Abstract: A communication system is provided that is capable of flexibly dealing with conversations among agents. An agent includes a software part which performs operations that represent the functions of a human ear and a mouth. In generating a conversation, an agent communication language, which is similar to a human conversation, is prepared and sent to a conversation part as a message packet. The conversation part then generates a plurality of conversation threads one for each unit of conversation and converse with a plurality of nodes in parallel and asynchronously. On the other hand, in another node which receives the message packet, a protocol manager receives the data (message packet) from a network and passes it to the conversation part. The conversation part understands the message packet and executes the content. In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the conversation part moves to other places along with a mobile agent.

Abstract: A communication system is provided that is capable of flexibly dealing with conversations among agents. An agent includes a software part which performs operations that represent the functions of a human ear and a mouth. In generating a conversation, an agent communication language, which is similar to a human conversation, is prepared and sent to a conversation part as a message packet. The conversation part then generates a plurality of conversation threads one for each unit of conversation and converse with a plurality of nodes in parallel and asynchronously. On the other hand, in another node which receives the message packet, a protocol manager receives the data (message packet) from a network and passes it to the conversation part. The conversation part understands the message packet and executes the content. The conversation part can move to other places along with a mobile agent.

Abstract: A system includes a vocabulary information processing mechanism for loading an ontology corresponding to a selected service and analyzing the loaded ontology to extract a conceptual structure, an inference processing mechanism for executing an inference operation based on an axiom rule and extending/parsing vocabulary information extracted by the vocabulary information processing mechanism, a conceptual information display section for displaying the extracted conceptual structure on a browser of a user terminal via the Internet, a property information display section for displaying on the browser property information relative to a concept selected from the displayed conceptual structure, a relational information display section for displaying, when a plurality of concepts are selected, relationships between the concepts on the browser, and a search request transmitting section 34 for transmitting a prescribed search request to a search system based on a search request made from the browser.

Abstract: A page template, which serves as the prototype of a web page, contains formatter specifying information and display attribute information. The formatter specifying information is information for specifying one formatter out of a plurality of types (banner, Telop, a plurality of banner arrangements or the like). Display attribute information is information for controlling the moves of the formatter. When a page template is called by a web browser, the formatter is actuated, and selects, arranges, or controls the display sequence, display time or the like of, contents to be embedded into the template in accordance with display attributes, or effects such controls as the reduction of a display area (an area in the template available for embedding contents) to the size of contents.

Abstract: Contents to be embedded in a page template or layouts can be dynamically changed without editing an HTML file or correcting a server program such as CGI. A page template is defined with a servlet that specifies a display area and a display attribute for controlling displays as parameters. When the Servlet is recognized at the web server side, a plurality of part beans that are stored by being related to display-area specifying information are specified. The information for linking image data for forming an object to be embedded in the display area and link-destination-URL information are set to the part beans as properties. Moreover, display-condition information such as schedule information or the like is related to the part beans.

Abstract: A communication system is provided that is capable of flexibly dealing with conversations among agents. An agent includes a software part which performs operations that represent the functions of a human ear and a mouth. In generating a conversation, an agent communication language, which is similar to a human conversation, is prepared and sent to a conversation part as a message packet. The conversation part then generates a plurality of conversation threads one for each unit of conversation and converse with a plurality of nodes in parallel and asynchronously. On the other hand, in another node which receives the message packet, a protocol manager receives the data (message packet) from a network and passes it to the conversation part. The conversation part understands the message packet and executes the content. The conversation part can move to other places along with a mobile agent.

Abstract: A communication system is provided which, upon communication, is capable of making a suitable response by using interpretation execution parts which conform to the background concepts and vocabularies of a conversation. A flexible and smooth information exchange and cooperation are realized among, and between, agents and an existing system by dynamically allocating suitable interpretation execution parts which include an interpreter in conformance to a variety of agent communication languages, content describing languages and ontologies. The agent communication system in a preferred embodiment of this invention is provided with an interpretation execution part control function that scans a directory of interpretation parts such as conversation content monitoring parts, interpreters and translators, upon the time of execution start or during execution, and forms and maintains an interpretation execution part table that defines what interpretation execution parts exist.

Abstract: A system includes a vocabulary information processing mechanism for loading an ontology corresponding to a selected service and analyzing the loaded ontology to extract a conceptual structure, an inference processing mechanism for executing an inference operation based on an axiom rule and extending/parsing vocabulary information extracted by the vocabulary information processing mechanism, a conceptual information display section for displaying the extracted conceptual structure on a browser of a user terminal via the Internet, a property information display section for displaying on the browser property information relative to a concept selected from the displayed conceptual structure, a relational information display section for displaying, when a plurality of concepts are selected, relationships between the concepts on the browser, and a search request transmitting section 34 for transmitting a prescribed search request to a search system based on a search request made from the browser.

Abstract: A user registers interests in order to obtain data relative to those interests. A plurality of web sites are searched based on the user's interests. An extraction rule mechanism is applied to HTML documents acquired. A vocabulary information processing mechanism reads an ontology based on information received to obtain vocabulary information. An inference processing mechanism executes an inference operation based on axiom rules. An extracting position information identifying section extracts data objects relying on HTML document tags with respect to the acquired HTML documents, based on the extraction rules, the vocabulary information processing mechanism, and the inference processing mechanism.

Abstract: A communication system is provided which, upon communication, is capable of making a suitable response by using interpretation execution parts which conform to the background concepts and vocabularies of a conversation. A flexible and smooth information exchange and cooperation are realized among, and between, agents and an existing system by dynamically allocating suitable interpretation execution parts which include an interpreter in conformance to a variety of agent communication languages, content describing languages and ontologies. The agent communication system in a preferred embodiment of this invention is provided with an interpretation execution part control function that scans a directory of interpretation parts such as conversation content monitoring parts, interpreters and translators, upon the time of execution start or during execution, and forms and maintains an interpretation execution part table that defines what interpretation execution parts exist.

Abstract: The broker agent asks a facilitator agent to locate a service provider agent which is involved in its own job. The broker agent, upon receiving from a regular agent a message packet indicating a request for mediation of a job, analyzes the message packet to judge the outline of the requested job and applies certain conversion to the request message for sending it to the service provider agent which is relevant to the request. The broker agent receives a reply from the service provider agent and sends it to the regular agent after applying certain conversion.

Abstract: The broker agent 121,123 inquires a facilitator agent 110 to recognize a service provider agent 131,133 which is involved in its own job. The broker agent 121, upon receiving from a regular agent a message packet indicating a request for mediation of a job, analyzes the message packet to judge the outline of the requested job and applies certain conversion to the request message for sending it to the service provider agent which is relevant to the request. The broker agent 121 receives a reply from the service provider agent 131,133 and sends it to the regular agent after applying certain conversion.

Abstract: A communication system is provided that is capable of flexibly dealing with conversations among agents. An agent (201) includes a software part (200) which performs operations that represent the functions of a human ear and a mouth. In generating a conversation, an agent communication language, which is similar to a human conversation, is prepared and sent to a conversation part (200) as a message packet. The conversation part (200) then generates a plurality of conversation threads one for each unit of conversation and converse with a plurality of nodes in parallel and asynchronously. On the other hand, in another node which receives the message packet, a protocol manager (230) receives the data (message packet) from a network and passes it to the conversation part (200). The conversation part (200) understands the message packet and executes the content. In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the conversation part (200) moves to other places along with a mobile agent.