Server agent system

• US 6,658,453 B1
• Filed: 05/28/1999
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: America Online Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dattatri, Kayshav
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US09/321,646
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/224, 709/229, 709/223, 709/200, 709/201, 709/218
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 Event-based monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/875 Monitoring of systems including the internet

Abstract

A server agent system that provides agents, transmitted to a server by a client, that monitor specific event(s) on the server. When a pre-defined event(s) occurs, an agent performs a set action(s) in response to each event. The actions are predefined by the client. The agent requires no further intervention of the client once it is placed on the server and are created by a client or news reader and, when created by a news reader, agents are treated as a value added service provided by the application. The types of actions that an agent performs can be almost anything that the client desires and include the execution of Java and/or Javascript programs which are supplied by the client or the server. An agent'"'"'s events and actions are subject to the same access control security restrictions as the client that submitted the agent. The types of agents available on a server are pre-defined and are supplied as agent templates and are building blocks for the client to build agents with. A server can only supply agents that it understands and publishes the available agent templates and events on an agent home page where clients select from the list of agent types available on the server and submit an agent to the server. Servers also provide administration services for clients with resident agents where they monitor and manage their agents on the server. Each agent is assigned a unique identifier and token by the server. Names can also be assigned to an agent by the client. Server administrators are provided with an administration function to maintain and manage agents resident on that server. Agent objects are created on the server that uniquely identify that agent which is mapped to the proper event and is triggered upon occurrence of that event. When the agent is triggered, its action list is processed, executed and agent information and statistics are logged.

Claims

1. A process for asynchronous server-client transactions across a computer network in a computer environment, comprising the steps of:

providing agent means placed on said server for monitoring specific event(s) on said server;

wherein when said event(s) occurs, said agent means performs a set action or actions in response to said event;

providing agent templates that are the pre-defined set of agent types supported by said server; and

wherein said server publishes said agent templates and events available on said server on an agent home page.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein said action or actions are pre-defined by said client.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein said agent means are placed on said server by said client and require no further intervention of said client.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein said agent means are created by a news reader and are treated as a value added service provided by the application, and wherein said agents means is then sent to said server upon said client'"'"'s approval.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein said agent means monitors only the type of events specified by said server.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein said agent means perform actions that include the execution of Java and/or Javascript programs.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein said Java and/or Javascript programs are supplied by the client.

8. The process of claim 6, wherein said Java and/or Javascript programs are supplied by the server.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein said agent means are subject to the same access control security restrictions as the client that created said agent means.

10. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

sending an e-mail notification from said server to said client, confirming that said agent means were received; and

wherein said email notification can also be specified to be sent to a group of clients.

11. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

sending an e-mail notification from said server to said client, notifying said client that an agent means has expired.

12. The process of claim 1, wherein clients select from the list of agent types available on said server and submit an agent to said server.

13. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing administration means for allowing said client to monitor and manage said agent means.

14. The process of claim 1, wherein said server assigns a unique identifier to each agent means.

15. The process of claim 1, wherein said agent means is assigned a unique token identifier.

16. The process of claim 1, wherein said client names said agent means.

17. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing server administration means for allowing server administrators to maintain and manage agent means resident on that server.

18. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing agent object creation means for creating agent objects on said server.

19. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing agent triggering means for mapping the agent means to the proper event and triggering upon occurrence of said event.

20. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing agent processing means for processing the action list for an agent means.

21. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing agent logging means for logging agent information and statistics.

22. An apparatus for asynchronous server-client transactions across a computer network in a computer environment, comprising:

agent means placed on said server for monitoring specific event(s) on said server;

wherein when said event(s) occurs, said agent means performs a set action or actions in response to said event;

agent templates that are the pre-defined set of agent types supported by said server; and

wherein said server publishes the different agent templates and events available on said server on an agent home page.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said action or actions are pre-defined by said client.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said agent means are placed on said server by said client and require no further intervention of said client.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said agent means are created by a news reader and are treated as a value added service provided by the application, and wherein said agents means is then sent to said server upon said client'"'"'s approval.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said agent means monitors only the type of events specified by said server.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said agent means perform actions that include the execution of Java and/or Javascript programs.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said Java and/or Javascript programs are supplied by the client.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said Java and/or Javascript programs are supplied by the server.

30. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said agent means are subject to the same access control security restrictions as the client that created said agent means.

31. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

a module for sending an e-mail notification from said server to said client, confirming that said agent means were received; and

wherein said email notification can also be specified to be sent to a group of clients.

32. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

a module for sending an e-mail notification from said server to said client, notifying said client that an agent means has expired.

33. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein clients select from the list of agent types available on said server and submit an agent to said server.

34. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

administration means for allowing said client to monitor and manage said agent means.

35. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said server assigns a unique identifier to each agent means.

36. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said agent means is assigned a unique token identifier.

37. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said client names said agent means.

38. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

server administration means for allowing server administrators to maintain and manage agent means resident on that server.

39. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

agent object creation means for creating agent objects on said server.

40. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

agent triggering means for mapping the agent means to the proper event and triggering upon occurrence of said event.

41. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

agent processing means for processing the action list for an agent means.

42. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

agent logging means for logging agent information and statistics.

43. A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for asynchronous server-client transactions across a computer network in a computer environment, comprising the steps of:

providing agent means placed on said server for monitoring specific event(s) on said server;

wherein when said event(s) occurs, said agent means performs a set action or actions in response to said event;

providing agent templates that are the pre-defined set of agent types supported by said server; and

wherein said server publishes the different agent templates and events available on said server on an agent home page.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein said action or actions are pre-defined by said client.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein said agent means are placed on said server by said client and require no further intervention of said client.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein said agent means are created by a news reader and are treated as a value added service provided by the application, and wherein said agents means is then sent to said server upon said client'"'"'s approval.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein said agent means monitors only the type of events specified by said server.

48. The method of claim 43, wherein said agent means perform actions that include the execution of Java and/or Javascript programs.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein said Java and/or Javascript programs are supplied by the client.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein said Java and/or Javascript programs are supplied by the server.

51. The method of claim 43, wherein said agent means are subject to the same access control security restrictions as the client that created said agent means.

52. The method of claim 43, further comprising the step of:

sending an e-mail notification from said server to said client, confirming that said agent means were received; and

wherein said email notification can also be specified to be sent to a group of clients.

53. The method of claim 43, further comprising the step of:

sending an e-mail notification from said server to said client, notifying said client that an agent means has expired.

54. The method of claim 43, wherein clients select from the list of agent types available on said server and submit an agent to said server.

55. The method of claim 43, further comprising the step of:

providing administration means for allowing said client to monitor and manage said agent means.

56. The method of claim 43, wherein said server assigns a unique identifier to each agent means.

57. The method of claim 43, wherein said agent means is assigned a unique token identifier.

58. The method of claim 43, wherein said client names said agent means.

59. The method of claim 43, further comprising the step of:

providing server administration means for allowing server administrators to maintain and manage agent means resident on that server.

60. The method of claim 43, further comprising the step of:

providing agent object creation means for creating agent objects on said server.

61. The method of claim 43, further comprising the step of:

providing agent triggering means for mapping the agent means to the proper event and triggering upon occurrence of said event.

62. The method of claim 43, further comprising the step of:

providing agent processing means for processing the action list for an agent means.

63. The method of claim 43, further comprising the step of:

providing agent logging means for logging agent information and statistics.