System for distributed task execution

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 or 2 further comprising interacting with a participant at the computer to enable the participant to define the task to be executed, and embedding information related to the defined task in one of the mobile programs.

Claim 6

The method of claim 3 wherein the participant comprises a person.

Claim 7

The method of claim 3 wherein the participant comprises a process running on a computer.

Claim 8

The method of claim 3 wherein the participant comprises a mobile program running on a computer.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 or 2 further comprising, at the computer, interpreting task information contained in mobile programs.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the step of advancing the execution of tasks includes interacting with repositories of digital objects.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the step of advancing the execution of a task includes querying a database of information or other data.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the information concerning a task to be done includes interpretable or executable instructions.

Claim 13

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the step of advancing the execution of a task includes applying stored expert knowledge.

Claim 14

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the mobile program also contains a digital object.

Claim 15

The method of claim 12 wherein the digital object includes protocol transformation information.

Claim 16

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the step of advancing the execution of a task includes protocol transformation.

Claim 17

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the step of advancing the execution of a task includes providing a directory service identifying other locations which provide services related to the task.

Claim 18

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the step of advancing the execution of a task includes making a security determination.

Claim 19

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the step of advancing execution of a task includes providing a “what's new” service.

Claim 20

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the step of advancing execution of a task includes providing a “clipping” or “abstracting” service.

Claim 21

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the step of advancing execution of a task includes providing a version control service for managing versions of the mobile program.

Claim 22

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the step of advancing execution of a task includes determining the structure of a mobile program and for accessing its elements.

Claim 23

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the step of advancing execution of a task includes responding to actions of a user by obtaining execution of the task at another location without indicating to the user that the execution occurred at the other location.

Claim 24

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the step of advancing execution of a task includes creating a derivative work from an existing work.

Claim 25

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the step of advancing execution of a task includes generating another mobile program.

Claim 26

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the step of advancing execution of a task includes passing a message from a source mobile program to a target mobile program at the same location or at a different location.

Claim 27

The method of claim 24 wherein the same message is passed to multiple mobile programs.

Claim 30

The method of claim 26 further comprising locally receiving the return mobile program, and providing results to a user based on the results contained within the return mobile program.

Claim 31

The method of claim 26 further comprising generating additional mobile programs which are based on the local query and comply with the mobile-program protocol, sending each of the additional mobile programs to another repository, and at each of the other repositories, responding to the corresponding mobile programs by querying the other repository, and returning the results of the query from each of the other repositories within a return mobile program which complies with the mobile-program protocol.

Claim 32

The method of claim 28 further comprising locally receiving the return mobile programs, and processing the results contained within the return mobile programs to provide a consistent presentation to a user.

Claim 33

The method of claim 29 wherein the consistent presentation to the user is updated as additional return mobile programs are received.

Claim 34

The method of claim 29 wherein the processing includes removing redundant information.

Claim 35

The method of claim 26 wherein the return mobile program is a modified version of the original mobile program.

Claim 36

The method of claim 26 wherein the additional mobile programs are generated locally and sent via a communication medium of the network.

Claim 37

The method of claim 26 wherein additional mobile programs are sent locally and where return mobile programs corresponding to the original mobile program are received locally.

Claim 38

The method of claim 26 wherein the query protocol comprises a displayed form, completed by a user.

Claim 39

The method of claim 26 wherein the mobile program protocol differs from the query protocol and from the repository protocol.

Claim 40

The method of claim 26 wherein the mobile program protocol invokes the syntax of an executable interpretive programming language.

Claim 41

The method of claim 26 wherein the mobile program comprises an executable interpretive programming language portion and a navigational portion.

Claim 42

The method of claim 38 wherein the mobile program reaches the remote repository site by navigating the network, and wherein the navigational portion of the mobile program comprises information related to the navigating.

Claim 43

The method of claim 26 further comprising at the remote repository site sending a status mobile program indicating the status of execution of the query.

Claim 44

The method of claim 26 further comprising at the remote repository, executing the mobile program to determine an appropriate repository query, storing the mobile program during the querying of the repository and controlling the querying of the repository and the returning of the results based on control information contained in the mobile program.

Claim 45

The method of claim 26 further comprising locally using a mobile-program service station to create, send, receive, and delete mobile programs.

Claim 46

The method of claim 26 further comprising at the remote repository site, using a mobile-program service station to create, send, receive, control, process, and delete mobile programs.

Claim 47

The method of claim 26 further comprising locally and automatically selecting the remote repository to which the mobile program will be sent based on the local query.

Claim 48

The method of claim 26 wherein sending the mobile program includes conforming the mobile program to an electronic mail protocol or a file transfer protocol or other communication method on the network.

Claim 49

The method of claim 26 further comprising including in the mobile program, protocol transformation information.

Claim 50

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the mobile programs further include authentication information.

Claim 51

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the mobile programs further include scheduling information.

Claim 52

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the mobile programs further include payment information.

Claim 53

The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein the mobile program is persistent.

Claim 54

Apparatus for enabling tasks to be done on a network comprising computers and a communication medium, comprising a mobile-program service environment including, at each of the computers on the network, a mobile-program service station in the form of software running on a computer, the service station providing services which include receiving mobile programs over the network, each mobile program having a structure of parts arranged to enable the structure and the parts to be commonly understood and processed at any of the computers in the network, the structure including an identifier that is globally unique across the network and that permits the existence and location of the mobile program to be controlled and determined at any of the computers in the network for at least as long as the mobile program exists; navigation information defining a route through the network; and information concerning a task to be done, the information being expressed in a manner that permits it to be interpreted at any of the computers in the network, advancing the execution of tasks associated with the mobile programs at each of the computers in the network, storing the mobile programs, creating the mobile programs, and communicating the mobile program over the network.

Claim 55

Apparatus for enabling tasks to be done on a network comprising computers and a communication medium, comprising a mobile-program service environment including, at each of the computers on the network, a mobile-program service station in the form of software running on a computer, the service station providing services which include receiving mobile programs over the network, each mobile program having a structure of parts arranged to enable the structure and the parts to be commonly understood and processed at any of the computers in the network, the structure including an identifier that is globally unique across the network and that permits the existence and location of the mobile program to be controlled and determined at any of the computers in the network for at least as long as the mobile program exists; navigation information defining a route through the network; and information concerning a task to be done, the information being expressed in a manner that permits it to be interpreted at any of the computers in the network, advancing the execution of tasks associated with the mobile programs at each of the computers in the network, storing the mobile programs, creating the mobile programs, and communicating the mobile program over the network.

Claim 60

The method of claim 53 in which the mobile program is itself a digital object.

Claim 61

The method of claim 53 in which at least some of the mobile program stays at the local system for a period of time.

Claim 62

The method of claim 54 in which at least some of the mobile program stays at the local system for a period of time.

Claim 63

The method of claim 53 , 54 , 55 , or 56 in which notification is provided as actions are performed on the object.

Claim 64

The method of claim 53 , 54 , 55 , or 56 in which information about actions performed on the object is recorded.

Claim 65

The method of claim 57 in which information about actions performed on the object is recorded.