JPH10124411A - Agent community system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To share the knowledge of the information terminal equipments other than the agents and also to promote the communication of the knowledge among them. SOLUTION: In this system, the agents 1, 2, 4 and 7 are connected to a network to share the knowledge and also to promote the communication among them and a routing agent 3 is also connected to the network to set up a route between the agent that transmitted a knowledge request message and the agent that notified the knowledge information accordant with the request message. In such a constitution, the information terminal equipments 5 and 6 are connected to an intermediate agent 7 to exchange the messages by means of a protocol that is different from a common protocol. Then the agent 7 retrieves the knowledge given from both equipments 5 and 6 to manage them and also notifies the agent 3 of the information on these managed knowledge by the common protocol. Then the agent 3 gives an answer to the knowledge request message received from the agent that set up a route by means of the common protocol and based on the knowledge given from the equipments 5 and 6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an agent community system in which a plurality of agents transmitting and receiving messages using a common protocol are connected by a network for the purpose of knowledge sharing and communication, and more particularly, to an agent community system using agents and a protocol different from the common protocol. The present invention relates to an agent community system capable of sharing knowledge and communicating with information terminal devices that exchange messages.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a methodology called an agent has attracted attention in various fields of information processing. Among them,
Agents, software modules that interact in a common language, are being studied in the field of concurrent engineering. For example, Kuokka, D., McGuire, J., W
eber, J., Tenenbaum, J., Gruber, T. and Olsen, G. 1
993. SHADE: Knowledge-based technology for the re
-engineering problem; annual report., Technical re
port, Lockheed Artificial Intelligence Center has a SHADE project, etc.

In these approaches, concretely, a knowledge base system, a database system, a software tool, and the like are covered with a module for processing a common language called a Wrapper to hide (encapsulate) implementation details. Things are called agents. The common language is composed of an intermediate language for describing the object, a protocol that defines the action of communication, and an ontology that is a common vocabulary for the description of the object.

[0004] Communication between agents is supported by a routing agent, and Matchmaker proposed by the SHADE project can be said to be a typical example of a routing agent.

An agent community system in which these agents form a group will be described with reference to FIG. In this agent community system, a client agent 71, database server agents 72 and 73, and a matchmaker 74 are connected via a network.

First, promotion of communication between agents by the Matchmaker 74 in the agent community system will be described. First, a protocol that defines the action of communication between agents will be described.

The protocol for transmitting and receiving messages by each of the agents 71 to 74 is described in ARPA Knowledge Share.
KQML (Knowledge Query and
Manipulation Language). KQML defines the actions of agents and is used to describe information necessary for the actions, and is specified independently of the low-level communication layer through which messages are actually transmitted. The KQML message is called a performative, and the ASCII character string L
Expressed in ISP notation, the parameters of an execution word, such as LISP functions, are identified by keywords preceded by a colon (:), independent of the action. Note that the execution words of KQML are prepared for a routing service for establishing a message route.

[0008] The Matchmaker 74, which supports communication between agents, is implemented as a KQML agent that understands KQML and returns an appropriate response, and provides a dynamic routing service for messages between agents described below.

The routing services provided by the Matchmaker 74 include content-based routing and matchmaking. Content-based routing is, for example, as shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the information of the knowledge notified by the agent 82 using the KQML execution word (tell) and the requesting agent 8
1 is a service for establishing a message route for exchanging knowledge based on interests (i.e., requested knowledge) previously claimed using KQML subscribed words (subscribe). Thereby, communication and knowledge sharing are established without each agent knowing each other's existence.

[0010] Matchmaking is a case where, from information of knowledge advertised (ie, notified) by an agent using a KQML performance word (advertise), a request source agent finds a match with the requested knowledge using a KQML performance word. Is a service that establishes a message route for exchanging knowledge. The KQML execution word used by the requesting agent when requesting knowledge in matchmaking is (broker)
(Recruit), (recommend)
The method of establishing a message route differs depending on the ML execution word.

[0011] For example, the requesting agent 83 uses KQML
When the knowledge is requested to the Matchmaker 74 using the execution word (broker), as shown in FIG.
74 requests the agent 84, which has notified the information of the knowledge matching the request, to transmit a message using a KQML execution word (ask), and sends a message between the agent 84 and the requesting agent 83 via the Matchmaker 74. To establish a message route.

