Distributed Actor-Based Information System and Method

1 . A computer-implemented method, executed on a computing device, comprising:

maintaining a group of distributed actors, wherein each of the distributed actors offers at least one skill;

maintaining quality-of-service statistics for each of the group of distributed actors; and

monitoring an environment to detect the existence of an unfulfilled need.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

assigning one or more distributed actors to address the unfulfilled need based, at least in part, upon the quality-of-service statistics and the at least one skill offered by the one or more distributed actors, thus defining one or more assigned distributed actors.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein assigning one or more distributed actors to address the unfulfilled need includes one or more of:

immediately assigning to the one or more distributed actors;

inquiring on the availability of the one or more distributed actors; and

allowing the user to choose the one or more distributed actors from a group of potential distributed actors.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein monitoring an environment to detect the existence of an unfulfilled need includes:

detecting the existence of a request.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 4 wherein detecting the existence of a request includes one or more of:

receiving a request from a human distributed actor; and

receiving a request from a non-human distributed actor.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the group of distributed actors include one or more of:

a software platform;

a software application;

a virtual machine; and

a web-based service.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the one or more assigned distributed actors interact, directly or indirectly, with one or more distributed sub-actors to address at least a portion of the unfulfilled need.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

addressing at least a portion of the unfulfilled need with the at least one skill offered by the one or more assigned distributed actors.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 wherein addressing at least a portion of the unfulfilled need with the at least one skill offered by the one or more assigned distributed actors includes:

generating one or more response portions with the at least one skill offered by the one or more assigned distributed actors.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 further comprising:

forming a bespoke response to the unfulfilled need based, at least in part, upon the one or more response portions.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 further comprising:

providing the bespoke response to a party associated with the unfulfilled need.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 further comprising:

effectuating, in whole or in part, the bespoke response.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein maintaining a group of distributed actors includes:

maintaining a database that defines the group of distributed actors.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the quality-of-service statistics define one or more of:

a user satisfaction level for each of the group of distributed actors; and

a review score for each of the group of distributed actors.

15 . A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

maintaining a group of distributed actors, wherein each of the distributed actors offers at least one skill;

maintaining quality-of-service statistics for each of the group of distributed actors; and

monitoring an environment to detect the existence of an unfulfilled need.

16 . The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising:

assigning one or more distributed actors to address the unfulfilled need based, at least in part, upon the quality-of-service statistics and the at least one skill offered by the one or more distributed actors, thus defining one or more assigned distributed actors.

17 . The computer program product of claim 16 wherein assigning one or more distributed actors to address the unfulfilled need includes one or more of:

immediately assigning to the one or more distributed actors;

inquiring on the availability of the one or more distributed actors; and

allowing the user to choose the one or more distributed actors from a group of potential distributed actors.

18 . The computer program product of claim 15 wherein monitoring an environment to detect the existence of an unfulfilled need includes:

detecting the existence of a request.

19 . The computer program product of claim 18 wherein detecting the existence of a request includes one or more of:

receiving a request from a human distributed actor; and

receiving a request from a non-human distributed actor.

20 . The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the group of distributed actors include one or more of:

a software platform;

a software application;

a virtual machine; and

a web-based service.

21 . The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the one or more assigned distributed actors interact, directly or indirectly, with one or more distributed sub-actors to address at least a portion of the unfulfilled need.

22 . The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising:

addressing at least a portion of the unfulfilled need with the at least one skill offered by the one or more assigned distributed actors.

23 . The computer program product of claim 22 wherein addressing at least a portion of the unfulfilled need with the at least one skill offered by the one or more assigned distributed actors includes:

generating one or more response portions with the at least one skill offered by the one or more assigned distributed actors.

24 . The computer program product of claim 23 further comprising:

forming a bespoke response to the unfulfilled need based, at least in part, upon the one or more response portions.

25 . The computer program product of claim 24 further comprising:

providing the bespoke response to a party associated with the unfulfilled need.

26 . The computer program product of claim 24 further comprising:

effectuating, in whole or in part, the bespoke response.

27 . The computer program product of claim 15 wherein maintaining a group of distributed actors includes:

maintaining a database that defines the group of distributed actors.

28 . The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the quality-of-service statistics define one or more of:

a user satisfaction level for each of the group of distributed actors; and

a review score for each of the group of distributed actors.

29 . A computing system including a processor and memory configured to perform operations comprising:

maintaining a group of distributed actors, wherein each of the distributed actors offers at least one skill;

maintaining quality-of-service statistics for each of the group of distributed actors; and

monitoring an environment to detect the existence of an unfulfilled need.

30 . The computing system of claim 29 further comprising:

assigning one or more distributed actors to address the unfulfilled need based, at least in part, upon the quality-of-service statistics and the at least one skill offered by the one or more distributed actors, thus defining one or more assigned distributed actors.

31 . The computing system of claim 30 wherein assigning one or more distributed actors to address the unfulfilled need includes one or more of:

immediately assigning to the one or more distributed actors;

inquiring on the availability of the one or more distributed actors; and

allowing the user to choose the one or more distributed actors from a group of potential distributed actors.

32 . The computing system of claim 29 wherein monitoring an environment to detect the existence of an unfulfilled need includes:

detecting the existence of a request.

33 . The computing system of claim 32 wherein detecting the existence of a request includes one or more of:

receiving a request from a human distributed actor; and

receiving a request from a non-human distributed actor.

34 . The computing system of claim 29 wherein the group of distributed actors include one or more of:

a software platform;

a software application;

a virtual machine; and

a web-based service.

35 . The computing system of claim 29 wherein the one or more assigned distributed actors interact, directly or indirectly, with one or more distributed sub-actors to address at least a portion of the unfulfilled need.

36 . The computing system of claim 29 further comprising:

addressing at least a portion of the unfulfilled need with the at least one skill offered by the one or more assigned distributed actors.

37 . The computing system of claim 36 wherein addressing at least a portion of the unfulfilled need with the at least one skill offered by the one or more assigned distributed actors includes:

generating one or more response portions with the at least one skill offered by the one or more assigned distributed actors.

38 . The computing system of claim 37 further comprising:

forming a bespoke response to the unfulfilled need based, at least in part, upon the one or more response portions.

39 . The computing system of claim 38 further comprising:

providing the bespoke response to a party associated with the unfulfilled need.

40 . The computing system of claim 38 further comprising:

effectuating, in whole or in part, the bespoke response.

41 . The computing system of claim 29 wherein maintaining a group of distributed actors includes:

maintaining a database that defines the group of distributed actors.

42 . The computing system of claim 29 wherein the quality-of-service statistics define one or more of:

a user satisfaction level for each of the group of distributed actors; and a review score for each of the group of distributed actors.