Agent for performing process using service list, message distribution method using service list, and storage medium storing program for realizing agent

• US 6,728,758 B2
• Filed: 07/07/1998
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, KHANH Q
• Application Number:
  US09/111,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20010039562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,121 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/203, 709/206, 709/218, 709/202, 709/217, 709/224, 709/226, 709/227, 709/228, 709/229, 370/404, 370/94.1, 379/59
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2471 Distributed queries

Abstract

A message distribution method for distributing a message among a plurality of software products distributed in a network realizes an efficient intelligent distribution environment. When a message is communicated among distributed software products, a service list defined by a combination of data of destination information of the message and process information specified by the message is added to the message. The portion of the service list processed by a destination software product is deleted, and the service list is rewritten as necessary. Thus, the message with the service list is transmitted from a software product to another software product.

Claims

1. An agent in a multiple-agent system, comprising:

generation means for generating and managing in each agent, based upon ontological commitments of agents in the multiple-agent system, a service list defined by a combination of a process flow information specifying operations to be performed by the agents concerning contents of the process specified in a message and agent destination information;

detail means for detailing the service list according to the ontological commitments of the agents in the multiple-agent system by rewriting the process flow information including the process operations and the agent destination information; and

transmission means for adding the detailed service list to the message and transmitting the message to another agent using the agent destination information.

2. The agent according to claim 1 wherein:

said generation means generates the service list in a description format at an abstract level in which a part of the process flow information in the service list has not been defined.

3. The agent according to claim 1 wherein:

said generation means generates the service list in a description format at a detail level specifying a process operation to be performed by an agent and destination information of the agent where the process operation is to be performed.

4. The agent according to claim 1 wherein:

said generation means generates the service list in a description format at an abstract level partly including a description format at a detail level.

5. An agent used in a multiple-agent system, comprising:

reception means for receiving a message transmitted from another agent;

extraction means for extracting a service list which is added to the message received by said reception means, and is defined by a combination of destination information about the message and a process flow information specifying operations to be performed by agents in the multiple-agent system concerning contents of the process specified in the message;

detail means for detailing the service list extracted by said extraction means according to ontological commitments of the agents in the multiple-agent system performing the process operations by rewriting the process flow information including the process operations and the destination information; and

transmission means for adding the detailed service list to the message and transmitting the message to another agent.

6. The agent according to claim 5 wherein:

said detail means details the extracted service list, if the service list is in a description format at an abstract level, by rewriting the service list at a detail level, which comprises the process flow information specifying a process operation to be performed at an agent and destination information specifying the agent where the process operation is to be performed.

7. The agent according to claim 5 wherein:

said detail means details the extracted service list, if in a description format at an abstract level, by rewriting the service list comprising the process flow information specifying a translating operation translating a word system of a user agent which generates the service list at the abstract level into a word system of an executing agent for performing a process operation, destination information specifying a translating agent for performing the translating operation, and the process flow information specifying the process operation to be performed after the translating operation, and destination information specifying the execution agent for executing the process operation.

8. The agent according to claim 5 wherein:

said detail means copies the message, if a process operation is to be processed by a plurality of agents, and generates for each copied message a service list containing a combination of the process flow information specifying the process operation to be performed, destination information specifying one of the plurality of agents for performing the process operation, and a number of copies of the message.

9. The agent according to claim 5 wherein:

said detail means commits detailing a part-of the service list to an agent not belonging to a knowledge space of a present agent, if a process operation should be performed in a knowledge space to which the present agent does not belong.

10. An agent used in a multiple-agent system, comprising:

reception means for receiving a message transmitted from another agent;

extraction means for extracting a service list which is added to the message received by said reception means, and is defined by a combination of destination information about the message and a process flow information specifying operations to be performed by agents in the multiple-agent system concerning contents of the process specified in the message;

execution means for executing a process operation specified by the process flow information corresponding to the destination information when a leading destination information in the service list extracted by said extraction means specifies a present agent;

detail means for rewriting the service list by deleting from the service list data of the service list relating to the process operation executed by said execution means; and

transmission means for adding the rewritten service list to a message comprising an execution result from said execution means as the content of the process, and transmitting the message to another agent.

11. The agent according to claim 10 wherein:

said execution means executes the process operation, specified by the process flow information in the service list after all copies of the message have been received when a number of the copies is recorded in the service list extracted by said extraction means.

12. The agent according to claim 10 wherein:

said execution means merges process results as the content of the process in respective messages after all copies of the message have been received when a number of copies is recorded in the service list extracted by said extraction means.

