Abstract: A method of detecting feature interaction conflicts between agents in response to events in a multi-agent system comprises posting said events as tuples and event requests as anti-tuples from said agents in said multi-agent system, receiving said events and said event requests in a tuple space, generating responses to each of said agents for said events which match said event requests of said agents, wherein feature interaction conflict is detected when more than one of said agents are to exert control over an event.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an architecture of multiple agents is provided for setting up and enforcing policies within each site of a virtual network. A policy server represents the global policies of the site and each agent manages its own policies. Policies are dynamically downloaded from the policy server into agents that carry the responsibility to enforce them. Agents propagate their policies to the policy server to detect any conflict that may rise between agents during dynamic mapping and resource reservation. A negotiation mechanism is provided to resolve such conflicts. An authorization-based mechanism is also provided such that agents must request authorization before performing any action, in response to which a ticket is delivered to the requesting agent for accountability and security reasons.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a virtual network communication system is provided for effecting secure communications between user agents at different sites within said virtual network, comprising at least one Private Tuple Space within each of the sites for effecting intra-site communications between the agents, a Shared Tuple Space for effecting inter-site communications between different sites, and a Coordinator Manager within each of the sites for receiving user initiated communication requests from the Private Tuple Space to communicate between user agents at the different sites, authenticating the requests and in response dynamically creating and managing instances of Coordinators at each of the different sites which embed messages from the user agents in secure tuples using multi-layered encryption and exchange the secure tuples over the Shared Tuple Space.

Abstract: A method of detecting feature interaction conflicts between agents in response to events in a multi-agent system comprises posting said events as tuples and event requests as anti-tuples from said agents in said multi-agent system, receiving said events and said event requests in a tuple space, generating responses to each of said agents for said events which match said event requests of said agents, wherein feature interaction conflict is detected when more than one of said agents are to exert control over an event.

Abstract: A method of detecting feature interaction conflicts between agents in response to events in a multi-agent system comprises posting said events as tuples and event requests as anti-tuples from said agents in said multi-agent system, receiving said events and said event requests in a tuple space, generating responses to each of said agents for said events which match said event requests of said agents, wherein feature interaction conflict is detected when more than one of said agents are to exert control over an event.

Abstract: A method of detecting feature interaction conflicts between agents in response to events in a multi-agent system comprises posting said events as tuples and event requests as anti-tuples from said agents in said multi-agent system, receiving said events and said event requests in a tuple space, generating responses to each of said agents for said events which match said event requests of said agents, wherein feature interaction conflict is detected when more than one of said agents are to exert control over an event.

Abstract: An architecture of multiple agents is provided, based on a negotiating agents' approach to resolving feature interactions. An event-based model is used to detect feature interaction, and fuzzy constraints are applied to the policies that describe the system. A mechanism is established by which the user may add rules or provide the system with parameters that affect the outcome of any conflict that may occur, thereby giving real control over the conflict to the end user.