FACL: a form-based agent communication language for enduser-initiative agent-based application development

The number of end users using the Internet increases on the inside and outside of offices. End user-initiative development of applications has become important for automation of their own tasks. For a solution based on the philosophy: “All routine work both at office and at home should be carried out by computers”, the paper describes a multi-agent framework and an agent communication language (ACL) for the MOON (multi-agent-oriented office network) systems which are distributed systems including window work in B-to-C and B-to-B electronic commerce. The multi-agent framework is a Java application framework and includes a form based ACL (FACL) as a common protocol for passing application forms and the three kinds of agents working at: client terminals, server-at-windows and the MOON servers respectively. FACL has a very simple message structure (who, what, how, which) because FACL was designed based on the simple concept that “one service=one form”. FACL is used primarily for window task sending or receiving written forms between a client agent and a domain expert agent. In addition, broker agents and mobile agents of MOON servers participate in these communications for directory, services and form delivery services. FACL brings high interoperability among distributed application systems based on agent technologies, and promotes end users themselves developing their agents by teaching agents what to do