Knowledge provider system and knowledge providing method utilizing plural knowledge provider agents which are linked by communication network and execute message processing using successive pattern matching operations

• US 6,260,059 B1
• Filed: 02/01/1999
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Noguchi, Yoshihiro, Yasukawa, Hideki, Ueno, Tsuyoshi, Hoshida, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Homere, Jean R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBINSON, GRETA LEE
• Application Number:
  US09/241,054
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/6, 707/100, 709/202, 709/201, 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/043 Distributed expert systems; Blackboards

Abstract

A knowledge provider system is configured as a plurality of data servers connected via a data communication network, which function as respective knowledge provider agents in response to information request messages sent from users of the network. Each agent holds a script which contains a knowledge base, and data defining predetermined message formats for respective types of messages and predetermined content formats for respective types of message contents which can be handled by that agent. A message received by an agent is pattern-matched against the message formats, if it is thereby found to be an information request message the message content portion is pattern-matched against the predetermined content formats, and if that matching is successful, the subject for which information is requested is pattern-matched against the contents of the knowledge base, to find a set of information corresponding to that subject. If any of the pattern matching operations is not successful, the agent originates messages for successively propagating the content portion of that information request message to other agents via the network. Obtained information is then sent back to the originating agent and hence to the user.

Claims

1. An agent knowledge provider system comprising a plurality of knowledge provider agents and plurality of user apparatuses respectively interconnected for exchange of messages via a data communication network, with each of said messages including at least a sender identifier, a destination identifier, and a content portion, each of said knowledge provider agents comprising:

script storage means having stored therein a script containing message processing information comprising a knowledge segment containing at least one knowledge combination formed of a query item and a response information set corresponding to said query item, and a rule segment containing a content format descriptor which corresponds to a predetermined format of an information request message and which indicates a position of a query item within said format, and

script execution and message handling means for judging that a message received via said network is an information request message,

when an information request message is received, reading out said script from said storage means, executing a first pattern matching operation of comparing a content portion of said message with said content format descriptor, and when said content portion is found to match said content format descriptor, extracting said query item from a section of said content portion that is indicated by said content format descriptor, executing a second pattern matching operation of comparing said extracted query item with said knowledge segment contents, and when matching success is achieved, obtaining from said knowledge segment a response information set corresponding to said extracted query item, generating a response message having said response information set as the content portion thereof and transmitting said response message via said network to a sender of said information request message, while

when at least one of said pattern matching operations is not successful, transmitting an information request message containing said content portion to at least one predetermined other knowledge provider agent.

2. An agent knowledge provider system comprising a plurality of knowledge provider agents and plurality of user apparatuses respectively interconnected for exchange of messages via a data communication network, with each of said messages including at least a sender identifier, a destination identifier, and a content portion, each of said knowledge provider agents comprising:

script storage means (103) having stored therein a script containing message processing information and respective identifiers of a plurality of knowledge provider agents which have been assigned as respective propagation destination agents of said agent, said message processing information comprising a message segment, a rule segment and a knowledge segment, said message segment containing a plurality of message format descriptors respectively corresponding to a format of a user request message that is received from a user apparatus, to a format of a propagation message that is received from another one of said agents, and to a format of a response message which is received from another one of said agents, said rule segment containing at least one “

action”

portion having a content format descriptor which expresses a predetermined format of an information request message and indicates a position of a query item within said format, and said knowledge segment containing at least one knowledge combination formed of a query item and a response information set corresponding to said query item, and

script execution and message handling means (101, 102, 103, 104) for

obtaining said script from said script storage means when a message is received via said network by said agent, and executing a first pattern matching operation of comparing said received message with the contents of said message segment,

when said received message is found to match one of said user request message format descriptor and propagation message format descriptor, executing a second pattern matching operation of comparing said content portion of said message with the contents of said rule segment, and when said received message content portion is found to match said content format descriptor, extracting a query item from a section of said message content portion that is indicated by said content format descriptor, and executing a third pattern matching operation of comparing said extracted query item with the contents of said knowledge segment to thereby obtain a response information set corresponding to said received message, and when matching success is achieved for each of said first, second and third pattern matching operations, generating a response message having said response information set as the content portion thereof and having the sender identifier of said received request message as the destination identifier thereof, and transmitting said response message via said network,

