US6065039A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dynamic synchronous collaboration framework for mobile agents
Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories Inc
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Filing: 1997-11-04
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Granted: 2000-05-16
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Expires: 2017-11-04
Abstract
Abstract A dynamic synchronous collaboration framework utilizes a distributed synchronization point to permit synchronous collaboration of mobile agent objects in a distributed computer system. The framework simplifies agent collaboration for applications which divide a complex problem into multiple tasks and delegate tasks to multiple mobile agents. The collaboration framework also enables mobile agents within an application to perform synchronous collaboration with affiliated agents in the native language of an associated software application. Such collaboration is accomplished by joining collaborating agents to an agent group. Member agents periodically correlate results through a collaborative sharing within the agent group, and may adopt new behaviors based on the results of the collaboration.
Inventors
- 👤 Noemi Paciorek
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 23:42
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/46; G06F9/48; G06F9/4806; G06F9/4843; G06F9/485; G06F9/4856; G06F9/4862; H; H04; H04L; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
In a computer network including at least a first computer node and a second computer node, a mechanism for sharing information in said network comprising: a plurality of mobile agent objects launched by an application in the first computer node and joined to a group, each mobile agent having at least one task assigned thereto; and a distributed synchronization point at which the mobile agents collaborate by sharing data; said mobile agent objects being operable to migrate from said first computer node to at least one other computer node within the computer network, to perform computations, and collaboratively share information derived from the computations through the distributed synchronization point.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
109 words
In a computer network including at least a first computer node and a second computer node, a mechanism for sharing information in said network comprising: a plurality of mobile agent objects launched by an application in the first computer node and joined to a group, each mobile agent having at least one task assigned thereto; and a distributed synchronization point at which the mobile agents collaborate by sharing data; said mobile agent objects being operable to migrate from said first computer node to at least one other computer node within the computer network, to perform computations, and collaboratively share information derived from the computations through the distributed synchronization point.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the mobile agent objects collaborate in a language which is native to the launching application.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The mechanism of claim 1 wherein multiple collaborations are executed through the distributed synchronization point.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The mechanism of claim 1 wherein at least one mobile agent object adopts a new behavior based upon the collaboratively shared information.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The mechanism of claim 1 wherein such framework is implemented in an object oriented language.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The mechanism of claim 5 wherein such object oriented language is selected from the group consisting of Java and C++.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the distributed synchronization point is implemented with an object transport mechanism.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the distributed synchronization point is implemented with an RPC mechanism.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The mechanism of claim 1 wherein at least one mobile agent object includes a method which is called during collaboration for data analysis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the group stores a persistent record indicating a current location for each mobile agent object within such group.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The mechanism of claim 10 wherein the group stores a persistent record indicating a current state for each mobile agent object within such group.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the group includes a function which sends a hail message for establishing contact with at least one mobile agent object.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The mechanism of claim 12 wherein the hail function is executed through an agent manager.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The mechanism of claim 13 wherein the group includes a routine for broadcasting events to mobile agent objects associated with the group.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The mechanism of claim 14 wherein an event indicating collaboration failure is broadcast by the group when an associated agent object fails to respond to the hail message.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
The mechanism of claim 14 wherein an event indicating deadlock is broadcast by the group when the group determines that a mobile agent object has entered a collaboration state but has not arrived at the synchronization point.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The mechanism of claim 11 wherein each mobile agent object is associated with a group proxy through which such agent communicates with the group.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
The mechanism of claim 17 wherein at least one such group proxy re-creates the group by employing the persistent records indicating current state and location for each mobile agent object within such group upon making a determination that the group has prematurely ceased operation.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
136 words
A method for sharing information between mobile agent objects in a computer network including at least a first computer node having a software application, comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of mobile agent objects from the software application in the first computer node; assigning a task to each mobile agent object; joining at least a portion of said plurality of mobile agent objects to a group; forwarding the joined mobile agent objects from said first computer node to at least one other computer node within said network, the mobile agent objects performing computations in the at least one other computer node; and sharing information derived from the performed computations between the joined mobile agent objects by forming a distributed synchronization point at which the mobile agents share with other mobile agent objects within said group.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
136 words
A method for sharing information between mobile agent objects in a computer network including at least a first computer node having a software application, comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of mobile agent objects from the software application in the first computer node; assigning a task to each mobile agent object; joining at least a portion of said plurality of mobile agent objects to a group; forwarding the joined mobile agent objects from said first computer node to at least one other computer node within said network, the mobile agent objects performing computations in the at least one other computer node; and sharing information derived from the performed computations between the joined mobile agent objects by forming a distributed synchronization point at which the mobile agents share with other mobile agent objects within said group.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 19 including the further step of the mobile agent objects collaborating in a language which is native to the launching application.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 19 including the further step of executing multiple collaborations through the distributed synchronization point.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 19 including the further step of at least one mobile agent object adopting a new behavior based upon the collaboratively shared information.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 19 including the further step of implementing the framework in an object oriented language.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 23 inducing the further step of implementing the framework in a language selected from the group consisting of Java and C++.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 19 including the further step of implementing the distributed synchronization point with an object transport mechanism.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 19 including the further step of implementing the distributed synchronization point with an RPC mechanism.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 19 including the further step of calling a method by at least one mobile agent object during collaboration for data analysis.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 19 including the further step of storing a persistent record indicating a current location for each mobile agent object within such group.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 28 including the further step of storing a persistent record indicating a current state for each mobile agent object within such group.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 19 including the further step of the group sending a hail message for establishing contact with at least one mobile agent object.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 30 including the further step of executing the hail function through an agent manager.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 31 including the further step of broadcasting events to mobile agent objects associated with the group.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 32 including the further step of broadcasting an event indicating collaboration failure when an agent object associated with the group fails to respond to the hail message.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 33 including the further step of broadcasting an event indicating deadlock when the group determines that a mobile agent object has entered a collaboration state but has not arrived at the synchronization point.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 29 including associating each mobile agent object with a group proxy through which such agent communicates with the group.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 35 including the further step of a group proxy re-creating the group by employing the persistent records indicating current state and location for each mobile agent object within such group upon making a determination that the group has prematurely ceased operation.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
102 words
A method for sharing information in a computer network of nodes, each node having an associated destination, comprising the steps of: migrating a plurality of agents among the nodes according to destination associated with each agent; executing each agent in a corresponding destination node when the agent arrives at the destination node to produce the information; identifying one of the nodes as a synchronization point node; and migrating the agents to the synchronization point node in response to a request to collaborate message received by the agents; passing the information among the agents when the agents arrive at the synchronization point node.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
102 words
A method for sharing information in a computer network of nodes, each node having an associated destination, comprising the steps of: migrating a plurality of agents among the nodes according to destination associated with each agent; executing each agent in a corresponding destination node when the agent arrives at the destination node to produce the information; identifying one of the nodes as a synchronization point node; and migrating the agents to the synchronization point node in response to a request to collaborate message received by the agents; passing the information among the agents when the agents arrive at the synchronization point node.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-05-16 | 2003-11-15 | 2004-05-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-05-16 | 2007-11-15 | 2008-05-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-05-16 | 2011-11-15 | 2012-05-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |