Patent ID: 8489668
Filing Date: 2013-07-16
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A system for managing agents, comprising: a processor with a memory communicatively coupled to the processor; a set of system components configured to coordinate interactions between the agents; a hub component within the set of system components that is configured to route communications to and from each of the agents, wherein, for each user in a plurality of users, the hub component is configured to route communications for the user to and from a set of the agents in accordance with a user-specified wiring relationship for the user between the set of the agents; a plurality of request processors in the hub component, each request processor configured to communicate requests to agents in the set of agents to which the requests are directed and to receive corresponding responses from the agents, wherein the request processors are configured to enable parallel processing of separate requests; a configuration component within the set of system components, wherein the configuration component enables the user to configure agents and to specify the set of the agents and the wiring relationship for the user between the set of the agents; a user-experience website within the set of system components, the user-experience website configured to provide a graphical editing tool which enables the user to configure agents, link agent and system components; and generate configuration information; one or more interface components within the set of system components, wherein the one or more interface components provide popularity and ranking information for agents through the user-experience website, suggest agents to the user based upon use information about the user and similar users, and receive a request from the user and forward the request to the hub component; and a billing component within the set of system components, wherein, for each user in the plurality of users, the billing component is configured to use the user-specified wiring relationship for the user and billing rate information for one or more of the agents to determine a charge for the user, and collect payments from users and to distribute payments to agent authors.