Abstract: A computer system comprising one or more computer devices, the computer system providing a provisioning service of autonomous software agents (ASAs), the computer device comprising: a user interface generating component operable to provide a portal to a human user via a display, the portal having entry fields for receiving agent data from the human user; a storage interface component operable to access computer storage that stores autonomous software agents; and an access component operable to hold an association between the agent data and a network address of an agent, the network address defining a location of the computer storage in a computer network at which the agent is stored, whereby when an entity selects an agent based on the agent data, the access component enables automated access to the agent based on the network address.

Abstract: A communication system comprising a user terminal having a processor configured to execute a communication client installed at the terminal and a display. The communication client is configured to display contact identifiers on the display, each contact identifier being selectable to initiate a communication event with a network node addressed by the contact identifier. A first network node provides a first autonomous software agent (ASA) and is addressable by a first contact identifier displayed on the user terminal, the ASA configured to receive an intent conveyed by a user at the user terminal; an agent provisioning service component accessible by the first network node and enabling access to a plurality of servicing autonomous software agents (SASA), each capable of implementing an action. The first network node is configured to respond to the received intent and to select one of the SASAs to implement an action corresponding to the user intent.

Abstract: A user terminal comprising a processor comprising one or more processing devices configured to run a communication client to establish a communication event with nodes in a communication network; a display on which contact identifiers are displayed, each contact identifier being selectable to initiate a communication event with a node addressed by the contact identifier. A user interface enabling a user to engage in an interaction with the user terminal, including communicating via an established communication events with at least one other node in the communication network associated with a human user, whereby messages in the communication event are available to an autonomous software agent (ASA) to convey an intent conveyed in a dialogue between the user terminal and the human user at the at least one other node, and the processor is configured to receive and present to the user a response to the intent received from the ASA.

Abstract: A method of testing one or more bots, each bot being for interacting with one or more human users via a communication service implemented over a network where the bot is to be published to a server and the one or more users access the communication service using a communication client application. The method comprises: storing the one or more bots locally on a user terminal of a testing user being a human tester of the one or more bots, and running a bot testing application locally on said user terminal.

Abstract: A computer program product for providing context data to a servicing entity from a communication event conducted by a user terminal over a communications network the computer program product comprising an autonomous software agent stored on a computer readable storage medium, the autonomous software agent being configured when run to perform operations of receiving in a message conveyed in a communication event established between the software agent and the user terminal, a user intent and user context data; selecting a servicing entity located at a node of the communication network to perform an action corresponding to the intent; generating a message containing the context data; and transmitting the message containing the context data to the servicing entity.

Abstract: A display device is useable by multiple users simultaneously. A display of the display device has a total display area. A display element is displayed so that it occupies a first region of the total display area smaller than the total display area. Based on a determined location of the first region, a second region of the total display area is defined that surrounds the first region, and that is smaller than the total display area. Whilst the display element is being displayed on the display, receiving from one of the users of the media device via an input device of the media device a selection of a point on the display. If the point on the display selected by the user is outside of the first region but within the second region, the display is controlled to dismiss the display element.

Abstract: A display device is useable by multiple users simultaneously. A display element occupies a region of the total display area of a display of the display device smaller than the total display area. One of the users of the display device is associated with the display element. A moving image of the users is captured whilst the display element is being displayed on the display. A touch input at a point on a touchscreen of the display is detected. The moving image is used to determine whether the touch input was provided by the user associated with the display element. The display is controlled to dismiss the display element if: (i) the touch input was provided by the user associated with the display element, and (ii) the point on the touchscreen is outside of the region of the display area occupied by the display element.