when said received message is found to match said user request message format descriptor and at least one of said pattern matching operations is not successful, registering the identifier of the user apparatus that is the sender of said message, originating a plurality of propagation messages having said identifiers of said propagation destination agents as respective destination identifiers thereof, with each propagation message having said received message content portion as the content portion thereof and having the identifier of said each knowledge provider agent as the sender identifier thereof, and transmitting said propagation messages via said network,

when said received message is found to match said propagation message format descriptor and at least one of said pattern matching operations is not successful, redirecting said propagation message to each of said propagation destination agents, with said sender identifier of the received message left unchanged, and transmitting the resultant propagation messages via said network, and

when said received message is found to match said response message format descriptor, obtaining a previously registered identifier of a user apparatus, generating a response message having the content portion of said received message as the content portion thereof and said user apparatus identifier as the destination identifier thereof, and transmitting said response message via said network.

3. The agent knowledge provider system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said user apparatuses is operable for sending to a knowledge provider agent a processing information acquisition request message for commanding said knowledge provider agent to acquire processing information relating to a specific message content portion from the script of another one of said knowledge provider agents, wherein each knowledge provider agent further comprises script combining means (506) coupled to said script storage means (103), wherein said message segment further includes a format descriptor for a processing information acquisition request message, a format descriptor for a processing information acquisition message, and a format descriptor for a processing information response message, and wherein said script execution and message handling means further comprises means for,

when a received message is found to match said processing information acquisition request message format descriptor, generating a plurality of processing information acquisition messages having respective identifiers of said propagation destination agents as the destination identifiers thereof, each having the content portion of said received message as the content portion thereof, and transmitting said messages via said network,

when a received message is found to match said processing information acquisition message format descriptor, executing at least one of said second and third pattern matching operations, as predetermined for said processing information acquisition message format descriptor, and when each of said pattern matching operations have been successful, extracting from said script a part of said processing information, as predetermined for said processing information acquisition message format descriptor, generating a processing information response message having said extracted processing information as the content portion thereof and having the sender identifier of said received message as the destination identifier thereof, and transmitting said response message via said network,

when a received message is found to match said processing information response message format descriptor, extracting said content portion of said received message and supplying said content portion to said script combining means, to be combined with said processing information of said script.

4. The agent knowledge provider system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said user apparatuses is operable for sending to a knowledge provider agent a processing information acquisition request message for commanding said agent to acquire an “

action”

portion relating to a specific message content portion from the script of another one of said agents, wherein each knowledge provider agent further comprises script combining means (506) coupled to said script storage means (103), wherein said message segment further includes a format descriptor for an “

action”

portion acquisition request message, a format descriptor for an “

action”

portion acquisition message, and a format descriptor for an “

action”

portion acquisition response message, and wherein said script execution and message handling means further comprises means for,

when a received message is found to match said “

action”

portion acquisition request message format descriptor of the script held by said each agent, generating a plurality of “

action”

portion acquisition messages having respective identifiers of said propagation destination agents as the destination identifiers thereof, each having the content portion of said received message as the content portion thereof, and each having the identifier of said each knowledge provider agent as the sender identifier thereof, and transmitting said “

action”

portion acquisition messages via said network,

when a received message is found to match said “

action”

portion acquisition message format descriptor of said script, executing said second pattern matching operation, and when pattern matching of said received message content portion against an “

action”

portion of said test segment of the script is successful, generating an “

action”

portion response message having said “

action”

portion as the content portion thereof and having the sender identifier of said received message as the destination identifier thereof, and transmitting said response message via said network,

when a received message is found to match said “

action”

portion acquisition response message format descriptor of said script, extracting said “

action”

portion from the content portion of said received message and supplying said “

action”

portion to said script combining means, to be combined with the existing contents of said rule segment of said script.