When the requesting agent 85 requests knowledge from the Matchmaker 74 using a KQML execution word (recruit), as shown in FIG.
74 requests the agent 86, which has notified the information of the knowledge that matches the request, to transmit the message using the KQML execution word (ask), and directly sends a message route between the agent 86 and the requesting agent 85. To establish.

When the requesting agent 87 requests knowledge from the Matchmaker 74 using a KQML execution word (recommend), as shown in FIG.
er74 sends the requesting agent 87 a KQML execution word (repl
y) is used to inform the agent 88 that has notified the information of the matching knowledge, and the requesting agent 87 requests the agent 88 to transmit a message using the KQML execution word (ask). A message route is established directly with the requesting agent 87.

[0014] The above-mentioned promotion of communication regarding knowledge by Matchmaker relies on individual agents notifying themselves about their own knowledge. Self-notification by this agent is carried out at the responsibility of each agent. In some cases, the agent user performs the operation manually, or the system configuring the agent performs the operation semi-automatically or automatically.

As described above, the agent community system of the SHADE project is provided with a wrapper for processing and converting an intermediate language and a common protocol in a database system, an application tool, and the like, and as an agent. By preparing a dynamic message routing based on knowledge matching, knowledge sharing and communication in the agent community system are promoted. In addition, the dynamic message routing performed by Matchmaker is a particularly effective method for promoting communication in an agent community system where changes in system configuration occur, assuming that individual agents are responsible for self-notification of knowledge. is there.

[0016]

However, even if the framework for promoting knowledge sharing and communication is in place as described above, if the essential information source (that is, knowledge) is poor, it is completely useless. In addition, it is important to gather a large number of information sources. For example, one of the effective methods for collecting information sources is PC
(Personal Computer) LightWay relatively works
It is possible to set up a ight server (information terminal device) freely at the individual level and create a mechanism that allows information disclosure. A typical example of this method is the Internet WWW (Wor
ld Wide Web), an enormous number of web servers are currently being launched around the world, and the information sources held by the web servers are enormous and are changing and growing every day.

However, at present, it is not possible to share information sources such as existing database systems held by information terminal devices other than the above-mentioned agents and to promote communication, and to benefit from knowledge sharing and communication promotion. In order to keep the information source, each information terminal device holding the information source must implement a wrapper and be agentized, and furthermore, each information terminal device must be notified to Matchmaker of its own knowledge. Further, every time the content of the information source of the information terminal device is updated, it must be reflected in the self notification.

Further, when there are a huge number of information sources (legacy software) scattered on a computer network, for example, as in the above-mentioned information sources held in an existing Web server on the Internet,
Implementing a wrapper for each individual server and making it an agent and notifying each server of the contents of its own information source requires a great deal of cost and effort, and it is almost impossible to realize it. . Moreover, even if it is realized, implementing the wrapper for each server may break the advantage of the server that the server program is lightweight.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, and provides an agent community system capable of sharing knowledge of information terminal devices other than agents and promoting communication related to the knowledge. It is intended to provide.

[0020]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an agent community system in which a plurality of agents transmitting and receiving a message by a common protocol are connected via a network for knowledge sharing and communication. An agent community system further comprising a routing agent for establishing a message route for exchanging knowledge between an agent that has transmitted a message requesting knowledge and an agent that has notified information of knowledge matching the request message, to the network. In, at least one of the agents to be the mediation agent, to connect another information terminal device that performs message exchange by a protocol different from the common protocol, An intermediary agent comprising: a search means for searching for knowledge from the information terminal device; a management means for managing the searched knowledge; a notifying means for notifying the routing agent of the managed knowledge information by a common protocol; Reply means for replying to a request message related to knowledge from an agent having established a route by a common protocol based on knowledge from the information terminal device.

In the agent community system according to the first aspect, in the mediation agent, the search means searches for knowledge from the information terminal device connected to the mediation agent, and the management means manages the searched knowledge and manages the knowledge. Notify the routing agent of the information of the existing knowledge using a common protocol. If the notified information matches a knowledge request message from another agent, the routing agent establishes a message route between the mediation agent and the other agent. As a result, when the intermediary agent receives a request message regarding knowledge from another agent, the reply means replies to the other agent using a common protocol based on the knowledge from the information terminal device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the agent community system according to the first aspect, wherein the search means, the management means, and the notification means operate periodically to notify the routing agent. Is periodically updated.

