WO2001027758A2 - Procede d'utilisation d'agents informatiques dans un reseau d'ordinateurs - Google Patents

Procede d'utilisation d'agents informatiques dans un reseau d'ordinateurs Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001027758A2
WO2001027758A2 PCT/NL2000/000721 NL0000721W WO0127758A2 WO 2001027758 A2 WO2001027758 A2 WO 2001027758A2 NL 0000721 W NL0000721 W NL 0000721W WO 0127758 A2 WO0127758 A2 WO 0127758A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
computer
waiting
user
bits
network
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/NL2000/000721
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2001027758A3 (fr
Inventor
Erwin Joost Bolwidt
Original Assignee
Tryllian Holding N.V.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Tryllian Holding N.V. filed Critical Tryllian Holding N.V.
Priority to AU11786/01A priority Critical patent/AU1178601A/en
Publication of WO2001027758A2 publication Critical patent/WO2001027758A2/fr
Publication of WO2001027758A3 publication Critical patent/WO2001027758A3/fr

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F9/00—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units
    • G06F9/06—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs
    • G06F9/46—Multiprogramming arrangements
    • G06F9/48—Program initiating; Program switching, e.g. by interrupt
    • G06F9/4806—Task transfer initiation or dispatching
    • G06F9/4843—Task transfer initiation or dispatching by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system
    • G06F9/485—Task life-cycle, e.g. stopping, restarting, resuming execution
    • G06F9/4856—Task life-cycle, e.g. stopping, restarting, resuming execution resumption being on a different machine, e.g. task migration, virtual machine migration
    • G06F9/4862—Task life-cycle, e.g. stopping, restarting, resuming execution resumption being on a different machine, e.g. task migration, virtual machine migration the task being a mobile agent, i.e. specifically designed to migrate