5. The agent knowledge provider system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said user apparatuses is operable for sending to a knowledge provider agent a knowledge combination acquisition request message for commanding said knowledge provider agent to acquire a knowledge combination relating to a specific message content portion from the script of another one of said agents, wherein each knowledge provider agent further comprises script combining means (506) coupled to said script storage means (103), wherein said message segment further includes a format descriptor for a knowledge combination acquisition request message, a format descriptor for a knowledge combination acquisition message, and a format descriptor for a knowledge combination response message, and wherein said script execution and message handling means further comprises means for,

when a received message is found to match said knowledge combination acquisition request message format descriptor, generating a plurality of knowledge combination acquisition messages having respective identifiers of said propagation destination agents as the destination identifiers thereof, each having the content portion of said received message as the content portion thereof, and each having the identifier of said each knowledge provider agent as the sender identifier thereof, and transmitting said knowledge combination acquisition messages via said network,

when a received message is found to match said knowledge combination acquisition message format descriptor, executing said second and third pattern matching operations, and when each of said second and third pattern matching operations is successful, so that a combination of a query item and response information set which matches said received message is obtained from said knowledge segment, generating a knowledge combination response message having said combination of query item and response information set as the content portion thereof and having the sender identifier of said received message as the destination identifier thereof, and transmitting said response message via said network, and

when a received message is found to match said knowledge combination response message format descriptor, extracting said knowledge combination from said received message and supplying said knowledge combination to said script combining means, to be combined with the existing contents of said Knowledge segment of said script.

6. The agent knowledge provider system according to claim 2, wherein each of said knowledge provider agents further comprises processing information acquisition message generating means (507) responsive to origination of a propagation message by said knowledge provider agent for generating a plurality of processing information acquisition messages having as respective destination identifiers said identifiers of said propagation destination agents, each of said processing information acquisition messages having the content portion of said propagation message as the content portion thereof, each of said agents further comprising script combining means (506) coupled to said script storage means (103), wherein said message segment further includes a format descriptor for a processing information acquisition message, and a format descriptor for a processing information response message, and wherein said script execution and message handling means further comprises means for,

when a received message is found to match said processing information acquisition message format descriptor, executing at least one of said second and third pattern matching operations, as predetermined for said processing information acquisition message format descriptor, and when each of said pattern matching operations have been successful, extracting a part of said processing information, as predetermined for said processing information acquisition message format descriptor, generating a processing information response message having said extracted processing information as the content portion thereof and having the sender identifier of said received message as the destination identifier thereof, and transmitting said response message via said network,

when a received message is found to match said processing information response message format descriptor, extracting said specific processing information from said received message and supplying said specific processing information to said script combining means, to be combined with said processing information of said script.

7. The agent knowledge provider system according to claim 2, wherein each of said knowledge provider agents further comprises processing information acquisition message generating means (507) responsive to origination of a propagation message by said agent for generating a plurality of “

action”

portion acquisition messages having as respective destination identifiers said identifiers of said propagation destination agents, each of said “

action”

portion acquisition messages having the content portion of said propagation message as the content portion thereof, each of said knowledge provider agents further comprising script combining means (506) coupled to said script storage means (103), wherein said message segment further includes a format descriptor for an “

action”

portion acquisition message, and a format descriptor for an “

action”

portion acquisition response message, and wherein said script execution and message handling means further comprises means for

when a received message is found to match said “

action”

portion acquisition message format descriptor, executing said second pattern matching operation, and when pattern matching of said received message content portion against an “

action”

portion of said script is successful, generating an “

action”

portion acquisition response message having said “

action”

portion of said script as the content portion thereof and having the sender identifier of said received message as the destination identifier thereof, and transmitting said response message via said network, and

when a received message is found to match said “

action”

portion acquisition response message format descriptor, extracting said “

action”

portion from the content portion of said received message and supplying said “

action”

portion to said script combining means, to be combined with the existing contents of said rule segment of said script.