In the agent community system according to the second aspect, the searching means periodically searches the information terminal device for knowledge, the managing means manages the searched knowledge, and the notifying means transmits the knowledge information to the common protocol. To notify the routing agent. Therefore, the routing agent can appropriately establish a message route between the agents based on the knowledge information updated periodically.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the agent community system according to the first or second aspect, the management means manages the searched knowledge by classifying the searched knowledge into predetermined classification keywords. The notifying means notifies the classification keyword as knowledge information.

In the agent community system according to the third aspect of the present invention, the management means classifies and manages the searched knowledge to a preset classification keyword, and the notification means notifies the classification keyword as knowledge information.

Therefore, by setting in advance the information of knowledge that may be requested by the agent as a classification keyword, the knowledge of the information terminal device is classified and managed for each knowledge required by the agent, and the routing agent is managed. Is notified of the classification keyword, so that the routing service provided by the routing agent can fully grasp the knowledge matching the knowledge request message from the other agent, and can appropriately establish the message route.

Further, the mediation agent can easily and quickly reply to a request message from another agent after the message route is established, based on the knowledge classified based on the classification keyword. If the classification keywords are managed in a hierarchical structure such as a tree structure, the processing efficiency can be further improved.

[0028]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an agent community system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 by taking as an example a case where it is constructed in a computer network system (intranet) in a sales department of a company. In this agent community system, database servers 1 and 2, a routing agent (Matchmaker) 3, and a mediation agent (Mediator) 7
And are connected via a network, and the mediation agent 7 is connected to information servers 5 and 6. Note that the configuration of the network in FIG. 1 is logical and does not show a physical connection configuration.

The database servers 1 and 2 are, for example,
The agent has a database management system function such as a relational database system using a mainframe or a high-performance workstation as a platform. That is, in addition to the database management system function, it has a wrapper that performs conversion processing between a common protocol and an intermediate language required as an agent, and a function to advertise its own knowledge in the database to Matchmaker 3. In the sales department, for example, a product inventory management system, a competitive product information system, and the like are implemented as such.

The client 4 is an agent having a function of browsing knowledge on the agent community system. In other words, a wrapper with the same function as the previous term,
It has a function of receiving a request for knowledge from a user and a function of displaying information of knowledge received from another agent. Usually, such a client 4
Many connected to agent communication.

The Matchmaker 3 determines the agent requesting knowledge based on a message requesting knowledge transmitted from an agent in the network and a message notifying its own knowledge notified from the agent in the network. An agent dedicated to a routing service that establishes a message route between an agent having knowledge that matches a request. In addition, Matchm
At least one aker 3 exists in a limited area, and there may be a plurality of akers 3 as a whole.

The information server 5 and the information server 6 are information terminal devices storing various information sources having no function as an agent. For example, HTTP (hypertext transp.
or a WWW server that uses ortprotocol) and cannot directly operate as an agent. In the sales department, a system that accumulates and reuses effective examples or know-how of product proposals is implemented in this way. By starting up and transmitting information, effective cases or know-how are shared.

The Mediator 7 is an intermediary agent for sharing knowledge held in the information server 5 and the information server 6 having no function as an agent and for facilitating communication related to the knowledge.

As shown in FIG. 2, the Mediator 7 performs conversion and interpretation between a common protocol and an intermediate language.
apper 8, an information source search unit 9 for searching for information sources (knowledge) from the information terminal device and classifying hierarchically, and information for hierarchically classifying and recording addresses for linking the collected information sources. Link Recorder 10 and Contents of Information Sources Managed by Information Link Recorder 10
Self ability advertising section 11 to notify Matchmaker 3 and wrappe
The information link recording unit 11 responds to the request received through r8.
And an information link operation unit 12 for performing a reply process based on the link address of the information link. It should be noted that the management means referred to in the claims is implemented by the information source search unit 9 and the information link recording unit 10 being driven.
8 and the self-property advertising unit 11 are driven, and the response means is configured by the wrapper 8 and the information link operation unit 12 being driven.

