Moving an agent from a first execution environment to a second execution environment

• US 7,660,780 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Curen Software Enterprises LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Patoskie, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vincent; David R
• Assistant Examiner(s): OLUDE AFOLABI, OLATOYOSI
• Application Number:
  US11/645,190
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 706/62
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4862 the task being a mobile agent, i.e. specifically designed to migrate

Abstract

A method for moving an agent that utilizes a first as-needed canonical rule set in a first execution environment to a second execution environment where the agent utilizes a second as-needed rule set comprising discarding a rule in the first execution environment that will not be needed in the second execution environment, retrieving an additional rule that will be needed in the second execution environment and sending the agent including the additional rule from the first execution environment to the second execution environment.

Claims

1. A device-implemented method comprising:

moving an agent that utilizes a first as-needed canonical rule set in a first execution environment embodied on a first device to a second execution environment embodied on a second device, where the agent utilizes a second as-needed canonical rule set, by at least;

discarding a rule in the first execution environment that will not be needed in the second execution environment;

retrieving an additional rule that will be needed in the second execution environment; and

sending the agent including the additional rule from the first execution environment to the second execution environment.

2. The device-implemented method of claim 1 wherein a discarded rule is specific to a context of the first execution environment.

3. The device-implemented method of claim 1 wherein a retrieved additional rule is specific to a context of the second execution environment.

4. The device-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising discarding the first as-needed canonical rule set in the first execution environment.

5. The device-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising supplying the second as-needed canonical rule set in the first execution environment.

6. The device-implemented method of claim 5 wherein the second as-needed canonical rule set is supplied in a move request.

7. The device-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising retrieving the second as-needed canonical rule set from a rule repository given the agent'"'"'s goals and destination execution environment.

8. The device-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising compiling the second as-needed canonical rule set.

9. The device-implemented method of claim 8 further comprising supplying a compiled as-needed canonical rule set to a rule engine for execution.

10. A computer readable medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a device, cause the device to perform a method comprising:

moving an agent that utilizes a first as-needed canonical rule set in a first execution environment embodied on a first device to a second execution environment embodied on a second device, where the agent utilizes a second as-needed rule set, by at least;

requesting an as-needed canonical rule set based on a goal and an execution environment of the agent;

requesting movement of the agent that utilizes the as-needed canonical rule set in a first execution environment;

encoding the agent with the as-needed canonical rule set; and

sending an encoded agent with the as-needed canonical rule set from a first execution environment to a second execution environment, wherein the sending causes the encoded agent to be decoded in the second execution environment.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the requesting the as-needed canonical rule set is performed by an application requesting the as-needed canonical rule set from a rule repository.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the rule repository is in a third execution environment.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the computer-executable instructions, if executed by the device, cause the device to perform a method further comprising supplying the as-needed canonical rule as part of the movement request to the agent.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the computer-executable instructions, if executed by the device, cause the device to perform a method further comprising supplying a location of a rule repository that can supply the as-needed canonical rule set as part of the movement request to the agent.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the agent is configured to cause the as-needed canonical rule set to be fetched from the rule repository when the agent arrives in the second execution environment.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the agent is configured to cause compilation of the as-needed canonical rule set when the agent arrives in the second execution environment.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the agent is configured to locate a rule engine when the agent arrives in the second execution environment.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the agent is configured to cause the rule engine to be supplied with a compiled as-needed canonical rule set.

19. A system comprising:

a first memory configured to store a working memory of an agent in a first execution environment; and

a first processor configured to be communicably coupled to the first memory, wherein the processor is configured to;

move an agent that utilizes a first as-needed canonical rule set in a first execution environment to a second execution environment where the agent utilizes a second as-needed canonical rule set, by at least;

discarding the first as-needed canonical rule set;

retrieving the second as-needed canonical rule set;

encoding the agent including the second as-needed canonical rule set;

sending an encoded agent with the second as-needed rule set to the second execution environment; and

destructing an original version of the agent in the first execution environment.

20. A system comprising:

a first memory configured to store a working memory of an agent in an execution environment; and

a processor configured to be communicably coupled to the first memory, wherein the processor is configured to;

decode an encoded agent received from another execution environment, wherein the encoded agent includes an as-needed canonical rule set;

compile the as-needed canonical rule set;

search to locate a rule engine;

create a rule engine if no rule engine is located;

supply the rule engine with a compiled as-needed canonical rule set; and

request the working memory from the rule engine.