Technique for communication with mobile data processing devices by way of mobile software agents

• US 7,222,151 B1
• Filed: 10/18/2000
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schaeck, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIN, KENNY S
• Application Number:
  US09/691,324
• Time in Patent Office: 2,407 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/223, 709/217, 713/171, 719/328, 380/2, 703/25, 717/104, 370/468, 455/419, 455/500, 455/3.04, 455/39, 345/736
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4862 the task being a mobile agent, i.e. specifically designed to migrate

Abstract

A techinque for communicating with a mobile data processing device by way of a mobile software agent. Any application, such as a banking application which permits cash withdrawals from ATMs, can be represented as a mobile software agent. The mobile software agent is spread across a network to all terminals with cash dispensing functions. The terminals include a communication component having a mobile software agent interface function component and a mobile chipcard interface function component. The mobile software agent interface component provides support functions for receiving and installing the mobile software agent. The chipcard interface component safeguards the communication with the chipcard. The mobile software agent evaluates the information delivered to it from the mobile software agent interface component and then installs itself on the terminals as appropriate. Chipcard-related events are notified via the chipcard interface component to the mobile software agent which, after classifying the chipcard concerned, performs the actions on the chipcard. By implementating these interface components on every terminal in the network, administration of the chipcards in the network can be controlled from the backend system (server).

Claims

1. A system for communication with a mobile data processing device by way of a mobile software agent, said system comprising:

means for transmitting the mobile software agent;

means for spreading the mobile software agent from an originating system via a network to one or more destination systems;

means for running the mobile software agent; and

means for communicating, including a mobile software agent interface component for communicating with the mobile software agent, and a mobile data processing device interface component, for communicating with the mobile data processing device;

wherein the mobile software agent includes an event-handling component to handle events communicated via the mobile data processing device interface component relating to the status of the mobile data processing device;

a recognition component to recognize the destination system;

an execution component to run on the destination system;

a classification component to classify the mobile data processing device;

one or more action components to perform specific actions on the mobile data processing device dependent on results from the classification component;

a checkback component for checking back to the originating system or to other mobile software agents indicating whether installation on the one or more destination systems or the action being performed on the mobile data processing device succeeded or failed;

a replication component for producing a copy of the mobile software agent for distribution to other destination systems;

a merger component for merging several mobile software agents having like tasks into a single merged mobile software agent; and

a self-termination component for terminating the mobile software agent after a preset life span or a defined event.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile software agent further comprises:

a checkback component for checking back to the originating system or to other mobile software agents for indicating whether installation on the destination system or the action being performed on the mobile data processing device succeeded or failed;

a replication component for producing a copy of the mobile software agent in the destination systems;

a merger component to merge mobile software agents having like tasks into a single merged mobile software agent; and

a self-termination component for terminating the mobile software agent after a preset life span or a defined event.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile software agent interface component comprises:

a support component to receive the mobile software agent from the network on the destination system; and

a component to deliver installation information for the destination system.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the mobile software agent interface component further comprises a component for secure storage of keys.

5. A system according to claim 3, wherein reception of the mobile software agent by way of the mobile software agent interface component is executed by means of TCP/IP protocol.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile data processing device interface component has at least one communication component to detect events on the mobile data processing device and transmit the events to the mobile software agent.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the originating system is a backend system, the destination system is a data processing device with a chipcard reader and the mobile data processing device is a chipcard.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile software agent interface component and the mobile data processing device interface component are installed on the destination system.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile software agent interface component is identical for all mobile software agents and only the mobile data processing device interface component for the associated mobile data processing device needs to be installed.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the interface components can be downloaded to the destination systems over a network.

11. A system according to claim 1, further comprising an authentication component to authenticate the mobile software agent to the mobile data processing device.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the authentication component composes:

a first component to request a random number from a mobile data processing device, said first component being part of the mobile software agent;

a second component to transmit the random number to the originating system, said second component being part of the mobile software agent;

a third component to sign the random number by means of a key, said third component being installed on the originating system; and

a fourth component to verify the signature, said fourth component being installed on the mobile data processing device.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein the authentication component comprises:

a first component to request a random number from a mobile data processing device, said first component being part of the mobile software agent;

a second component to sign the random number by means of a key, said second component being part of said communicating means; and

a third component to verify the signature, said third component being installed on the mobile data processing device.

14. A method for communication with a mobile data processing device by way of a mobile software agent, wherein the mobile data processing device is addressable via a network, said method comprising the steps of:

creating a mobile software agent;

spreading the mobile software agent across the network into one or more systems from an originating system;

delivering information to a software agent interface component for each of the systems for reception of mobile software agents from the network, including information for making migration or installation decisions;

evaluating the delivered information;

for each of the systems, installing the mobile software agent on the system if it is determined that the mobile software agent is intended for the system;

establishing a communication link between the mobile software agent and the mobile data processing device via a mobile data processing device interface component of the system;

classifying the mobile data processing device on establishment of a connection between the mobile data processing device and the mobile data processing device interface component;

performing actions of the mobile software agent on the mobile data processing device via the mobile data processing device interface component dependent on results of said classifying step;

checking back to the originating system or to other mobile software agents indicating whether installation on the one or more systems or the action being performed on the mobile data processing device succeeded or failed;

producing a copy of the mobile software agent for distribution to other systems;

merging several mobile software agents having like tasks into a single merged mobile software agent; and

terminating the mobile software agent after a preset life span or a defined event.

15. A mobile software agent for use in communicating information from an origin system to a mobile data processing device associated with a destination node, said mobile software agent comprising:

a communication component for communicating with a mobile software agent interface component on the destination node;

a recognition component for recognizing the destination node;

an execution component to run on the destination node;

a classification component to classify the mobile data processing device;

one or more action components for performing specific actions on the mobile data processing device dependent on results from said classification component;

a checkback component for checking back to the originating system or to other mobile software agents indicating whether installation on the destination node or the action being performed on the mobile data processing device succeeded or failed;

a replication component for producing a copy of the mobile software agent for distribution to other destination systems;

a merger component for merging several mobile software agents having like tasks into a single merged mobile software agent; and

a self-termination component for terminating the mobile software agent after a preset life span or a defined event.

16. A computer readable code stored on an originating system for permitting communication with a mobile data processing device by way of a mobile software agent, wherein the mobile data processing device is addressable via a network, said computer readable code comprising:

first subprocesses for spreading the mobile software agent across the network into one or more systems from the originating system;

second subprocesses for delivering information to a software agent interface component of each of the systems for reception of mobile software agents from the network, and including information for making migration or installation decision;

third subprocesses for evaluating the delivered information;

fourth subprocesses for installing the mobile software agent on the one or more systems if it is determined that the mobile software agent is intended for the one or more systems;

fifth subprocesses for establishing a communication link between the mobile software agent and the mobile data processing device via a mobile data processing device interface component of the system;

sixth subprocesses for classifying the mobile data processing device on establishment of a connection between the mobile data processing device and the mobile data processing device interface component;

seventh subprocesses for performing actions of the mobile software agent on the mobile data processing device via the mobile data processing device interface component dependent on results of the classification of said sixth subprocesses;

eighth subprocesses for checking back to the originating system or to other mobile software agents indicating whether installation on the one or more systems or the action being performed on the mobile data processing device succeeded or failed;

ninth subprocesses for producing a copy of the mobile software agent for distribution to other systems;

tenth subprocesses for merging several mobile software agents having like tasks into a single merged mobile software agent; and

eleventh subprocesses for terminating the mobile software agent after a preset life span or a defined event.