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Patent Number: |
7549077 |
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Case ID: |
0 |
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Patent Title:
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Automated self-forming, self-healing configuration permitting substitution
of software agents to effect a live repair of a system implemented on
hardware processors
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Status: |
ACTIVE |
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Status Date: |
10/12/2009 7:40:36 AM |
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Issue Date:
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6/16/2009 |
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Filed Date:
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4/22/2005 |
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Serial #:
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1/116,171 |
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Assignee Name:
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The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
(Washington,
DC)
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Inventor(s):
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White, Barry C. , McCleave, legal representative, Laura E. , McCleave, Barry W. |
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BACKGROUND
Many human-computer interfaces today are programmed in standard sequential or object-oriented software. Another software paradigm exists, known generally as an agent-based software architecture. A given task is divided up into several sub-tasks
and assigned to different "agents" in the system. Agents communicate concurrent modules, each of which handles a part of the decision-making process. "Intelligent agents" may be representative of software that mediates between a user and a software
system and undertakes tasks that the software system cannot fulfill on its own. The use of such an intelligent agent as a mediator facilitates and simplifies one''s task, thus increasing productivity. If the agents are capable of learning, they are
referred to as adaptive agents. Some examples of situations in which agent-based interaction have been used follow.
Agents "manage" the customized presentation of information. They preprocess data and display it in a way t . . . . More |
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A configuration for use with a processor that incorporates a suite of
"flat" hardware architecture and superimposes thereon a self-forming,
self-healing, hierarchical architecture implemented in software.
Embodiments may be employed in various applications, such as maintaining
network integrity. In one embodiment, a building security monitoring
network provides for automated network agents to each be capable of
communication with any other automated agents on a network at network
startup. Shortly after network initialization, the software architecture
is superimposed on the flat hardware architecture, re-arranging
communication links to provide an efficient hierarchy of control and
substituting working agents for compromised agents as necessary in the
network. All of this is done in a "live" network, not requiring shutdown,
or even reduced operation to accomplish. This "dual" architecture
(hierarchical software and flat h . . . . More |
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We claim:
1. An automated self-healing configuration for use with automated equipment establishing a distributed network incorporating nodes, comprising: computer readable media and uniquely
identifiable elements comprising at least in part hardware, said elements cooperating to accomplish at least one task, each said element having at least one function, each said element able to communicate with any other of said elements via at least one
link in a flat architecture, wherein when a said element is instantiated, it automatically finds its own connections, and automatically forms an efficient communication hierarchy as semi-optimal decision trees for fast, efficient and reliable
communication; and computer readable media incorporating at least one hierarchical architecture superimposed on said flat architecture to specify which said links are employed in a particular scenario, wherein said superimposed hierarchical architecture
automates said decision trees to minimize commun . . . . More |
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