8. The agent knowledge provider system according to claim 2, wherein each of said knowledge provider agents further comprises processing information acquisition message generating means (507) responsive to origination of a propagation message by said knowledge provider agent for generating a plurality of knowledge combination acquisition messages having as respective destination identifiers said identifiers of said propagation destination agents, each of said knowledge combination acquisition messages having the content portion of said propagation message as the content portion thereof, wherein each of said knowledge provider agents further comprises script combining means (506) coupled to said script storage means (103), wherein said message segment of said script held by said agent further includes a format descriptor for a knowledge combination acquisition message, and a format descriptor for a knowledge combination response message, and wherein said script execution and message handling means further comprises means for,

when a received message is found to match said knowledge combination acquisition message format descriptor, executing said second and third pattern matching operations, and when each of said second and third pattern matching operations is successful, so that a knowledge combination formed of a query item and response information set which matches said received message is obtained from said knowledge segment, generating a knowledge combination response message having said knowledge combination set as the content portion thereof and having the sender identifier of said received message as the destination identifier thereof, and transmitting said response message via said network, and

when a received message is found to match said knowledge combination response message format descriptor, extracting said knowledge combination from said received message and supplying said knowledge combination to said script combining means, to be combined with the existing contents of said knowledge segment of said script.

9. The agent knowledge provider system according to claim 2, wherein each of said knowledge provider agents further comprises collected information storage means (807) and information collection message generating means (906) for originating an information collection message to obtain from a predetermined number of said agents respective response information sets relating to a specific message content portion, at times determined by predetermined criteria, said information collection message being formed of said specific content portion, and a count number which differs from a threshold value by said predetermined number, and having the identifier of a predetermined one of said propagation destination agents as the destination identifier thereof, wherein said message segment of said script further includes a format descriptor for an information collection message, and a format descriptor for an information collection response message, and wherein said script execution and message handling means of said each knowledge provider agent further comprise means for,

when said received message is found to match said information collection message format descriptor, applying said second and third pattern matching operations to said content portion of said received message, and when matching success is achieved for both of said second and pattern matching operations and a response information set thereby obtained, decrementing said count number by a predetermined amount to obtain an updated count number, and when said updated count number is higher than said threshold value, generating an updated information collection message having as its content portion the content portion of said received message, with said obtained response information set and any previously obtained response information set(s) from said received message appended thereto, having the sender identifier of said received message as the sender identifier thereof, and having the identifier of said predetermined propagation destination agent as the destination identifier thereof, and transmitting said updated information collection message via said network, while when said updated count value is not higher than said threshold value, generating an information collection response message having the sender identifier of the received message as the destination identifier thereof, and having as the content portion thereof said obtained response information set together with any response information sets contained in said received message, and transmitting said information collection response message via said network, while, when matching success is not achieved for both of said second and third pattern matching operations, changing the destination identifier of said received message to that of said predetermined propagation destination agent, and transmitting the resultant message via said network, and

when said received message is found to match said information collection response message format descriptor, extracting said response information sets constituting the content portion of said received message, and storing said response information sets in said collected information storage means (807).

10. The agent knowledge provider system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said user apparatuses is operable for sending to a knowledge provider agent an information collection request message for commanding said knowledge provider agent to acquire respective response information sets each relating to a specific message content portion, from a predetermined number of said knowledge provider agents, and to transmit said response information sets to said user apparatus, said information collection request message being formed of the identifier of said user apparatus as the sender identifier thereof, the identifier of a recipient knowledge provider agent as the destination identifier thereof, a count number which differs from a threshold value by said predetermined number, and said specific content portion, wherein each of said knowledge provider agents further comprises information collection message generating means (806) for generating an information collection message, wherein said message segment of said script further includes a format descriptor for an information collection request message, a format descriptor for an information collection message, and a format descriptor for an information collection response message, and wherein said script execution and message handling means of said each knowledge provider agent further comprise means for,

when said received message is found to match said information collection request message format descriptor, registering the sender identifier from said message, applying said second and third pattern matching operations to said content portion of said received message, and when matching success is achieved for both of said second and third pattern matching operations and a response information set thereby obtained, decrementing said count number by a predetermined amount to obtain an updated value, generating an information collection message having said the identifier of said each knowledge provider agent as the sender identifier thereof, the identifier of a predetermined one of said propagation destination agents as the destination identifier thereof, containing said updated count number, and having the content portion of said received message as the content portion thereof, with said obtained response information set appended to said content portion, and transmitting said information collection message via said network, while, when matching success is not achieved for both of said second and third pattern matching operations, generating an information collection message having the identifier of said predetermined propagation destination agent as the destination identifier thereof, containing said count number of said information collection request message, and having the content portion of said received message as the content portion thereof, and transmitting said information collection message via said network,