The information source search section 9 is a section for information sources, such as a database system and a file system, that are permitted to be opened and held in the information servers 5 and 6 connected to the Mediator 7 via a network. The existence is searched according to the protocol between the information servers 5 and 6. Then, the presence of the classified keyword in the information source is detected by matching the searched information source with the classified keyword preset in the information link recording unit 10, and the link address information for linking to the information source is extracted. I do.

The above-described process of detecting the classification keyword in the information source and the process of extracting the link address information are as follows.
This is performed when the searched information source is new or updated, and the processing efficiency is improved.

The information link recording unit 10 holds classification keywords in a tree structure in advance. For example, in an agent community system in which an agent needs knowledge of classifying a product, as shown in FIG. A tree structure as a classification keyword based on a good product classification is held. Then, the link source information of the information source for which the classification keyword is detected by the information source search unit 9 is stored as a child node having the classification keyword as a parent node.

For example, when the classification keyword has a tree structure composed of the classification keywords shown in FIG. 3A, “printer”, “color”, and “product A” are obtained from the information sources searched by the information source search unit 9. ", The printer / color /
The link address information of the information source is stored under the product A /. If only the classification keyword of "product A" is detected, link address information is stored under / printer / color / product A /, and three printers, "printer", "color", and "product A" are stored. The same treatment is performed as when two classification keywords are detected.

If only the classification keyword "printer" is detected, link address information is stored under / printer /. If the classification keyword does not exist in the information source, it is temporarily placed under / other / so that the system administrator can use it as a reference for adding or changing the classification keyword.

As described above, by classifying the information of the link address of the information source by the classification keyword, it is possible to quickly reach the information source having the classification keyword based on the classification keyword. Since the classification keyword can be added or changed by the administrator, the classification keyword can be a classification keyword for solving a certain problem as shown in FIG. 3B, for example. Required knowledge can be used as a classification keyword. Further, by providing a plurality of classification keyword groups having different purposes as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the search path to the information source can be diversified, and the information source can be efficiently reached according to the purpose. be able to.

The self-property advertising unit 11 generates the contents of the information source classified by the tree-structured classification keywords stored in the information link recording unit 10 based on the tree-structured classification keywords, and outputs the contents via the wrapper 8. It notifies Matchmaker 3 as a message converted to the common protocol.

The content of the information source notified to the Matchmaker 3 is, for example, the information source in which link address information is stored under / printer / color / product A / in the classification keyword of FIG. Is the "product A color printer" that represents the content of the information source most specifically,
A "color printer" with a slightly higher level of abstraction and a "printer" with a higher level of abstraction. In the case of an information source in which link address information is stored under / printer /, only "printer" is used.

As described above, by notifying the contents of the information source to the Matchmaker 3 based on the classification keywords, the routing service by the Matchmaker 3 is appropriately performed. That is, since the classification keyword is set in advance according to the knowledge that the agent will need in the community system, if there is an information source that matches the agent's request, the message route is reliably established by the Matchmaker 3. . In addition, actually wr
The message notified to Matchmaker 3 via apper 8 is represented by kqml of the common protocol.
To notify "Product A Color Printer", (adv
ertise: sender Mediator7: receiver Matchmaker3:
lang kqml: content (ask-one: lang Description language: content
(Product A color printer))).

The information link operation unit 12 receives a request message such as a reference inquiry from the Matchmaker 3 or another agent using a common protocol via the wrapper 8, and from the information link recording unit 10, the link address of the information source corresponding to the request message. The information is extracted, and for example, a response process of extracting an entity of the information source and creating a response message to the request message is performed. Then, the response message to the request message is converted into a common protocol via the wrapper 8 and returned to the requesting agent.

Next, the operation of the agent community system according to the present invention will be described focusing on the operation of the Mediator 7. First, a process in which the Mediator 7 collects knowledge from the information servers 5 and 6 will be described with reference to FIG. This knowledge collection process is performed periodically, for example, once a day at night, and can flexibly cope with a change in the content of the information source in the information server.

The information source searching unit 9 sends a request from a server that manages the host name of an information server belonging to a network domain (intranet) and the IP (internet protocol) address of the information server to a network via a network.
The number of information servers connected to the diator 7 and the IP address are received (step S1). And I received
A remote connection is made to the information server using the P address (step S2), and it is detected whether or not the connected information server has an information source permitted to be disclosed (step S3). For example, when connected to a WWW server, it uses HTTP to detect whether there is a home page published on the information server. Although the remote connection is basically intended for all information servers existing in the network domain, an information server to be disconnected can be explicitly set in advance.

