Patent ID: 7222151

Claim:
A system for communication with a mobile data processing device by way of a mobile software agent, said system comprising: means for transmitting the mobile software agent; means for spreading the mobile software agent from an originating system via a network to one or more destination systems; means for running the mobile software agent; and means for communicating, including a mobile software agent interface component for communicating with the mobile software agent, and a mobile data processing device interface component, for communicating with the mobile data processing device; wherein the mobile software agent includes an event-handling component to handle events communicated via the mobile data processing device interface component relating to the status of the mobile data processing device; a recognition component to recognize the destination system; an execution component to run on the destination system; a classification component to classify the mobile data processing device; one or more action components to perform specific actions on the mobile data processing device dependent on results from the classification component; a checkback component for checking back to the originating system or to other mobile software agents indicating whether installation on the one or more destination systems or the action being performed on the mobile data processing device succeeded or failed; a replication component for producing a copy of the mobile software agent for distribution to other destination systems; a merger component for merging several mobile software agents having like tasks into a single merged mobile software agent; and a self-termination component for terminating the mobile software agent after a preset life span or a defined event.