Intelligent software agent system architecture

A bot system comprising:

• a first software component [mBot] for execution on a local client platform;
• a second software component [sBot] associated with the first software component as a sibling for execution on a first server platform remote from the client platform to implement predetermined logic;
• a first bot management application program (botMaster) executable on the local client platform, the botMaster program including means for creating a user model comprising knowledge about a user of the botMaster, and further including means for creating at least one user profile based on the user model;
• and
• a third [botBox] software component for execution on a second server platform remote from the client platform;
• the third software component botBox including means for storing a copy of the user profile on the second server platform for access by the sibling sBot.

A botServer computer program for execution on a first server platform comprising:

• a botServer core software component for managing operation of the botServer;
• a botExecutor component for managing execution of one or more sBots under direction of the core component;
• and
• a communication component for managing communications between the core component and at least one external program.

A botServer computer program for execution on a first server platform for hosting at least one sBot comprising:

• a botServer core software component for managing operation of the botServer, the core providing an event registry;
• a botexecutor component for managing execution of one or more sBots under direction of the core component, the botExecutor implementing a container for safe execution of an sBot;
• and
• the core including means for directing the botExecutor component to notify a specified executing sBot in response to an occurrence of a selected event previously entered in the event registry;
• and
• the botServer further comprising an sBot repository for storing at least one sBot class code;
• and wherein the botExecutor maintains an inventory of sBot classes stored in the repository, and the botExecutor includes means for instantiating a specified sBot from a corresponding sBot class stored in the repository responsive to a loading message from the botServer core.

An mBot application program for execution on a local client platform in association with a sibling sBot program executable on a first server platform remote from the local client platform, the mBot program comprising:

• a graphical user interface for interacting with a user;
• a core logic component for implementing a predetermined behavior, the logic block being configurable by the user via the graphical user interface;
• an mBot data component for managing mBot data storage and manipulation;
• a task data component for managing task data storage and manipulation;
• and
• means for communicating with the sibling sBot.

A [botMaster] bot management application program for use by a user on a local client platform, the program comprising:

• a botMaster core component for supervising operation of the bot management application;
• a botmanager component for downloading and installing an mBot executable on the local client platform;
• and
• means for establishing a botBox account on a remote server on behalf of an mBot.

A method of implementing a software agent bot comprising the steps of:

• designing a software agent to implement a desired functionality;
• bifurcating the software agent functionality so as to form two parts—a first component mBot for execution on a user's local client machine, and a second sBot component for execution on a server platform remote from the user's local client machine;
• assigning a common identifier both to the mBot component and to the sBot component, thereby associating the mBot and sBot components as siblings;
• and
• distributing the mBot component and the sBot component.

A method of deploying a software agent from a client platform comprising the steps of:

• selecting a bot program to carry out a desired functionality, the bot program comprising a client side application and a corresponding server side application;
• commencing execution of the client side application on the client platform;
• initializing an [botBox] anchor program on a first server remote from the client platform;
• sending a first message from the client platform to the anchor program to request launching the server side application;
• in the first remote server, responsive to the first message, determining a location of the server side application, and sending a second message to the determined location to request launching of the server side application;
• and then
• commencing execution of the server side application on a second server at the determined location remote from the client platform.

A method of migrating a software agent from a client platform comprising the steps of:

• selecting a bot program to carry out a desired task, the bot program comprising a client side application mBot and a corresponding server side application, namely a first sBot;
• commencing execution of the mBot on the client platform;
• establishing an anchor program botBox on a first server remote from the client platform;
• launching the first sBot on a second server remote from the client platform;
• storing at the botBox an indication of a current location of the first sBot;
• creating a second sBot associated with the first sBot;
• launching the second sBot on a third server remote from the client platform;
• updating the indication of a current location of the first sBot to reflect a location of the second sBot;
• terminating execution of the first sBot, thereby effectively migrating the first sBot to the third server.