When an information source permitted to be disclosed is detected, the information source is extracted (step S).
4) A search is performed from the text portion of the information source to determine whether a classification keyword preset in the information link recording unit 10 exists (step S5). For example, when targeting a WWW server, HTML (Hypertex
t Markup Language) document from the server
Search the classification keywords for the entire text of the text information of the TML document. Next, the classification to which the information source belongs is determined by the searched classification keyword (step S).
6) The link address of the information source is stored in the determined category (step S7).

If the connected information server does not have any information source whose disclosure is permitted, or if the processing has been completed for all the information sources whose disclosure of the connected information server has been permitted, the next search target Information server I
It is detected whether or not there is a P address (step S8).
If there is a P address, the information server I
The P address is set (Step S9), and the above-described processing (Steps S2 to S9) is repeatedly performed.

When the information source search unit 9 sets an information server (WWW server) existing on the Internet as an information source search target, the processing of steps S1 to S3 is mainly performed using a WWW search server or the like. This can be achieved by: Since the flow of the entire operation is the same as that in the case of the above-described intranet, the description is omitted.

Next, a knowledge notification process for causing the information source collected by the information source search unit 9 to be used for routing by the Matchmaker 3 will be described with reference to FIG. This knowledge notification process is executed immediately after the knowledge collection process is performed by the information source search unit 9, and the content of the information source classified in the information link recording unit 11 and the matchmak
The consistency with the notification information of the information source notified to er3 is maintained.

The self-property advertising section 10 regards the classification keyword recorded in the information link recording section 11 as a directory and a virtual file system assuming a link address classified by the classification keyword as a file. Perform the following processing for the directory.

First, it is checked whether a file exists in the current directory (step S10). If the file exists, the directory is recorded (step S11), and the name of the directory (classification keyword) is entered. Combine to create notification content (step S1
2). Next, the self-property advertising unit 10 wraps the content of the notification.
Convert to common protocol via per8 and use Matchmake
The information is transmitted to r3 (step S13). In the transmission of the notification content, only the content of the difference that is different from the content previously notified is transmitted, thereby improving the processing efficiency.

If the file does not exist in the current directory, or if all the files in the current directory are processed (step S
When S11 to S13) are completed, the self-property advertising section 1
0 detects whether or not the next directory exists (step S14). If the next directory exists, the next directory is processed (step S15), and the process is repeated (steps S10 to S15).

When the above-described knowledge notification processing by the Mediator 7 is performed, a message route is established by the Matchmaker 3 between the agent requesting the knowledge notified by the knowledge notification processing and the Mediator 7, and the agent requesting the knowledge transmits the knowledge to the Mediator 7. The request message will be sent, and the following knowledge will be communicated.

A request message from the Matchmaker 3 or the agent regarding knowledge based on the common protocol is transmitted to the Mediat.
When or7 receives the request, the wrapper 8 interprets the request and converts it into a format executable by the information link operation unit 12 (step S16). Here, the request message includes
For example, in addition to the inquiry about the content of the information source notified to the Matchmaker 7, a search keyword for performing a detailed search for the content may be included.

First, the information link operation unit 12 extracts the information link address of the information source relating to the requested content from the information link recording unit 10, and extracts the substance of the information source via the network (step S17). Next, it is detected whether or not a search keyword is set (step S18). If the search keyword is not detected, nothing is performed, and if the search keyword is detected, the extracted text of the information source is detected. A full-text search is performed for the portion using the search keyword (step S19).

Next, the information link operation unit 12 creates a response to the request and passes it to the wrapper 8 (step S2).
0), the wrapper 8 converts the format of the reply to the intermediate language, if necessary to create the reply content in the intermediate language, further converts it to the common protocol, and transmits the reply to the agent that sent the request (step S21). .

For example, from the client 4 to the Matchmaker 7
Wrapper 8 interprets the request by the common protocol when it receives a request message to send how many pieces of information about "product A color printer" The number of link addresses stored in the directory of / printer / color / product A / of the information link recording unit 11 is obtained, and the response is converted into a common protocol by the wrapper 8 to obtain a Mat.
The data is transmitted to the client 4 via the chmaker 7 or directly.

