating part generates another plan representing another series of actions to be executed by the executable process according to the updated first and second information updated in a designated node by the updating part when the updated first and second information is inconsistent with the previous first and second information before the update and because of this inconsistency it is impossible for the actions of the executable process to be executed at the designated node based on the previous plan generated by the plan-generating part according to the previous first and second information.

13. A data-processing method for processing data by an executable process, the method comprising:

storing a first information representing a state of constituent elements to be accessed by the executable process;

storing a second information representing a series of actions to be executed by the executable process;

generating a plan representing the series of actions according to the first and second storage information, the series of actions including an action which implements a migration of the executable process between the nodes;

executing the series of actions of the executable process based on the generated plan;

migrating the executable process between the nodes designated in the generated plan; and

generating another plan representing another series of actions to be executed by the executable process according to the first and second information after the migration of the executable process.

14. A data-processing method according to claim 13, wherein said storing second information further comprise s:

storing a set of actions, which is the unit for operations of said executable process;

storing action information that includes a precondition representative of said action being executable and a post-condition representative of a change of state caused by execution;

storing a prescribed limitation condition corresponding to execution of said action; and

storing information representative of a causal relationship between said actions,

and said generating a plan includes storing for a prescribed action of said action set, at least one of a new limitation condition and said information representative of a causal relationship based on said action information.

15. A data-processing method according to claim 13, wherein:

said executable process is set as a process at a node;

in response to said migrating said executable process from said certain node to said another node, sending an acceptance request from said certain node to said another node, setting a process for said executable process at said another node which receives the acceptance request to prepare for acceptance of said executable process, sending a ready notification from said another node to said certain node, sending said first information from said certain node, having received said ready notification, to said another node, starting execution of said process based on said received first information at said another node, having received said first information, and terminating said process of said executable process at said another node.

16. A data-processing method according to claim 13, further comprising updating prescribed information of the first and second information stored by the first and second information storing steps.

17. A data-processing method according to claim 13, wherein the generating step includes generating another plan representing another series of actions to be executed by the executable process according to the first and second information when it is impossible for the actions of the executable process to be executed at the designated node based on the plan generated by the generating step.

18. A data-processing method according to claim 13, further comprising updating the first and second information stored by the first and second information storing steps, wherein the updating step includes updating the first information based on the changed contents of the constituent elements, which are input at the each node, wherein the plan-generating step includes generating another plan representing another series of actions to be executed by the executable process according to the updated first and second information updated in the designated node by the updating step when the updated first and second information is inconsistent with the previous first and second information before the update and because of this inconsistency it is impossible for the actions of the executable process to be executed at the designated node based on the previous plan generated by the plan-generating step according to the previous first and second information.

19. A storage medium onto which is stored a computer program that implements a data-processing method for processing data by an executable process, the method comprising:

storing a first information representing a state of constituent elements to be accessed by the executable process;

storing a second information representing a series of actions to be executed by the executable process;

generating a plan representing the series of actions according to the first and second storage information, the series of actions including an action which implements a migration of the executable process between nodes;

executing the series of actions of the executable process at the node based on the generated plan;

migrating the executable process between the nodes designated in the generated plan; and

generating another plan representing another series of actions to be executed by the executable process according to the first and second information after the migration of the executable process.

20. A storage medium according to claim 19, wherein the method further comprises updating prescribed information of the first and second information stored by the first and second information storing steps.

21. A storage medium according to claim 19, wherein the generating step includes generating another plan representing another series of actions to be executed by the executable process according to the first and second information when it is impossible for the actions of the executable process to be executed at the designated node based on the plan generated by the generating step.

22. A storage medium according claim 19, wherein the method further comprises updating the first and second information stored by the first and second information storing steps, wherein the updating step includes updating the first information based on the changed contents of the constituent elements, which are input at the each node, wherein the plan-generating step includes generating another plan representing another series of actions to be executed by the executable process according to the updated first and second information updated in the designated node by the updating step when the updated first and second information is inconsistent with the previous first and second information before the update and because of this inconsistency it is impossible for the actions of the executable process to be executed at the designated node based on the previous plan generated by the plan-generating step according to the previous first and second information.

23. A data-processing system for processing data by an agent being a series of software, the system comprising:

a plurality of nodes being connected by a network, each node including constituent elements being accessed by the agent,

a first storage part configured to store a first information representing a state of the constituent elements;

a second storage part configured to store a second information representing series of actions to be executed by the agent;

a plan-generating part configured to generate a plan representing the series of actions according to the first and second storage information, the series of actions including an action which implements a migration of the agent between the nodes;

an execution part configured to execute the series of actions based on the generated plan; and

a control part configured to migrate the agent between the nodes based on the generated plan,

wherein said plan-generating part generates another plan representing another series of actions according to the first and second information after the migration of the agent.

24. A data-processing apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said information which is located at each said node is divided into a plurality of fields by each type of agent, and further wherein said agent plan is generated based on field information corresponding to said agent, and migration between nodes being performed so as to make migration of said agent to said corresponding field at said another node.

25. A data-processing apparatus according to claim 23 or claim 24, wherein said agent has information representative of characteristics state or an action of said agent, said information being migrated along with said agent when migration is made between nodes, said information being used together with said first information and said second information at said another node to perform planning.

26. A data-processing apparatus according to claim 23 or 24, wherein said plan-generating means, when generating a migration command that migrates an agent between nodes or another command as part of a plan, appends a pre-condition as a prerequisite to said migration command or said other command.

