Distributed computing using agent embedded in content unrelated to agents processing function
View Patent ↗A method for operating a host layer of a distributed computing system on a wide area network includes attaching an autonomous agent to a client-requested carrier, such as web content. The method includes the steps of receiving a request for specified content from a client node via the wide area network, and sending the content and an embedded agent to the client via the wide area network. The agent has program instructions configured to execute autonomously on the client node to perform a processing function. The processing function is configured to operate on raw data to produce process data, according to instructions determined by a solution algorithm of the distributed computing system. The method further includes sending the raw data to the client node and receiving the process data from the client node as it is processed by the agent. The host layer may comprise a web server hosting a web site containing consumer-oriented web pages, and the carrier may comprise an HTML page containing user content. The agent may comprise a web page-enabled application embedded in the HTML page, such as a Java™ applet.
1. A method comprising:
receiving, at a server, distributable agents and management instructions for a solution system, wherein the distributable agents are programmed to autonomously perform a processing function that transforms raw data to produce process data at distributed client nodes, and the management instructions comprise instructions for managing the distributable agents, raw data and process data to obtain an output of the solution system;
receiving content at the server independently from the distributable agents and management instructions, the content configured to attract user interest and be unrelated to the processing function and to the solution system;
integrating, using the server, the distributable agents and the content using at least one web page configured to cause the distributable agents to operate on client nodes in response to downloading the at least one web page, the distributable agents configured to operate automatically to perform the processing function without user interaction;
serving the at least one web page in response to requests from client nodes; and
providing raw data via cookies to the client nodes and receiving process data via respective cookies associated with the client nodes in accordance with the management instructions and in coordination with the distributable agents at the client nodes to obtain the output of the solution system such that a communication link does not need to be established between the client nodes and the server.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring the content to attract user interest while being completely unrelated to the processing function and to the solution system.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein configuring the content is performed independently of defining the solution system.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring the at least one web page so presence of a distributable agent is concealed from users' view.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring the distributable agents to write processing state data to cookie files on the client nodes.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring the at least one web page so that the client nodes call the distributable agent from a remote source when the at least one web page is opened at the client nodes.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring the at least one web page to cause a hidden frame or hidden window to open at the client node upon opening the at least one web page.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring the distributable agents to continue operating at the client nodes for only so long as each computing session in which a distributable agent is launched continues.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring the distributable agents to continue operating at the client nodes for multiple computing sessions after each of the distributable agents is first launched.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring the content to comprise executable software for performing a user function.
11. An apparatus comprising:
at least one computing device configured to communicate with a plurality of client nodes, and having at least one memory holding instructions configured for:
managing distributable agents according to predetermined instructions as autonomous agents configured to perform a processing function that transforms raw data to produce process data at distributed client nodes;
configuring content independently from the distributable agents to attract user interest and be unrelated to the processing function;
configuring at least one web page to provide the content and to cause the distributable agents to operate on client nodes in response to downloading the at least one web page, the distributable agents configured to operate automatically to perform the processing function without substantial user interaction;
serving the at least one web page in response to requests from client nodes; and
providing raw data to the client nodes and receiving process data via cookies associated with respective client nodes in coordination with the distributable agents at the client nodes to obtain a data result.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further comprise configuring the content to attract user interest while being completely unrelated to the processing function and to the solution system.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further comprise configuring the content independently of the distributable agents.
14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further comprise configuring the at least one web page so presence of a distributable agent is concealed from users' view.
15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further comprise configuring the distributable agents to write processing state data to cookie files on the client nodes.
16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further comprise configuring the at least one web page so that the client nodes call the distributable agent from a remote source when the at least one web page is opened at the client nodes.
17. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further comprise configuring the at least one web page to cause a hidden frame or hidden window to open at the client node upon opening the at least one web page.
18. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further comprise configuring the distributable agents to continue operating at the client nodes for only so long as each computing session in which a distributable agent is launched continues.
19. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further comprise configuring the distributable agents to continue operating at the client nodes for multiple computing sessions after each of the distributable agents is first launched.
20. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further comprise configuring the content to comprise executable software for performing a user function.
21. A method of performing one or more processes on raw data using a plurality of client nodes, the method comprising:
integrating at a computing device a distributable agent with content in a web page, wherein the content is configured to attract interest of a user and is unrelated to processing performed by the distributable agent, wherein the distributable agent is configured to operate independently on a plurality of client nodes without interaction from respective users of the client nodes in response to downloading or display of the web page on respective client nodes, wherein the distributable agent is configured to perform one or more processes on respective portions of raw data in order to complete performance of the one or more processes on all of the raw data;
serving the web page including the distributable agent to a plurality of client nodes; and
providing respective portions of the raw data to the client nodes and receiving respective processed data from the client nodes via respective cookies after the distributable agents have performed the one or more processes on the respective portions of the raw data.
22. A method comprising:
receiving, at a server, content and distributable agents, the content configured to attract user interest, and wherein the distributable agents are programmed to autonomously perform a processing function that transforms raw data to produce process data at distributed client nodes and that is substantially unrelated to the content;
integrating, using the server, the distributable agents and the content using at least one web page configured to cause the distributable agents to operate on client nodes to perform the processing function in response to downloading the at least one web page;
serving the at least one web page in response to requests from client nodes;
providing the raw data to the distributable agents via cookies such that communication links do not need to be established between the client nodes and the server; and
receiving process data via the cookies after the distributable agents have performed the processing function.