13. The agent according to claim 10 wherein:

said execution means performs a series of the process operations specified in said service list even when another agent is specified as a destination, if said execution means can process a leading and subsequent one or more pieces of the process operations in the service list; and

said deletion means deletes plural combinations of data relating to the process operations performed by said execution means from the service list.

14. The agent according to claim 10, further comprising:

amendment means for amending one or both of the process flow information and the destination information in the service list based on an execution result from said execution means.

15. The agent according to claim 10, further comprising:

determination means for determining whether the message is returned to a present agent by referring to the service list;

removal means for removing and saving the process flow information about a process operation to be performed by the present agent from the service list when the message is returned, if determined by said determination means that the message is returned to the present agent; and

return unit for returning the removed and saved process flow information to the service list when the message with the removed and saved process flow information is returned.

16. The agent according to claim 15 wherein:

said removal means further removes and saves the process flow information about a subsequent process operation to be performed by another agent from the service list.

17. The agent according to claim 10, further comprising:

storage means for storing the service list received by said reception means; and

control means for resuming the process based on the service list stored in said storage means when the multiple-agent system becomes faulty.

18. The agent according to claim 10, further comprising:

collection means for collecting a state of the process from the service list of a message of an agent subordinate to a present agent.

19. A multiple-agent system comprising:

a first agent comprising;

generation means for generating a service list defined by a combination of a process flow information specifying operations to be performed by agents in the multiple-agent system concerning contents of the process specified in a message and destination information for the message; and

transmission means for adding the service list to the message and transmitting the message to another agent;

a second agent comprising;

reception means for receiving the message transmitted from said first agent;

extraction means for extracting the service list added to the message received by said reception means;

detail means for detailing the service list extracted by said extraction means based on ontological commitments of the agents in the multiple-agent system to perform a process operation by rewriting the process flow information including the process operations and the destination information; and

transmission means for adding the detailed service list to the message and transmitting the message to another agent;

a third agent comprising;

reception means for receiving the message transmitted from said second agent;

extraction means for extracting the detailed service list added to the message received from said reception means;

execution means for executing the process operation of a leading destination information in the detailed service list extracted by said extraction means, if the leading destination information specifies a present agent;

detail means for rewriting the service list by deleting from the service list the flow information relating to the process operation performed by said execution means; and

transmission means for adding the rewritten service list to a message comprising an execution result obtained from said execution means as the content of the process, and transmitting the message to another agent.

20. The system according to claim 19 wherein:

said first agent is a user agent for generating the service list in a description format at an abstract level in which a part of the process flow information is undefined;

said second agent is an intermediary agent for detailing the service list at the abstract level transmitted from said first agent by rewriting the service list in a description format at a detail level containing the process flow information specifying the process operation to be performed based on the ontological commitments relating to an execution agent performing the process operation and the destination information specifying the execution agent where the process operation is to be performed; and

said third agent is an execution agent, specified by the destination information in the service list at the detail level, for executing the process operation specified by the process flow information.

21. The system according to claim 19 wherein:

said detail means of said second agent details the service list at the abstract level transmitted from said first agent by rewriting the service list at a detail level containing the process flow information specifying a translating operation translating a word system of said first agent into a word system of an execution agent for performing the process operation, based on the ontological commitments of the execution agent, destination information specifying a translation agent for performing the translating operation, the process flow information specifying the process operation to be performed after the translating operation, and the destination information specifying the execution agent for performing the process operation.

22. The system according to claim 19 wherein:

said detail means of said second agent copies the message, if the process operation is to be processed by a plurality of said third agents, and generates for each copied message a service list containing the process flow information specifying the process operation to be performed, the destination information specifying one of the plurality of said third agents for performing the process operation, and a number of copied messages.

23. The system according to claim 22 wherein:

said third agent performs the process operation specified by the process flow information in the detailed service list after all copies of the message have been received, if the number of copies of the message is recorded in the service list.

24. A method of distributing a message communicated between software products through a network, comprising:

adding to the message a service list defined by a combination of destination information about the message and a process flow information specifying operations to be performed by agents on the network concerning contents of the process specified by the message;

transmitting the message to destination software;

rewriting the service list by deleting the flow information relating to a process operation performed by the software from the service list; and

distributing the rewritten service list to another destination software to perform another process operation.