when said received message is found to match said information collection message format descriptor, applying said second and third pattern matching operations to said content portion of said received message, and when matching success is achieved for both of said second and third pattern matching operations and a response information set thereby obtained, decrementing said count number by said predetermined amount to obtain an updated count value, and when said updated count value is higher than said threshold value, generating an updated information collection message having the content portion of said received message as the content portion thereof, with said obtained response information set and any previously obtained response information sets appended to said content portion, having the sender identifier of said received message as the sender identifier thereof, and the identifier of said predetermined one of the propagation destination agents as the destination identifier thereof, and transmitting said updated information collection message via said network,

while, when said updated count value is not higher than said threshold value, generating an information collection response message having the sender identifier of the received message as the destination identifier thereof, and having as the content portion thereof said obtained response information set together with any response information sets contained in said received message, and transmitting said information collection response message via said network, while, when matching success is not achieved for both of said second and third pattern matching operations, changing the destination identifier of said received message to that of said predetermined propagation destination agent, and transmitting the resultant message via said network,

and, when said received message is found to match said information collection response message format descriptor, generating a response message having said response information sets constituting the content portion of said received message as the content portion thereof and having said registered user identifier as the destination identifier thereof, and transmitting said response message via said network.

11. The agent knowledge provider system according to claim 2, wherein said message content portion is configured with a plurality of data fields, wherein said content format descriptor of said rule segment defines respective character strings as occupying specific ones of said data fields, wherein each said character string defined for a data field is one of a set of alias character strings which have been predetermined as corresponding to said data field, wherein said each knowledge provider agent further comprises message content expansion means (1204) for storing said sets of alias character strings, and wherein said script execution and message handling means further comprises means for repetitively executing operations of,

when said second pattern matching operation is not successful, reading out one of said alias character strings for one of said data fields, from said message content expansion means, replacing a character string which is currently defined for said field in said content format descriptor by said alias character string which is read out, and re-executing said second pattern matching operation.

12. The agent knowledge provider system according to claim 2, wherein said each knowledge provider agent further comprises

script group storage means (1506) for storing a plurality of respectively different scripts each having a knowledge segment, rule segment, message segment and identifiers of assigned propagation destination agents,

replacement control script storage means (1505) for storing a replacement control script having a script selection segment formed of a plurality of content format descriptors each predetermined as corresponding to one of said plurality of scripts held in said script group storage means (1506) and having a related script segment formed of at least one content format descriptor, with each of said content format descriptors of the related script segment being linked to at least one of said content format descriptors of the script selection segment, and

script storage section control means (1504) coupled to each of said script storage means (103), script group storage means (1506) and replacement control script storage means (1505), functioning in conjunction with said script execution and message handling means to control transfer of scripts between said script group storage means (1506) and script storage means (103),

said script storage section control means (1504) in conjunction with said script execution means (1502) comprising means for

when a received message has been found to match one of said user request message format descriptor and propagation message format descriptor and said second and third pattern matching operations have been executed, temporarily registering any response information set which is obtained as a result of said pattern matching operations, and executing a script selection operating sequence of

pattern matching said content portion of said received message against the contents of said script selection segment of said replacement control script,

when said content portion is found to match one of said content format descriptors of said script selection segment, deleting the script which is currently held in said script storage means (103), reading out from said script group storage means (1506) the one of said scripts which corresponds to said pattern matching content format descriptor of the script selection segment, and loading said script into said script storage means (103), and

executing said second and third pattern matching operations of said message content portion against said script which has been loaded into said script storage means (103), and temporarily registering any response information set which is obtained as a result of said pattern matching operations, and pattern matching said content portion of said received message;

pattern matching said message content portion against the contents of said related script segment of said replacement control script,

when said content portion is found to match one of said content format descriptors of said related script segment, identifying a format descriptor of said script selection segment which is lined to said pattern matching format descriptor of the related script segment, identifying a script corresponding to said identified format descriptor, loading said identified script into said script storage means, executing said second and third pattern matching operations of said message content content portion against said script which has been loaded into said script storage means, and temporarily registering any response information set which is obtained thereby, and

generating a response message having the sender identifier of said received message as the destination identifier thereof and having all of said obtained response information sets as the content portion thereof, and transmitting said response message via said network.