27. A data-processing apparatus according to claim 23 or 24, wherein said agent generates an intermediate subgoal for achieving a final goal, and generates a child agent for achieving said subgoal.

28. A data-processing apparatus according to claim 23 or 24, wherein when a plan execution or an agent migration fails, said execution means interrupts said plan execution, said plan-generating means generates another plan, and said execution means executes said another plan.

29. A data-processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein when an action execution or migration fails during part of a plan, said plan-generating means generates a subgoal for recovering from the failed execution or migration, and after the completion of execution of said subgoal, information for restarting the execution of said plan is stored, a plan is generated based on said subgoal and executed, and after execution of the plan based on said subgoal, said stored information is used to continue said original plan.

30. A data-processing apparatus according to claim 23 or 24, further comprising a means for correcting information that caused the failure when a plan execution or migration based on a plan fails.

31. A data-processing apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said plan-generating means generates a new plan using said first and second information when it is impossible for the series of actions of the agent to be executed at the designated node based on the plan generated by the plan-generating means, and generating a new plan for the agent at the migration destination when said agent cannot execute its actions at the migration destination node.

32. A data-processing system according to claim 23, wherein the plan-generating part generates another plan representing another series of actions to be executed by the agent according to the first and second information when it is impossible for the actions of the agent to be executed at the designated node based on the plan generated by the plan-generating part.

33. A data-processing system according to claim 23, further comprising an updating part configured to update the first information stored in the first storage part and the second information stored in the second storage part, wherein the updating part updates the first information based on the changed contents of the constituent elements, which are input at each of the nodes, wherein the plan-generating part generates another plan representing another series of actions to be executed by the agent according to the updated first and second information updated in the designated node by the updating part when the updated first and second information is inconsistent with the previous first and second information before the update and because of this inconsistency it is impossible for the actions of the agent to be executed at the designated node based on the previous plan generated by the plan-generating part according to the previous first and second information.

38. A data-processing method according to claim 24 or 35, further comprising when a plan execution or migration based on a plan fails, correcting information that caused the failure.

34. A data-processing method for processing data by an agent being a series of software, the method comprising the steps of:

storing a first information representing a state of constituent elements to be accessed by the agent;

storing second information representing a series of actions to be executed by the agent;

generating a plan representing the series of actions according to the first and second storage information, the series of actions including an action which implements a migration of the agent between the nodes;

executing the series of actions of the agent based on the generated plan;

migrating the agent between the nodes designated in the generated plan; and

generating another plan representing another series of actions to be executed by the agent according to the first and second information after the migration of the agent.

35. A data-processing method according to claim 34, further comprising dividing various information located at each said node into a plurality of fields by each type of agent, and said generating said agent plan is based on field information corresponding to said agent, and agent migrating between nodes includes migrating said agent to said corresponding field at the migration destination node.

36. A data-processing method according to either claim 34 or 35, wherein said generating a plan includes, when generating a migration command that migrates an agent between nodes or another command as part of a plan, appending a pre-condition as a prerequisite to said migration command or said other command.

37. A data-processing method according to claim 34 or 35, further comprising when a plan execution or an agent migration fails, interrupting said plan execution, and generating another plan and executing said another plan.

39. A storage medium storing therein a computer program that implements a data-processing method according to claim 34, further comprising dividing various information located at each said node into a plurality of fields by each type of agent, and said generating said agent plan based on field information corresponding to said agent, and agent migrating between nodes includes migrating said agent to said corresponding field at the migration destination node.

40. A data-processing method according to claim 34, wherein the generating step includes generating another plan representing another series of actions to be executed by the agent according to the first and second information when it is impossible for the actions of the agent to be executed at the designated node based on the plan generated by the generating step.

41. A data-processing method according to claim 34, further comprising updating the first and second information stored by the first and second information storing steps, wherein the updating step includes updating the first information based on the changed contents of the constituent elements, which are input at the each node, wherein the plan-generating part generates another plan representing another series of actions to be executed by the agent according to the updated first and second information updated in the designated node by the updating step when the updated first and second information is inconsistent with the previous first and second information before the update and because of this inconsistency it is impossible for the actions of the agent to be executed at the designated node based on the previous plan generated by the generating step according to the previous first and second information.

42. A storage medium storing therein a computer program that implements a data-processing method for processing data by an agent, the method comprising the steps of:

storing a first information representing a state of constituent elements to be accessed by the agent;

storing a second information representing a series of actions to be executed by the agent;

generating a plan representing the series of actions according to the first and second storage information, the series of actions including an action which implements a migration of the agent between the nodes;

executing the series of actions of the agent at the node based on the generated plan;

migrating the agent between the nodes designated in the generated plan; and

generating another plan representing another series of actions to be executed by the agent according to the first and second information after the migration of the agent.

43. A storage medium according to claim 42, wherein the generating step includes generating another plan representing another series of actions to be executed by the agent according to the first and second information when it is impossible for the actions of the agent to be executed at the designated node based on the plan generated by the generating step.

44. A storage medium according to claim 42, wherein the method further comprises updating the first and second information stored by the first and second information storing steps, wherein the updating step includes updating the first information based on the changed contents of the constituent elements, which are input at the each node, wherein the plan-generating part generates another plan representing another series of actions to be executed by the agent according to the updated first and second information updated in the designated node by the updating step when the updated first and second information is inconsistent with the previous first and second information before the update and because of this inconsistency it is impossible for the actions of the agent to be executed at the designated node based on the previous plan generated by the generating step according to the previous first and second information.