25. A method of distributing a message between agents in a multiple-agent system, comprising:

generating a first service list defined by a combination of a user requested process flow information specifying operations to be performed by the agents concerning contents of the user requested process specified in the message and destination information about the message;

adding the first service list to the message and transmitting the message to an agent;

detailing the first service list by rewriting the first service list into a second service list comprising the process flow information specifying a process operation to be performed by a destination agent based on ontological commitments of the agents and destination information specifying the destination agent;

adding the second service list to the message and transmitting the message to the destination agent;

performing the process operation specified as a leading process operation in the second service list;

rewriting the second service list by deleting the process flow information relating to the performed process operation from the second service list; and

adding to the message the rewritten second service list and transmitting the message to another agent.

26. The method according to claim 25 wherein the first service list is generated in a description format at an abstract level at which a part of the process flow information in the service list is undefined according to a message from the user;

and the detailing of the first service list comprises rewriting the first service list into the second service list at a detail level containing the process flow information specifying the process operation to be performed by the destination agent and destination information specifying the destination agent.

27. The method according to claim 25 wherein the detailing of the first service list comprises copying the message, if the process operation is to be processed by a plurality of the agents, and generating for each copied message the second service list at a detail level containing the process flow information specifying the process operation to be performed, destination information specifying one of the plurality of the agents for performing the process operation, and a number of copied messages;

and

performing the process operation specified by the process flow information in the second service list after all copies of the messages have been received from the agents, if the number of copies of the message is recorded in the second service list.

28. A computer-readable storage medium storing a process of realizing agents used in a multiple-agent system, the process in each agent comprising:

generating and managing in each agent, based upon ontological commitments of the agents in the multiple-agent system, a service list defined by a combination of agent destination information and a process information concerning contents of the process specified in a message;

detailing the service list according to the ontological commitments of the agents in the multiple-agent system by rewriting the agent destination information and the process information concerning the contents of the process specified in the message; and

adding the detailed service list to the message and transmitting the message to another agent using the agent destination information.

29. A computer-readable storage medium storing a process for realizing an agent used in a multiple-agent system, comprising:

receiving a message transmitted from another agent;

extracting a service list added to the message and defined by a combination of destination information about the message and a process flow information specifying operations to be performed by agents in the multiple-agent system concerning contents of the process specified in the message;

detailing the service list according to ontological commitments of the agents in the multiple-agent system performing the process operations by rewriting the process flow information including the process operations and the destination information; and

adding the detailed service list to the message and transmitting the message to another agent.

30. A computer-readable storage medium storing a process for realizing an agent used in a multiple-agent system, comprising:

receiving a message transmitted from another agent;

extracting a detailed service list added to the message and defined by a combination of destination information about the message and a process flow information specifying operations to be performed by agents in the multiple-agent system concerning contents of the process specified in the message;

performing a process operation specified by the process flow information corresponding to the destination information when a leading destination information in the extracted detailed service list specifies a present agent;

rewriting the service list by deleting data relating to the performed process operation from the service list; and

adding the rewritten service list to a message comprising a result of the performed process operation as the content of the process, and transmitting the message to another agent.

31. An agent in a multiple-agent system, comprising:

a generation unit generating and managing in each agent, based upon ontological commitments of agents in the multiple-agent system, a service list defined by a combination of a process flow information specifying operations to be performed by the agents concerning contents of the process specified in a message and agent destination information;

a detail unit detailing the service list according to the ontological commitments of the agents in the multiple-agent system by rewriting the process flow information including the process operations and the agent destination information; and

a transmission unit in communication with the generation unit and adding the detailed service list to the message and transmitting the message to another agent using the agent destination information.

32. An agent used in a multiple-agent system, comprising:

a reception unit receiving a message transmitted from another agent;

an extraction unit in communication with the reception unit and extracting a service list added to the message received by the reception unit and defined by a combination of destination information about the message and a process flow information specifying operations to be performed by agents in the multiple-agent system concerning contents of the process specified in the message;

a detail unit in communication with the extraction unit and detailing the service list extracted by the extraction unit according to ontological commitments of the agents in the multiple-agent system performing the process operations by rewriting the process flow information including the process operations and the destination information; and

a transmission unit in communication with the detail unit and adding the detailed service list to the message and transmitting the message to another agent.

33. An agent used in a multiple-agent system, comprising:

a reception unit receiving a message transmitted from another agent;

an extraction unit in communication with the reception unit and extracting a service list added to the message received by the reception unit, the service list defined by a combination of destination information about the message and a process flow information specifying operations to be performed by agents in the multiple-agent system concerning contents of the process specified in the message;

an execution unit in communication with the extraction unit and executing a process operation specified by the process flow information corresponding to the destination information when a leading destination information in the service list extracted by the extraction unit specifies a present agent;

a detail unit in communication with the execution unit and the extraction unit and rewriting the service list by deleting from the service list data of the service list relating to the process operation executed by the execution unit; and

a transmission unit in communication with the deletion unit and adding the rewritten service list to a message comprising an execution result from the execution unit as the content of the process, and transmitting the message to another agent.