13. A method of knowledge providing, for application to a system comprising a plurality of knowledge provider agents and plurality of user apparatuses respectively interconnected for exchange of messages via a data communication network, with each of said messages including at least a sender identifier, a destination identifier, and a content portion, the method comprising, for each of said knowledge provider agents:

storing beforehend at said knowledge provider agent a script containing message processing information comprising a knowledge segment containing at least one knowledge combination formed of a query item and a response information set corresponding to said query item, and a rule segment containing at least one content format descriptor which corresponds to a predetermined format of an information request message and which indicates a position of a query item within said format,

judging whether a message received via said network is an information request message, and when said received message is an information request message,

reading out said script,

executing a first pattern matching operation of comparing a content portion of said message with said content format descriptor, and when said content portion is found to match said content format descriptor, extracting said query item from a section of said content portion that is indicated by said content format descriptor, executing a second pattern matching operation of comparing said extracted query item with said knowledge segment contents, and when matching success is achieved, obtaining from said knowledge segment a response information set corresponding to said extracted query item, generating a response message having said response information set as the content portion thereof and transmitting said response message via said network to a sender of said information request message, while

when at least one of said pattern matching operations is not successful, transmitting an information request message containing said content portion to at least one predetermined other knowledge provider agent.

14. A method of knowledge providing, for application to a system comprising a plurality of knowledge provider agents and plurality of user apparatuses respectively interconnected for exchange of messages via a data communication network, with each of said messages including at least a sender identifier, a destination identifier, and a content portion, the method comprising, for each of said knowledge provider agents:

storing beforehand at said agent a script containing message processing information and respective identifiers of a plurality of knowledge provider agents which have been assigned as respective propagation destination agents of said agent, said message processing information comprising a message segment, a rule segment and a knowledge segment, said message segment containing a plurality of message format descriptors respectively corresponding to a format of a user request message that is received from a user apparatus, to a format of a propagation message that is received from another one of said agents, and to a format of a response message which is received from another one of said agents, said rule segment containing at least one content format descriptor which corresponds to a predetermined format of an information request message and which indicates a position of a query item within said format, and said knowledge segment containing at least one knowledge combination formed of a query item and an information set which is linked to said query item, and

controlling said each agent for

obtaining said stored script when a message is received via said network by said agent, and executing a first pattern matching operation of comparing said received message with the contents of said message segment,

when said received message is found to match one of said user request message format descriptor and propagation message format descriptor, executing a second pattern matching operation of comparing said content portion of said message with the contents of said rule segment, and when said received message content portion is found to match said content format descriptor, extracting a query item from a section of said message content portion that is indicated by said content format descriptor and executing a third pattern matching operation of comparing said extracted query item with said knowledge segment contents to thereby obtain a response information set corresponding to said received message, and when matching success is achieved for each of said first, second and third pattern matching operations, generating a response message having said response information set as the content portion thereof and having the sender identifier of said received request message as the destination identifier thereof, and transmitting said response message via said network,

when said received message is found to match said user request message format descriptor and at least one of said pattern matching operations is not successful, registering the identifier of the user apparatus that is the sender of said message, originating a plurality of propagation messages having said identifiers of said propagation destination agents as respective destination identifiers thereof, with each propagation message having said received message content portion as the content portion thereof and having the identifier of said each knowledge provider agent as the sender identifier thereof, and transmitting said propagation messages via said network,

when said received message is found to match said propagation message format descriptor and at least one of said pattern matching operations is not successful, redirecting said propagation message to each of said propagation destination agents, with said sender identifier of the received message left unchanged, and transmitting the resultant propagation messages via said network, and

