System and method for using a mobile agent object to collect data

Abstract

Method and system for collecting and filtering messages received at an event source platform and delivering the filtered messages to a collection host platform. According to one embodiment, the system uses a mobile agent object to filter messages received at an event source platform. The mobile agent object determines a filtered set of messages that match predetermined parameters and then delivers the filtered messages to a collection host platform for storage or redirection.

1 . A method for collecting message objects using a mobile agent object, the method comprising:
 receiving a plurality of message objects at an event source platform; filtering the received message objects in the event source platform with a mobile agent object executing therein to determine a filtered set of message objects; and   delivering the filtered message objects to a collection host platform.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising delivering the mobile agent object to the event source platform from the collection host platform via a network connection prior to the filtering. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising delivering the mobile agent object to the event source platform via a network from a control device platform via a network connection prior to the filtering. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising delivering the mobile agent object to a second event source platform from the first event source platform via a network connection prior to delivering the filtered message objects to the collection host platform. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising delivering the filtered message objects to a display device platform from the collection host platform via a network connection. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising delivering the filtered message objects to a control device platform from the collection host platform via a network connection. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing the filtered message objects to a message database in the collection host platform. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein filtering is in response to an event trigger. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the event trigger is the receiving of a message. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the message objects comprise voice-mail messages. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the message objects comprise electronic-mail messages. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the message objects comprise digitally encoded text messages. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 configuring the mobile agent object at a control device platform; and delivering the mobile agent object to the event source platform prior to the receiving of the plurality of message objects.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the filtering comprises passing message objects to the filtered set of message objects that have a predetermined recipient. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the filtering comprises passing message objects to the filtered set of message objects that have a predetermined subject matter. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the filtering comprises passing message objects to the filtered set of message objects that have a predetermined source. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the filtering comprises passing message objects to the filtered set of message objects that have a predetermined time and date stamp. 
   
   
       18 . A method for collecting message objects from multiple event source platforms, the method comprising:
 filtering message objects resident within a first event source platform with a first mobile agent object to determine a first filtered set of message objects; sending the first set of filtered message objects to a database in a collection host platform;   filtering message objects resident within a second event source platform with a second mobile agent object to determine a second filtered set of message objects; and   sending the second set of filtered message objects to the database in a collection host platform.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising delivering the first and second set of filtered message objects to a display device platform from the collection host platform via a network connection. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising delivering the first and second set of filtered message objects to a control device platform from the collection host platform via a network connection. 
   
   
       21 . A method for managing message objects, the method comprising: configuring a mobile agent object to execute in an event source platform and to identify and filter message objects received by the event source platform; assembling message objects identified and filtered by the mobile agent object in the event source platform;
 delivering the identified and filtered message objects to a collection host platform; and   redirecting the identified and filtered message objects from the collection host platform to a display device platform.   
   
   
       22 . A method for configuring a mobile agent object, the method comprising: configuring a mobile agent object to filter an event and to deliver information about the event to a predetermined address in response to the event matching predetermined conditions during the filtering; and
 delivering the mobile agent object to an event source platform operable to execute the mobile agent object.   
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the event is a message being received by the event source platform. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the mobile agent object is configured in a platform other than the event source platform by a mobile agent object toolkit. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the platform other than the event source platform is a control device platform. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the mobile agent object toolkit is controlled by a control vector initiated by a user of the platform. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the predetermined address resides in a collection host platform coupled with the event source platform by a network connection. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the configuring further comprises configuring the mobile agent object to respond to a plurality of event triggers and to filter the events with a plurality of message property requirements such that the mobile agent object delivers information about a plurality of filtered events to a predetermined address in response to anyone of the plurality of events matching predetermined conditions during the filtering. 
   
   
       29 . A system for collecting messages received at a plurality of event source platforms, the system comprising:
 at least one event source platform operable to receive a plurality of events and having a mobile agent object executing therein I the mobile agent object operable to filter the events in response to receiving the events; and   a collection host platform operable to receive filtered events from the mobile agent object executing in the event source platform.   
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the plurality of events comprise receiving at least one electronic mail. 
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the plurality of events comprise receiving at least one voice mail. 
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the plurality of events comprises receiving at least one digitally encoded test message. 
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 29 , further comprising a display device platform coupled to the collection host platform and operable to display filtered events received from the collection host platform. 
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the display device platform is a personal computer. 
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the display device platform is a fax machine. 
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the display device platform is a POP3 email account. 
   
   
       37 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the display device platform is a mobile communication device. 
   
   
       38 . The system of  claim 28 , further comprising a control device platform operable to configure a mobile agent object and operable to deliver the mobile agent object to an event source platform. 
   
   
       39 . The system of  claim 38  wherein the control device platform further comprises a mobile agent object toolkit operable to configure a mobile agent object in response to a control vector initiated from a user of the control device platform. 
   
   
       40 . The system of  claim 39  wherein the control device platform comprises a personal computer. 
   
   
       41 . The system of  claim 39  wherein the control device platform comprises a server computer. 
   
   
       42 . The system of  claim 39  wherein the control device platform comprises a touchpad device. 
   
   
       43 . The system of  claim 39  wherein the display device platform comprises a mobile communication device. 
   
   
       44 . The system of  claim 28 , further comprising an event database resident in the collection host platform, the event database operable to store filtered events received by the collection host platform. 
   
   
       45 . A data carrier carrying a mobile agent object having computer-executable instructions for:
 navigating to an event source platform;   monitoring events that occur in the event source platform for a predetermined type of event;   if a predetermined type of event occurs; filtering the predetermined type of event to determine if the event matches a predetermined parameter; and   if the event matches the predetermined parameter, sending information about the event to a collection host platform.   
   
   
       46 . The data carrier of  claim 45  wherein the predetermined type of event is the receiving of a message object in the event source platform. 
   
   
       47 . The data carrier of  claim 45  wherein the predetermined types of events are configured according to an event trigger set of instructions. 
   
   
       48 . The data carrier of  claim 45  wherein the predetermined parameter is configured according to a set of message property requirements.