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method for using software agents m a network of computers, wherein a plurality of user computers can be connected to the network and each user computer can send at least one software agent on the network, wherein a number of computers of the network is adapted to receive and transmit software agents.
  • Software agents can be used for a number of applications m a network of computers, m particular the Internet. For example, software agents can be used to search information on the Internet, to distribute specific information to other software agents, to obtain commercial products from virtual shops, and the like. In known methods of the above-mentioned type, it is a problem for software agents to return to their user computers. Many user computers are not continuously con- nected to the Internet. Further, user computers generally do not have the same network address when they are connected to the network to collect their software agents as the network address of the user computer at the time of sending the software agents on the network. It is therefore not possible to use the network address of the user computer to return to the user computer and to identify the user computer m a secure manner.
  • firewall which is adapted to prevent any connection from outside the firewall to the company's network.
  • software agents can not return automatically as they can not pass the firewall.
  • the invention aims to provide a method of the above- mentioned type, wherein software agents can safely return to their user computers.
  • At least one waiting location for software agents is provided m at least one waiting computer of the network, each waiting location be- mg identified by a given name and the network address of the corresponding waiting computer, wherein a user identification and a waiting location identification are added to the software agent m each user computer and the waiting location ldentifi- cations used are stored m the corresponding user computer, wherein each software agent arriving m a waiting computer with one or more waiting locations is checked on a corresponding waiting location identification, wherein the software agent is held m the waiting computer if a match is found between one of the waiting locations of the computer and the waiting location identification of the software agent, wherein a user computer collects its software agent (s) from the waiting computer (s) corresponding to the used waiting location identification (s) stored by making a network connection to said waiting com- puter(s) and transmitting its user identification to the waiting computer.
  • each software agent can always return to a fixed location within the computer network which is both known to the software agents and its user computer.
  • the user computer can safely collect its software agent or agents from the waiting location using its user identification.
  • the invention will be further explained by reference to the drawing m which a schematic diagram representing the Internet is shown. It is noted that the Internet is only mentioned as an example of a world-wide network m which the method of the invention can be used. The method can also be used m other types of networks, such as an intranet. As another alternative the method of the invention can be used m distributed object - oriented database applications.
  • the Internet is shown, comprising a plurality of user computers 1, connected to the Internet through computers or servers 2 of so-called Internet Service Providers (ISP's) .
  • ISP's Internet Service Providers
  • the user computers 1 are us- mg a dynamic network address, i.e. a network address which generally changes each time a user computer makes a connection to the computer 2 of the ISP.
  • the Internet further comprises interconnected comput- ers 3 and 4, the computers 4 including a software program providing one or more waiting locations for software agents as will be described hereinafter.
  • a user computer can send a software agent on the Internet, for example with instructions to search the Internet for specific information.
  • software agents are software modules, which preferably are of an ob ect-oriented type comprising one or more objects and one or more classes.
  • the software agents as such are not part of the present invention and for a further description reference is made to a co-pending application of the same applicant.
  • a number of the computers 3 and 4 are adapted to receive and transmit software agents preferably m a manner as described m the above-mentioned co- pending application.
  • Each waiting computer 4 is provided with one or more waiting locations or freezing rooms m which software agents moving on the Internet are stored until they are collected by their user computers.
  • a waiting location is identified by a given name and the network address of the corresponding waiting computer 4.
  • the network address of a waiting location may include a port number within this network address.
  • a waiting location identification i.e. the given name and the network address
  • a user identification is preferably a public key which is one of two encryption keys of a so-called public key encryption algorithm.
  • the other key of the two encryption keys is stored as secret key m the user computer. It is possible to use the same public key/secret key pair for each software agent or as an alternative, the user computer may generate new public/private keys for each new software agent or group of new software agents. This alternative shows the advantage that it is more difficult for comput- ers 3,4 visited by the software agents to associate agents with a specific user computer through the public key used.
  • the software agent When a software agent has carried out its task, the software agent will generally return to the computer 4 having the waiting location corresponding to the waiting location identification added to the agent.
  • the waiting computer 4 When the software agent is transferred to the corresponding waiting computer 4, the waiting computer 4 is adapted to check the waiting location ldenti- ficat on of the software agent and if there is a match between this identification and one of its waiting locations, the software agent is held m the waiting computer 4.
  • the software agent is then stored m a database of the waiting computer 4 and the public key used as user identification is stored m the index of the database.
  • each software agent sent on the Internet can always return to a predetermined waiting location known both to the software agent and the user computer.
  • the user computer makes a network connection to the network address of the waiting location of its software agents. All waiting location network addresses used by a user computer are stored m the same.
  • a user computer 1 transmits a collect request to the waiting computer and its public key and the waiting location name or names. Further a first random number of bits is transmitted to the waiting computer by the user computer. The collect request is received by the waiting computer.
  • the waiting computer After receipt of the collect request, the waiting computer first compares the name of the waiting location (s) with the waiting location (s) present m this waiting computer. If the name received does not correspond with one of its own waiting location, the waiting computer can send an error message to the user computer and will terminate the protocol. After checking the waiting location name, the waiting computer 4 transmits a second random number of bits to the user computer. The user computer generates a digital signature by means of the private key on the combination of the first and second random numbers of bits. This digital signature is trans- mitted to the waiting computer 4. The waiting computer 4 checks the signature received by means of the public key received from the user computer. If the signature is valid, the waiting computer 4 compares the public key with the index of public keys of the database of the corresponding waiting location.
  • the protocol for collecting a software agent is terminated. If there is a match between the public key received and one or more public keys m the index of the database, all software agents having the same public key are retrieved from the database and returned to the user computer. If however the digital signature received is not valid, the protocol is terminated and the waiting computer may transmit an error message to the user computer. Optionally the waiting computer generates a security warning and stores the same preferably with as much information on the user computer causing the warning as possible. Such security warnings may be used for providing further protection against unauthorised attempts to retrieve software agents from the waiting location (s) .
  • the advantage of generating the first random number of bits by a user computer and the combination of this first num- ber of bits with the second number of bits provided by the waiting computer is that both the user and waiting computers do know the contents of the message used to generate the digital signature.
  • the method described can also be used to retrieve objects from a distributed object- oriented database m a computer system or network.
  • objects are stored m the database of a first computer by means of at least one user computer.
  • a public key is added to each object stored m the database, said public key being one of two encryption keys of a public key algorithm.
  • the other key of the two encryption keys is stored as secret key m a user computer.
  • An object is retrieved from the database by sending a collect request to the first computer and a user computer adds a first random number of bits to the collect request, wherein, after receipt of a collect request, the first computer transmits a second random number of bits to the user computer.
  • the user computer combines the first random number of bits with the second random number of bits, generates an encrypted signature with its secret key using the combination of bits, and transmits the signature to the first computer.
  • the first computer checks the signature received with the public key received and transfers the objects having the received public key only if the check on the signature indicated a valid signature .

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Software Systems (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Computer And Data Communications (AREA)
  • Multi Processors (AREA)

Abstract

Dans un procédé d'utilisation d'agents informatiques dans un réseau d'ordinateurs, plusieurs ordinateurs d'utilisateurs peuvent être connectés à un réseau et chaque ordinateur d'utilisateur peut envoyer au moins un agent informatique sur le réseau. Un certain nombre d'ordinateurs du réseau est conçu pour recevoir et transmettre des agents informatiques. Cette invention a trait à au moins un emplacement d'attente destiné aux agents informatiques dans au moins un ordinateur d'attente du réseau, chaque emplacement d'attente étant identifié par un nom donné et l'adresse de réseau de l'ordinateur d'attente correspondant. Une identification d'utilisateur et une autre d'emplacement d'attente sont ajoutées à l'agent informatique dans chaque ordinateur d'utilisateur et les identifications d'emplacement d'attente utilisées sont stockées dans l'ordinateur d'utilisateur correspondant. Chaque agent informatique arrivant dans un ordinateur d'attente pourvu d'au moins un emplacement d'attente est contrôlé au niveau d'une identification d'emplacement d'attente correspondante, l'agent informatique étant gardé dans l'ordinateur d'attente si une correspondance est trouvée entre un des emplacements d'attente de l'ordinateur et l'identification d'emplacement d'attente de l'agent informatique. Un ordinateur d'utilisateur recueille son agent informatique provenant de l'ordinateur d'attente correspondant à l'identification d'emplacement d'attente utilisée stockée par le biais d'une connexion réseau à l'ordinateur d'attente et d'une transmission de son identification d'utilisateur à l'ordinateur d'attente.
PCT/NL2000/000721 1999-10-08 2000-10-06 Procede d'utilisation d'agents informatiques dans un reseau d'ordinateurs WO2001027758A2 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU11786/01A AU1178601A (en) 1999-10-08 2000-10-06 Method for using software agents in a network of computers

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL1013250A NL1013250C2 (nl) 1999-10-08 1999-10-08 Werkwijze voor het gebruik van softwareagenten in een netwerk van computers.
NL1013250 1999-10-08

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2001027758A2 true WO2001027758A2 (fr) 2001-04-19
WO2001027758A3 WO2001027758A3 (fr) 2002-01-17

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/NL2000/000721 WO2001027758A2 (fr) 1999-10-08 2000-10-06 Procede d'utilisation d'agents informatiques dans un reseau d'ordinateurs

Country Status (3)

Country Link
AU (1) AU1178601A (fr)
NL (1) NL1013250C2 (fr)
WO (1) WO2001027758A2 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES2311379A1 (es) * 2006-11-06 2009-02-01 Vodafone España S.A. Metodo, sistema y dispositivo terminal para la transmison y recepcion de mensajes.

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4995082A (en) * 1989-02-24 1991-02-19 Schnorr Claus P Method for identifying subscribers and for generating and verifying electronic signatures in a data exchange system
EP0803789A2 (fr) * 1996-04-26 1997-10-29 EUROPEAN COMPUTER-INDUSTRY RESEARCH CENTRE GmbH Mécanisme de protection de logiciel contre copie

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4995082A (en) * 1989-02-24 1991-02-19 Schnorr Claus P Method for identifying subscribers and for generating and verifying electronic signatures in a data exchange system
EP0803789A2 (fr) * 1996-04-26 1997-10-29 EUROPEAN COMPUTER-INDUSTRY RESEARCH CENTRE GmbH Mécanisme de protection de logiciel contre copie

Non-Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
BERGADANO F ET AL: "Security agents for information retrieval in distributed systems" PARALLEL COMPUTING,NL,ELSEVIER PUBLISHERS, AMSTERDAM, vol. 22, no. 13, 28 February 1997 (1997-02-28), pages 1719-1731, XP004055862 ISSN: 0167-8191 *
PEINE H: "Security concepts and implementation in the Ara mobile agent system" PROCEEDINGS SEVENTH IEEE INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES: INFRASTUCTURE FOR COLLABORATIVE ENTERPRISES (WET ICE '98) (CAT. NO.98TB100253), PROCEEDINGS OF WET ICE'98 - IEEE SEVENTH INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES: INFRAS, pages 236-242, XP002143135 1998, Los Alamitos, CA, USA, IEEE Comput. Soc, USA ISBN: 0-8186-8751-7 *
ROTH V ET AL: "Access control and key management for mobile agents" COMPUTERS AND GRAPHICS,GB,PERGAMON PRESS LTD. OXFORD, vol. 22, no. 4, 1 August 1998 (1998-08-01), pages 457-461, XP004145488 ISSN: 0097-8493 *
RUBIN A D: "Secure distribution of electronic documents in a hostile environment" COMPUTER COMMUNICATIONS,NL,ELSEVIER SCIENCE PUBLISHERS BV, AMSTERDAM, vol. 18, no. 6, 1 June 1995 (1995-06-01), pages 429-434, XP004032475 ISSN: 0140-3664 *
S. F]NFROCKEN: "An infrastructure for Web-Agent-based Service providing" TECHNICAL REPORT TR-VS-97-01, 1997, XP002143136 *
VAN DER MERWE J ET AL: "Electronic commerce with secure intelligent trade agents" COMPUTERS & SECURITY, 1998, ELSEVIER, UK, vol. 17, no. 5, pages 435-446, XP004132882 ISSN: 0167-4048 *

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES2311379A1 (es) * 2006-11-06 2009-02-01 Vodafone España S.A. Metodo, sistema y dispositivo terminal para la transmison y recepcion de mensajes.

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2001027758A3 (fr) 2002-01-17
NL1013250C2 (nl) 2001-04-10
AU1178601A (en) 2001-04-23

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