when said received message is found to match said response message format descriptor, obtaining a previously registered identifier of a user apparatus, generating a response message having the content portion of said received message as the content portion thereof and said user apparatus identifier as the destination identifier thereof, and transmitting said response message via said network.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein at least one of said user apparatuses is operable for sending to a knowledge provider agent a processing information acquisition request message for commanding said knowledge provider agent to acquire specific processing information from the script of another one of said knowledge provider agents, the method further comprising inserting into said message segment of said script a format descriptor for a processing information acquisition request message, a format descriptor for a processing information acquisition message, and a format descriptor for a processing information response message, further controlling said each agent for

when a received message is found to match said processing information acquisition request message format descriptor, generating a plurality of processing information acquisition messages having respective identifiers of said propagation destination agents as the destination identifiers thereof, each having the content portion of said received message as the content portion thereof, and transmitting said messages via said network,

when a received message is found to match said processing information acquisition message format descriptor, executing at least one of said second and third pattern matching operations, as predetermined for said processing information acquisition message format descriptor, and when each of said pattern matching operations have been successful, extracting from said script a part of said processing information, as predetermined for said processing information acquisition message format descriptor, generating a processing information response message having said extracted processing information as the content portion thereof and having the sender identifier of said received message as the destination identifier thereof, and transmitting said response message via said network,

when a received message is found to match said processing information response message format descriptor, extracting said processing information constituting the content portion of said received message and combining said processing information with existing contents of said script.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising controlling said each agent to generate a plurality of processing information acquisition messages having as respective destination identifiers said identifiers of said propagation destination agents, when a propagation message has been originated by said agent, with each of said processing information acquisition messages having the content portion of said propagation message as the content portion thereof, the method further comprising inserting into said message segment of said script a format descriptor for a processing information acquisition request message, format descriptor for a processing information acquisition message, and a format descriptor for a processing information response message, and further controlling said each agent for

executing at least one of said second and third pattern matching operations, as predetermined for said processing information acquisition message format descriptor, when a received message is found to match said processing information acquisition message format descriptor, and when each of said pattern matching operations have been successful, extracting a part of said processing information, as predetermined for said processing information acquisition message format descriptor, generating a processing information response message having said extracted processing information as the content portion thereof and having the sender identifier of said received message as the destination identifier thereof, and transmitting said response message via said network,

when a received message is found to match said processing information response message format descriptor, extracting said specific processing information from said received message and combining said processing information with existing contents of said script.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein each of said knowledge provider agents further comprises collected information storage means (807) and information collection message generating means (906) for originating an information collection message to obtain from a predetermined number of said agents respective response information sets relating to a specific message content portion, at times determined by predetermined criteria, said information collection message being formed of said specific content portion, and a count number which differs from a threshold value by said predetermined number, and having the identifier of a predetermined one of said propagation destination agents as the destination identifier thereof, wherein said message segment of said script further includes a format descriptor for an information collection message, and a format descriptor for an information collection response message, and wherein said script execution and message handling means of said each knowledge provider agent further comprise means for,

when said received message is found to match said information collection message format descriptor, applying said second and third pattern matching operations to said content portion of said received message, and when matching success is achieved for both of said second and pattern matching operations and a response information set thereby obtained, decrementing said count number by a predetermined amount to obtain an updated count number, and when said updated count number is higher than said threshold value, generating an updated information collection message having as its content portion the content portion of said received message, with said obtained response information set and any previously obtained response information set(s) from said received message appended thereto, having the sender identifier of said received message as the sender identifier thereof, and having the identifier of said predetermined propagation destination agent as the destination identifier thereof, and transmitting said updated information collection message via said network, while when said updated count value is not higher than said threshold value, generating an information collection response message having the sender identifier of the received message as the destination identifier thereof, and having as the content portion thereof said obtained response information set together with any response information sets contained in said received message, and transmitting said information collection response message via said network, while, when matching success is not achieved for both of said second and third pattern matching operations, changing the destination identifier of said received message to that of said predetermined propagation destination agent, and transmitting the resultant message via said network, and

when said received message is found to match said information collection response message format descriptor, extracting said response information sets constituting the content portion of said received message, and storing said response information sets in said collected information storage means (807).