Agent architecture employed within an integrated message, document and communication system
First Claim
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1. A system for managing messages, communications and/or documents, the system comprising a memory for storing program code and a processor to process the program code to cause the operation of:
- providing a plurality of task agents, each task agent to perform one or more specified message processing actions, document processing actions, and/or communications processing actions on different types of messages, documents and/or communication channels, respectively;
providing one or more manager agents to coordinate the actions of the plurality of task agents responsive to a plurality of message and/or document processing rules that integrate management of documents and messages for communication;
wherein the manager agents are arranged in a hierarchy with certain specified manager agents positioned relatively higher in the hierarchy coordinate management activities of other manager agents positioned relatively lower in the hierarchy;
wherein the manager and task agents communicate by passing messages;
wherein messages between any two task agents or manager agents are transmitted through one or more manager agents positioned relatively further up the hierarchy; and
wherein the processing of the processing code further causes the operation of providing a main task manager agent to coordinate all other manager agents and associated task agents.
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Abstract
A system is described for managing messages, communications and/or documents comprising: a plurality of task agents, each task agent to perform one or more specified message processing actions, document processing actions, and/or communications processing actions on different types of messages, documents and/or communication channels, respectively; and one or more manager agents to coordinate the actions of the plurality of task agents responsive to a plurality of message and/or document processing rules.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system for managing messages, communications and/or documents, the system comprising a memory for storing program code and a processor to process the program code to cause the operation of:
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providing a plurality of task agents, each task agent to perform one or more specified message processing actions, document processing actions, and/or communications processing actions on different types of messages, documents and/or communication channels, respectively; providing one or more manager agents to coordinate the actions of the plurality of task agents responsive to a plurality of message and/or document processing rules that integrate management of documents and messages for communication; wherein the manager agents are arranged in a hierarchy with certain specified manager agents positioned relatively higher in the hierarchy coordinate management activities of other manager agents positioned relatively lower in the hierarchy; wherein the manager and task agents communicate by passing messages; wherein messages between any two task agents or manager agents are transmitted through one or more manager agents positioned relatively further up the hierarchy; and wherein the processing of the processing code further causes the operation of providing a main task manager agent to coordinate all other manager agents and associated task agents. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A computer-implemented method for managing messages, documents and/or communication channels comprising:
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providing a plurality of task agents, each task agent to perform one or more specified message processing actions, document processing actions, and/or communications processing actions on different types of messages, documents and/or communication channels, respectively; providing one or more manager agents to coordinate the actions of the plurality of task agents responsive to a plurality of message, document, and/or communication channel processing rules that integrate management of documents and messages for communication; arranging the manager agents in a hierarchy with certain specified manager agents positioned relatively higher in the hierarchy coordinate management activities of other manager agents positioned relatively lower in the hierarchy; the manager and task agents communicate by passing messages; wherein messages between any two task or manager agents are transmitted through one or more manager agents positioned relatively further up the hierarchy; and coordinating all other manager agents and associated task agents through a main task manager agent. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An article of manufacture including program code stored in a memory which, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform the operations of:
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providing a plurality of task agents, each task agent to perform one or more specified message processing actions, document processing actions, and/or communications processing actions on different types of messages, documents and/or communication channels, respectively; and providing one or more manager agents to coordinate the actions of the plurality of task agents responsive to a plurality of message, document, and/or communication channel processing rules that integrate managements of documents and messages for communication; arranging the manager agents in a hierarchy with certain specified manager agents positioned relatively higher in the hierarchy coordinate management activities of other manager agents positioned relatively lower in the hierarchy; wherein the manager and task agents communicate by passing messages; wherein messages between any two task or manager agents are transmitted through one or more manager agents positioned relatively further up the hierarchy; and program code to perform the operations of coordinating all other manager agents and associated task agents through a main task manager agent. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification