I 1111111111111111 11111 111111111111111 1111111111 11111 111111111111111 IIII IIII
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`US007949752B2
`
`c12) United States Patent
`Lange et al.
`
`(IO) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7,949,752 B2
`May 24, 2011
`
`(54) NETWORK SYSTEM EXTENSIBLE BY
`USERS
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Danny Lange, Cupertino, CA (US);
`Barbara Nelson, San Mateo, CA (US);
`Jing Su, Cupertino, CA (US); James E.
`White, San Carlos, CA (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Ben Franklin Patent Holding LLC,
`Los Altos, CA (US)
`
`( *) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 1390 days.
`
`EP
`
`4,716,583 A
`4,974,254 A
`5,001,745 A
`5,079,695 A
`5,093,914 A
`5,129,083 A
`5,129,084 A
`5,136,634 A
`5,187,790 A
`5,206,951 A
`
`12/1987 Groner et al.
`11/1990 Perine et al.
`3/1991 Pollock
`1/1992 Dysart et al.
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`4/1993 Khoyi eta!.
`(Continued)
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`(Continued)
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 10/995,159
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Nov. 24, 2004
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2005/0091305 Al
`
`Apr. 28, 2005
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(63) Continuation of application No. 09/712,712, filed on
`Nov. 14, 2000, now Pat. No. 6,839,733, which is a
`continuation of application No. 09/178,366, filed on
`Oct. 23, 1998, now Pat. No. 6,163,794.
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`(2006.01)
`G06F 151173
`(2006.01)
`G06F 15116
`(52) U.S. Cl. ........................................ 709/226; 709/202
`( 58) Field of Classification Search . ... ... ... ... .. ... 709/202,
`709/226
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
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`
`Primary Examiner - Douglas B Blair
`(74) Attorney, Agent,
`or Firm - Sterne,
`Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.
`
`Kessler,
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`In one aspect, a network system includes a user interface
`which allows a user to interact with the network system. An
`agent server is coupled to the user interface. The agent server
`manages the operation of the network system. Furthermore,
`the agent server in conjunction with the user interface is
`operable to create or modify an agent in response to interac(cid:173)
`tion by the user. In another aspect, a network system includes
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`network system. A service wrapper, associated with the ser(cid:173)
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`between the service and the agent.
`
`34 Claims, 17 Drawing Sheets
`
`20
`
`21
`
`Computational
`Resources
`
`Agent Server
`
`Hard~Wired
`Functionality
`
`16
`
`22
`
`22
`
`22
`
`22
`
`I
`I
`I
`I
`ogrammable 1
`unctionality 1
`
`- - - - _,
`
`24
`
`25
`
`IPR2025-00715
`DATABRICKS EX1001 Page 1
`
`

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`US 7,949,752 B2
`Page 2
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`
`* cited by examiner
`
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 24, 2011
`
`Sheet 2 of 17
`
`US 7,949,752 B2
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`IPR2025-00715
`DATABRICKS EX1001 Page 5
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 24, 2011
`
`Sheet 3 of 17
`
`US 7,949,752 B2
`
`_____________________
`
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`I
`
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`
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 24, 2011
`
`Sheet 4 of 17
`
`US 7,949,752 B2
`
`_____________________
`Voice User Interface
`
`16
`{ __ ]
`
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`
`r------72
`
`Telephone Line
`
`--------76
`
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`
`--------7 4
`
`I
`
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`
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`
`____,_______78
`
`18
`
`To Rest of
`Network System
`
`FIG. 4
`
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`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 24, 2011
`
`Sheet 5 of 17
`
`US 7,949,752 B2
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`IPR2025-00715
`DATABRICKS EX1001 Page 8
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 24, 2011
`
`Sheet 6 of 17
`
`US 7,949,752 B2
`
`r.---------------------7
`I
`
`,_
`Q)
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`IPR2025-00715
`DATABRICKS EX1001 Page 9
`
`

`

`N = N
`\0 :.:.
`~
`\0
`-....l
`d r.,;_
`
`UI
`
`....
`0 ....
`-....J
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`rJJ =(cid:173)
`
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`0 ....
`N
`J·
`N
`~
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`
`~
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`~
`
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`
`r--92
`
`----93
`
`i-------·
`
`94
`\
`)
`
`------
`
`Te lephone Line
`
`FIG. 7
`
`\__ 89
`
`r--87
`
`I Web Pagesh
`
`Web Server (in website)
`
`r---88
`------
`
`------
`
`Internet
`
`r--91
`
`Prompts, etc.
`Grammars,
`
`r--86
`
`Call Processing Service
`
`(and resources)
`
`(and resources)
`
`Web Browser Service
`
`Web Browser (in client)
`
`i----82
`
`83
`
`r-
`
`84
`\
`
`Internet
`
`r-81
`
`~Web Pag~sl
`
`Web Server Service
`
`(and resources)
`
`i----90
`
`Service Wrapper
`Call Processing
`
`I----85
`
`Service Wrapper
`
`Web Browser
`
`r-80
`
`Service Wrapper
`
`Web Server
`
`IPR2025-00715
`DATABRICKS EX1001 Page 10
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 24, 2011
`
`Sheet 8 of 17
`
`US 7,949,752 B2
`
`Agent Object
`
`46
`
`)
`
`Permissions
`
`-------56
`
`Event Handlers
`
`-------58
`
`Datastore
`
`r'------- 60
`
`Pending Event Queue
`
`r'------- 62
`
`FIG. 8
`
`IPR2025-00715
`DATABRICKS EX1001 Page 11
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 24, 2011
`
`Sheet 9 of 17
`
`US 7,949,752 B2
`
`f 100
`
`~
`
`Admit subscriber
`to UI (logon)
`
`Admit subscriber
`to U I agent area
`
`102
`
`104
`
`Accept Command "C"
`from Subscriber
`
`106
`
`Execute C if a
`Selection Command
`
`---- 108
`
`Execute C if a
`Template Command
`
`Execute C if an
`Agent Command
`
`110
`
`112
`
`--Yes
`
`No
`
`Excuse Subscriber
`from U I agent area
`
`116
`
`Excuse Subscriber ______
`118
`from UI (logoff)
`
`FIG. 9
`
`IPR2025-00715
`DATABRICKS EX1001 Page 12
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 24, 2011
`
`Sheet 10 of 17
`
`US 7,949,752 B2
`
`!200
`.,,.
`
`202
`
`Is C Select
`Template?
`
`Yes
`
`No
`
`206
`
`Is C Select
`Agent?
`
`Yes
`
`No
`
`204
`
`Note
`template (T)
`selected
`
`208
`
`Note
`agent (A)
`selected
`
`FIG. 10
`
`IPR2025-00715
`DATABRICKS EX1001 Page 13
`
`

`

`N = N
`
`UI
`~
`\0
`~
`\0
`-....l
`d r.,;_
`
`('D
`('D
`
`rJJ
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`
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`00
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`....
`.....
`=-
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`0
`
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`
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`I
`
`FIG. 11
`
`No
`
`Delete T
`
`328
`
`Yes _j DeselectT H
`
`,J
`326
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`StoreT
`
`'-+
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`,J
`322
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`-changes to T
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`Allow
`,J
`320
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`LoadT
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`Yes -
`
`,J
`318
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`Select T'
`
`Store H
`
`copy (T')
`
`H
`
`LoadT
`
`Yes -I
`
`~
`
`~
`
`314
`
`312
`
`310
`
`300
`
`j
`
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`
`template (T)
`Store blankL__Jl
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`Yes -j
`
`,J
`306
`
`304
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`w E
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`-
`
`IPR2025-00715
`DATABRICKS EX1001 Page 14
`
`

`

`N = N
`\0 :.:.
`~
`\0
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`d r.,;_
`
`UI
`
`....
`0 ....
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`....
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`00
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`j
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`FIG. 12
`
`~
`426
`
`Delete A
`
`w
`
`420
`~
`
`418
`
`Store A
`
`Resume A
`
`No
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`Deselect A
`c
`424
`
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`
`(
`422
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`I
`
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`
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`
`416
`
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`
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`414
`
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`412
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`
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`~~o
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`
`~
`408
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`
`Store
`
`~
`406
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`
`404
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`402
`
`I
`
`(1) Cf) 1 I
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`
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`"C
`
`(
`'-
`
`IPR2025-00715
`DATABRICKS EX1001 Page 15
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 24, 2011
`
`Sheet 13 of 17
`
`US 7,949,752 B2
`
`--------------------------------,
`1 64 1
`6 4 1
`I
`I Service permissions
`held by A
`for one Service
`(S1)
`
`Service permissions
`held by A
`for another Service
`(S2)
`
`Permissions of Agent (A)
`
`66 1
`
`...
`
`Computational
`permissions
`held by A
`
`56
`l
`
`I
`I
`1
`
`I
`
`---------+-----------------~
`
`Agent Server
`
`Computational
`Resources
`
`---21
`
`Service Wrapper for
`S1
`
`Service Wrapper for
`S2
`
`l
`
`1
`
`24
`
`.--------L----'-----,
`
`Service ( S 1 )
`
`Service (S2)
`
`,------.__
`
`t
`
`__ ...___,
`
`r-25
`
`Service Resources
`Available to
`S1
`
`Service Resources
`Available to
`S2
`
`FIG. 13
`
`IPR2025-00715
`DATABRICKS EX1001 Page 16
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 24, 2011
`
`Sheet 14 of 17
`
`US 7,949,752 B2
`
`Select Agent
`
`--- 502
`
`1500
`
`Execute time ______ 504
`slot for Agent
`
`Yes
`
`No
`
`FIG. 14
`
`IPR2025-00715
`DATABRICKS EX1001 Page 17
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 24, 2011
`
`Sheet 15 of 17
`
`US 7,949,752 B2
`
`Load Agent (A)
`604
`
`602
`
`>-----
`
`Yes ----.
`
`;600
`
`No
`
`No
`
`I
`
`an e
`endin
`
`Yes
`
`No
`
`Dequeue E
`
`608
`
`Does
`A have
`handler (H)
`for E?
`
`Yes
`
`No
`
`Execute portion
`of H for E
`
`612
`
`Store A
`
`614
`
`Yes
`
`FIG. 15
`
`IPR2025-00715
`DATABRICKS EX1001 Page 18
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 24, 2011
`
`Sheet 16 of 17
`
`US 7,949,752 B2
`
`Fetch instruction "I"
`
`702
`
`Yes
`
`Is I a Service
`Instruction?
`
`No
`
`!700
`
`~
`
`Yes
`
`Execute I
`
`706
`
`Ask service wrapper _____ 708
`to execute I for A
`
`No 8
`
`FIG. 16
`
`IPR2025-00715
`DATABRICKS EX1001 Page 19
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 24, 2011
`
`Sheet 17 of 17
`
`US 7,949,752 B2
`
`Identify permissions (Pr)
`required by I
`
`Ask agent server for
`permissions (Ph) held by A
`806
`
`802
`
`804
`
`808
`
`JBOO
`
`No
`
`Error Routine
`
`Yes
`
`Identify amounts (Ar and Ah)
`of quantitative permissions
`among Pr and Ph
`
`-- 810
`
`814
`
`No
`
`Error Routine
`
`Yes
`
`Ask service
`to execute I
`
`Identify amounts (Au )
`of quantitative permissions
`used by I
`
`Ask agent server to
`decrement Ah by Au
`
`816
`
`818
`
`820
`
`FIG.17
`
`IPR2025-00715
`DATABRICKS EX1001 Page 20
`
`

`

`US 7,949,752 B2
`
`1
`NETWORK SYSTEM EXTENSIBLE BY
`USERS
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent
`application Ser. No. 09/712,712, filed Nov. 14, 2000, allowed,
`which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/178,366,
`filed Oct. 23, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,163,794, each of
`which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates generally to the field of com-
`puter software systems and, more particularly, to a network
`system extensible by users.
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE
`APPENDICES
`
`A portion of the disclosure of this patent document con(cid:173)
`tains material that is subject to copyright protection. The
`copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduc-
`tion by anyone of the patent disclosure as it appears in the
`Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but oth(cid:173)
`erwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`2
`Entities which offer, supply, or otherwise provide services are
`referred to as "service providers." Entities which purchase,
`consume, or otherwise use services are referred to as "sub(cid:173)
`scribers."
`Many technological services are supported by one or more
`software applications. These software applications are often
`developed with a broad spectrum of subscribers in mind. As
`such, the respective technological services may address the
`generalized needs of many subscribers, but not the special-
`10 ized needs of any one particular subscriber or group of sub(cid:173)
`scribers.
`With previous techniques, when a subscriber desires to
`alter, change, modify, or otherwise customize a service to suit
`his or her own specialized needs, that subscriber must contact
`the appropriate service provider. If the service provider
`deems that there is sufficient demand for such customization,
`the provider will initiate a modification of the supporting
`software application for the relevant service. Software pro(cid:173)
`grammers or developers must then modify the existing soft-
`20 ware application to address the specialized needs of the
`requesting subscriber(s), and afterwards, test the modified
`software to ensure that it is functioning properly. Many itera(cid:173)
`tions of modification and testing may be performed before the
`finished, customized service is available to the subscriber.
`In light of the above, it is clear that previous techniques are
`problematic for numerous reasons. For example, a service
`provider is required to maintain or otherwise employ a staff of
`human software developers for making modifications to sup(cid:173)
`porting software applications. This can be expensive. Further-
`30 more, a substantial amount of time may be required to
`develop, modify, and test supporting software applications in
`response to the request of a particular subscriber or group of
`subscribers. This can lead to subscriber dissatisfaction, and
`ultimately, defection to another service provider.
`
`15
`
`25
`
`This Application relates to the subject matter disclosed in
`the following United States Patent and co-pending United
`States Applications:
`U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,031 to White et al., entitled "System
`and Method For Distributed Computation Based Upon the
`Movement, Execution, and Interaction of Processes In a Net(cid:173)
`work;"
`U.S. application Ser. No. 08/609,699, filed Mar. 1, 1996,
`entitled "Method and Apparatus For Telephonically Access-
`ing and Navigating the Internet;"
`U.S. application Ser. No. 08/798,675, filed Feb. 10, 1997,
`entitled "System and Method For Distributed Computation 45
`Based Upon the Movement, Execution, and Interaction of
`Processes In a Network;" and
`U.S. application Ser. No. 09/071,717, filed May 1, 1998,
`entitled "Voice User Interface With Personality."
`The above patent and co-pending applications are assigned 50
`to the present Assignee and are incorporated herein by refer-
`ence.
`
`35
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The disadvantages and problems associated with previous
`techniques for providing technological services have been
`40 substantially reduced or eliminated using the present inven-
`tion.
`The present invention provides a network system exten-
`sible (e.g., programmable) by "end-users," and a method of
`operation for the same. In general, an end-user (or simply
`"user") is any individual, party, or entity which somehow
`interacts with the network system. A user can thus be an entity
`known to the network system (i.e., an entity having a log-in
`ID), such as, for example, a subscriber and or an individual
`affiliated with the service provider. A user can also be an
`arbitrary third-party which somehow interacts with the net(cid:173)
`work system.
`With the present invention, users may extend or customize
`the network system according to their own particular needs.
`To accomplish this, a network system is augmented with an
`55 agent system. Capabilities of the network system are pro(cid:173)
`grammatically exposed by means of one or more services,
`service resources, and service wrappers. Each service indi(cid:173)
`vidually, or the network system as a whole, can be extended
`by adding agents (created by users). Furthermore, the con-
`60 sumption of computational and service resources are moni(cid:173)
`tored within the network system, thus protecting the subscrib(cid:173)
`ers and the service provider from harm or misuse, whether
`intentional or inadvertent. Accordingly, the network system
`can admit agents programmed by users.
`In addition, the present invention contemplates that a third
`party may modify existing agents and create new agents in the
`case where subscribers lack the desire or sophistication to do
`
`65
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`Advances in computer and telephony systems have led to
`the development of numerous technology-driven services,
`such as electronic mail (e-mail), voice mail, electronic orga(cid:173)
`nizers (for appointments and addresses), on-line databases
`(e.g., for periodicals and stock quotes), and the like. An
`increasing popularity for these technological services in
`recent years has spawned an entire industry devoted to the
`provision and integration of the same. For example, numer-
`ous companies now offer e-mail service over the interconnec(cid:173)
`tion of computers widely known as the Internet. Other com-
`parries offer systems for voice mail services in both private
`branch exchange (PBX) and public telephone environments.
`
`IPR2025-00715
`DATABRICKS EX1001 Page 21
`
`

`

`US 7,949,752 B2
`
`4
`FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method for a user
`session, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
`FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method for
`executing a selection command for selecting an agent or an
`agent template, according to an embodiment of the present
`invention;
`FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method for
`executing an agent template command, according to an
`embodiment of the present invention;
`FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method for
`executing an agent command, according to an embodiment of
`the present invention;
`FIG. 13 is a block diagram detailing the controlled con(cid:173)
`sumption of service and computational resources, according
`to an embodiment of the present invention;
`FIG. 14 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method for
`executing time slices for an agent population, according to an
`embodiment of the present invention;
`FIG. 15 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method for
`executing a time slice for an agent, according to an embodi(cid:173)
`ment of the present invention;
`FIG. 16 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method for
`executing an event handler, according to an embodiment of
`the present invention; and
`FIG. 17 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method for
`executing a service instruction, according to an embodiment
`of the present invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`3
`so themselves. The third party can then make such custom(cid:173)
`ized agents commercially available to subscribers.
`According to an embodiment of the present invention, a
`network system includes a service. An agent uses the service
`on behalf of a principal. An agent server mediates the use of
`the service by the agent.
`According to another embodiment of the present invention,
`a network system includes a user interface which allows a
`user to interact with the network system. An agent server is
`coupled to the user interface. The agent server manages agent 10
`use of the network system. Furthermore, the agent server in
`conjunction with the user interface is operable to create or
`modify an agent in response to interaction by the user.
`According to yet another embodiment of the present inven(cid:173)
`tion, a method includes the following: admitting a user to a 15
`network system wherein at le