Jarogniew Rykowski

MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION CHANGES BY THE USE OF SOFTWARE AGENTS

ABSTRACT In the article, a new approach is proposed to personalize mass-scale information systems. The approach is based on the technology of software agents, and the Agent Computing Environment ACE. The ACE agents are programmed and managed by the end-users. Basic tasks of an agent are related with efficient, individualized access and monitoring of selected information sources. Once developed and moved to given location, an agent performs autonomously given tasks, pre-programmed according to its owners needs. Each ACE agent may adjust its behavior to the environment where it is executed at a moment, as well as to some user-independent restrictions, e.g., communication costs, limitations of end-user hardware, etc. Several agents may be logically combined to create a complex agent able to fulfill more sophisticated tasks. Complex agents may be settled both statically, as a result of a user request, and dynamically, as a result of environmental changes. The approach may be used in such domains, as: e-banking, sport and cultural news, health and telemedicine, shopping and e-commerce, logistics, e-learning, etc. Using ACE agents as external brokers to distributed systems makes it possible to personalize behavior of such closed and highly secured environments as bank databases, companys internal systems, etc.

ACE agents: mass personalized software assistance

In this paper we propose a new idea of developing personalized software assistants. We based our approach on the technology of software agents, and the Agent Computing Environment ACE. Rather than using a single, complicated, resident personal assistant of a fixed architecture and functionality, we use a distributed set of specialized, user-defined agents, working in parallel in an autonomous manner to fulfill given requests. The ACE agents may be imperatively programmed by their owners to achieve certain goals. The agents may be also orchestrated and self-adjusted to the environment, communication means, local hardware/software limitations, geographical location, etc.

Who should take care of the personalization

In this paper, a new approach is proposed for the personalization of the access to different information sources (servers, Web pages, services, etc.) distributed across the Internet. In contrast to the traditional approaches, with personalization software owned and controlled by the owner of the information source, we propose to use the software that is prepared and controlled directly by the end-users. Our approach is based on software agent technology and imperative programming of agent code. The main goal of using personalization agents is twofold. First, such agents act as information brokers, adjusting both contents and format of the information to individual user requirements, restrictions imposed by the end-user hardware and communication means, current situation, etc. Second, the agents are used as autonomous monitors, individually informing agent owners about “important” (from the particular owner point of view) information changes. The fact of using source-independent personalization agents makes it possible to personalize access to such traditionally closed and fixed (i.e., unmanageable from the end-user point of view) information sources and systems, as e-banks, public Web portals and information servers, etc. Due to the fact the agents are prepared by (or at least for) particular users, the expenses related with the development of the agent code are in the major part incurred by these users.

Version Support for CAD/CASE Databases

In the paper new functionalities for CADICASE databases are proposed which are necessary to improve the co-operative work of the design team members. These functionalities mainly concern versioning aspects of the design environments. First, typical project life-cycles are studied to determine the requirements for supporting efficient merge operation for different design environments. Next, the original extensions of so called database version model are proposed. Finally, the implementation of merge operation is discussed. All the functionalities mentioned above are currently implemented in the multiversion database prototype.

The Architecture of Coupon-Based, Semi-off-Line, Anonymous Micropayment System for Internet of Things

In the Internet of Things a lot of business opportunities may be identified. The devices in IoT may create ad-hoc temporary networks to provide services or share some resources. Such services are characterized by a great economical potential, especially while provided at mass-scale and for incidental users. However, the development of paid services or resources in IoT is hampered by relatively big transaction costs of payment operations. To deal with this problem, we propose a novel architecture of coupon based, semi off line, anonymous micropayment system to enable transactions in the scope of Internet of Things. User anonymity and security is assured by the usage of standard cryptographic techniques together with novel architectural design of the payment processes. Utilization of a hash function allows generating and verifying electronic coins in computationally efficient way, so as to be executed even in hardware- and software-restricted environment such as Internet of Things.

Using Software Agents to Personalize Access to E-Offices

In this paper, we propose a framework capable of personalization of both the access and the behavior of an e-office. Our solution is based on ACE software agents, partially prepared by (and for) office supplicants, executed in both user personal devices and the e-office network. The main goal of our framework is to provide a universal system for monitoring and notifying about information changes, on one hand, and user-defined customization of e-office services, on the other hand. The framework enables service personalization, user-defined combining and “pipelining” of services, individual brokerage among services and supplicants, and personalization of information delivery. The framework makes it possible to adjust fixed, closed software environment of an e-office to individual requirements and expectations of different users.

Using Multiversion Object-Oriented Databases in CAD/CIM Systems

The Multiversion HyperData (MHD) approach to versioning in object-oriented databases for CAD/CIM is described. In this model, types of versions are introduced: revisions are used to model evolution in time, variants — to model parallel ways of development, and representations to model different forms of an object. Version types are related to the configurations rather than to single objects, thus permitting to automatically keep consistency of the sets of objects. Some operations specific for version types are proposed, including group operations for variants, and auto-derivation of one representation from another. Some implementation models are presented which differ in functionality, efficiency and potential application area.

Architectures for Querying Contents of Web Servers

A new architecture for a queryable Web server is presented. This architecture is of a three-tier type and consists in using an interpreter of a query language as a gateway for the server, and an XML wrapper as a gateway for data repositories. The query language is used not only to read the server’s data, but also to define, manipulate, and control both data and their corresponding meta-data (data descriptions). The XML wrapper allows storing both data and meta-data in a repository of any type, not only a flat file system or a back-end database. Basic requirements for the query language and the wrapper are presented and discussed in comparison to current approaches.

Electronic Activity Interchange EAI — a new way of B2B cooperation

In this paper, a new Electronic Activity Interchange EAI approach is proposed to support inter-business cooperation. This idea is based on using tele-activities, being pre-programmed piece of software that may be moved to certain locations and executed there. In contrast to traditional approaches, e.g., Electronic Data Interchange EDI, we consider both program and data flow rather than the information flow only. We propose a reasonable trade-off between a need for remote execution of activities owned and controlled by different business partners, and overall system security and efficiency. Our approach is based on imperative programming of activity code, and two basic activity classes: private, “untrusted” activities, executed with special care and with certain security restrictions, and public activities, being “trusted” code from the point of view of the local environment the activity is executed in. A balance between private and public activities may be defined by the business partners according to the specific situation and the business case.

Ad Hoc BYOD Information Services in Public Places of Smart Cities

In this chapter, we focus on public information broadcasting as an important component of a smart city. To broadcast information, we propose to install miniature and very cheap access points in public places in a smart city, capable to interact with mobile personal devices according to the bring your own device (BYOD) idea, in ad hoc and anonymous mode, by means of Bluetooth connection. The broadcasted information is automatically adjusted to the specificity of a given time/place, limiting the need for further processing at the user side. The proposal is not a competitor to current solutions, such as generic mobile applications providing city services based on geo-location. It is rather a natural supplement and extension to the already existing intelligent transportation systems. According to the idea “right information at the right place and the right time,” the proposed system provides the information well suited for the place of its access, as well as minimizes the efforts related to parameterized access and personalized filtering.