34. A multiple-agent system comprising:

a first agent comprising;

a generation unit generating a service list defined by a combination of a process flow information specifying operations to be performed by agents in the multiple-agent system concerning contents of the process specified in a message and destination information for the message, and

a transmission unit in communication with the generation unit and adding the service list to the message and transmitting the message to another agent;

a second agent comprising;

a reception unit receiving the message transmitted from said first agent,

an extraction unit in communication with the reception unit and extracting the service list added to the message received by the reception unit,

a detail unit in communication with the extraction unit and detailing the service list extracted by the extraction unit based on ontological commitments of the agents in the multiple-agent system to perform a process operation by rewriting the process flow information including the process operations and the destination information, and

a transmission unit in communication with the detail unit and adding the detailed service list to the message and transmitting the message to another agent; and

a third agent comprising;

a reception unit receiving the message transmitted from said second agent,

an extraction unit extracting the detailed service list added to the message received from the reception unit,

an extraction unit in communication with the reception unit and extracting the detailed service list added to the message received from the reception unit,

an execution unit in communication with the extraction unit and executing the process operation of a leading destination information in the detailed service list extracted by the extraction unit, if the leading destination information specifies a present agent,

a detail unit in communication with the extraction unit and the execution unit and rewriting the service list by deleting from the service list the process flow information relating to the process operation performed by the execution unit, and

a transmission unit in communication with the deletion unit and adding the rewritten service list to a message comprising an execution result obtained from the execution unit as the content of the process, and transmitting the message to another agent.

35. A multiple-agent system comprising a user agent, an intermediary agent and a service execution agent,

said user agent comprises:

a generation unit generating a service list defining a process flow information specifying operations to be performed by the agents concerning contents of the process specified in the message and destination information of the message, and

a transmission unit adding the service list to the message and transmitting the message to another agent,

said intermediary agent comprises;

a reception unit receiving the message with the service list transmitted from said user agent,

an extraction unit extracting said service list from the received message,

a detail unit detailing the service list extracted by said extraction unit based on ontological commitments of the agents in the multiple-agent system to perform a process operation specified in the process flow information by rewriting the process flow information including the process operations and the destination information,

a transmission unit adding the detailed service list to the message and transmitting the message to another agent, and

said service execution agent comprises;

a reception unit receiving the message with the detailed service list,

an extraction unit extracting said detailed service list from the received message,

an execution unit executing the process operation of a leading destination information in the detailed service list extracted by said extraction unit, if the leading destination information specifies a present agent,

a detail unit rewriting the service list by deleting the process flow information corresponding to the process operation executed by said execution unit, and

a transmission unit adding the rewritten service list to a message comprising a result of the process operation executed by said execution unit and transmitting the message to another agent.

36. A multiple-agent system according to claim 35, wherein said user agent generates the service list at an abstract level service list, in which a part of the process flow information is not defined and transmits the message to the intermediary agent as another agent, and the intermediary agent details the abstract level service list by defining the undefined part of the process flow information based on the ontological commitments of the service execution agent to execute the process operation.

37. A method of distributing messages among agents in a multiple-agent system, comprising:

generating and managing in each agent, based upon ontological commitments of the agents in the multiple agent system, a service list defined by a combination of a process flow information specifying operations to be performed by the agents concerning contents of the process specified in each message and agent destination information corresponding to each process operation;

detailing the service list according to the ontological commitments of the agents in the multiple-agent system by rewriting the process flow information including the process operations and the agent destination information

adding the detailed service list to each message; and

transmitting each message to another agent using the agent destination information.

38. A multi-agent system, comprising:

a first agent comprising;

a generator generating a service list defined by a combination of a process flow information specifying operations to be performed by agents in the multi-agent system concerning contents of the process specified in a message and destination information of the message; and

a transmitter transmitting the message to another agent by attaching the service list to the message; and

a second agent comprising;

a receiver receiving the transmitted message with the service list from the first agent;

a detailer detailing the extracted service list by deleting the process flow information of a process operation performed by the second agent and rewriting the process flow information and the destination information of the extracted service list based upon ontological commitments of the agents in the multi-agent system to perform a next process operation in the process flow; and

a transmitter transmitting the message with the detailed service list to another agent by attaching the detailed service list to the message.