For example, after replying that there are 20 items, the client 4 wants to send information describing the problem of “PC connection” for “Product A color printer” via Matchmaker 7. When receiving the request message, the information link operation unit 12 uses the HTTP from the link address of the information link recording unit 11 to transfer the contents of the information source classified as “product A color printer” to the information server via the network. And retrieves from the text information of the retrieved knowledge whether "PC connection" is described. If there are four cases, the knowledge of the four cases is returned as a reply to wrapper8.
To the common protocol and send it to the requesting client 4.

After replying that there are 20 cases, the client 4 subsequently requests via the Matchmaker 7 a request to send information registered in a certain specified date for the “product A color printer”. When the information comes, the information link operation unit 12 checks the registration date of the link address of the information link recording unit 11, and extracts a matching information source using the link address. Here, if the ten cases match, the knowledge of the ten cases is converted into a common protocol by the wrapper 8 as an answer and transmitted to the requesting client 4.

In the above-described embodiment, the search process for the information on the information source classified as the classified keyword is quickly performed by managing the classified keyword as a tree structure. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The classification keywords may be managed as another hierarchical structure, or may be managed regardless of the hierarchical structure.

[0062]

As described above, according to the agent community system of the present invention, the knowledge of an information terminal device having no function as an agent is searched for and managed, and the searched knowledge is notified to a routing agent. , In response to a request message regarding the notified knowledge,
Since the reply is made based on the knowledge from the information terminal device, a routing service can be provided by the routing agent to the knowledge of the information terminal device having no function as an agent, and the agent communicates with respect to the knowledge. It can be carried out.

Further, according to the agent community system of the present invention, the knowledge of the information terminal device having no function as an agent is regularly searched for and notified to the routing agent. Even when the knowledge changes, the change in the knowledge can be appropriately reflected in the routing service by the routing agent.

Further, according to the agent community system of the present invention, the knowledge of the information terminal device having no function as an agent is classified and managed based on a preset classification keyword, and the classification keyword is routed as the content of the knowledge. Because the agent is notified, in the routing service by the routing agent, knowledge matching the knowledge request message from other agents can be grasped without omission, and the message route can be properly established, and after the message route is established, It is possible to easily and quickly reply to a request message regarding knowledge from another agent based on the knowledge classified based on the classification keyword.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an agent community system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a mediation agent (Mediator) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a classification keyword according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a knowledge collection process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a knowledge notification process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating knowledge communication according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing a conventional agent community system.

FIG. 8 shows a conventional routing agent (Matc
hmaker). FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2,-Database server (agent), 3-
・ Routing Agent (Matchmaker), 4 ・ ・ Client (Agent), 5, 6 ・ ・ Information Server (WWW Server), 7 ・ ・ Mediation Agent (Mediato)
r), 8 wrapper, 9 information source search unit,
10 Information link recording section, 11 Self-property advertising section, 12 Information link operation section,

Claims (3)

[Claims] A plurality of agents that transmit and receive a message using a common protocol are connected via a network for the purpose of sharing knowledge and communicating, and notify an agent that has transmitted a message requesting knowledge and information of knowledge that matches the request message. An agent community system further connected to the network with a routing agent for establishing a message route for exchanging knowledge with an agent, wherein at least one of the agents serving as mediation agents differs from the common protocol Connecting another information terminal device that exchanges messages by a protocol, the mediation agent includes: a search unit that searches for knowledge from the information terminal device; and a management unit that manages the searched knowledge. Notification means for notifying the routing agent of the information of the knowledge managed by the common protocol, and a request message relating to the knowledge from the agent, the route of which has been established by the routing agent, based on the knowledge from the information terminal device. An agent community system, comprising: a reply means for replying with a common protocol. 2. The agent community system according to claim 1, wherein the search means, the management means, and the notification means operate periodically to periodically update knowledge information to be notified to a routing agent. And agent community system. 3. The agent community system according to claim 1, wherein said managing means classifies and manages the searched knowledge into a predetermined classification keyword, and said notifying means converts said classification keyword into knowledge information. An agent community system characterized in that notification is made as a notification.