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SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUGMENTING KNOWLEDGE COMMERCE

Invention Summary

 

OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention broadly relates to a System and Method for addressing the opportunities, paradoxes and problems associated with the Knowledge/Network Economy, and the transition to it. The System and Method of the present Invention create a unified experience of work that scales from individual thought processes to the building and using of a global system of commerce.

The System and Method of the present Invention integrate, into a single method, a myriad of now un-integrated tools and processes that are conducted across contradictory and non-collaborative environments. The System and Method of the present Invention provides a way-of-working that unifies and facilitates the value of AGENTS of all kinds: Human, machine, environmental and a wide array of tools, infrastructure elements and methods of information storage and commerce.

The scope of this Invention relates to the facilitation and augmentation ToA of physical, mental and virtual Agents, on multiple levels of recursion, ranging from neural nets, bits of computer code, to human thoughts, humans, tools, tool kits, environments, organizations, networks and organizations of networks of a global scale.

It is a basis of this Invention that all things (and “no”-things) can be described and treated in the language of Object-Oriented “code” that establishes a family of relationships and rules that govern their interactions as Agents ToA. Further, that complex, emergent ToA “life-like” systems involve the interaction of multiple Agents through multiple iterations and on multiple levels of recursion; that complex behavior emerges as the consequence of iteration, recursion, feedback, critical mass and the specific “genetic code” (rules, algorithms and physical constraints) that govern the interactions.

Complex behavior of complex systems is not predictable nor controllable in the common sense of these words. This gives rise to many problems in the realm of Human action in large-scale creative relationships and economies. Prior to the present Invention, there has been no method and system for describing, creating and acting upon Agents in such a way that desired results can be accomplished in a reliable manner without destroying the phenomena of “group genius” (Synergy) and emergence thus degrading the result to a simple-solution that lacks adequate requisite variety ToA with the situation in focus.

In other words, the limits of the available methods themselves, set the scope of the resulting “solution-sets” which, as a consequence, are increasingly becoming categorically and systemically nonviable. If all you have is a hammer, every attachment solution becomes a nail.

As Humans struggle with the emerging ToA complexity ToA, time compression ToA, the global nature and virtual ToA character of the so called “Knowledge/Network Economy,” the intrinsic limits of applying essentially linear, sequential, “simple” methods to ever more complex situations creates conditions Othat are increasingly unstable and dangerous.

The pattern of this situation is ubiquitous. For example, often the extreme movements of financial markets are related more to technical adjustments in the monetary system and to public opinion (based on a single public statement) rather than being an accurate reflection of the true status and health of the economy or any component of it. To have a single “Agent” type - such as the dollar - serving as a single feedback loop of such a complex system is poor systems engineering.

Alternative Agent-scripts will be necessary to satisfy the Requisite Variety Rule RS and to provide vitality and stability in a truly global economy. There are myriad conditions that have to be understood, organized and acted upon to succeed in the realms covered by this invention; however - prior to this invention - there existed no unifying language, system and method of work to do so.

On the scale of human work processes, environments and tooling rL5 which facilitate creativity, as one example, many different languages are employed to “describe” phenomena and direct action. This “Tower of Babel” exists among the fields related to these realms - on the level of recursion related to humans - and, almost totally fails to describe, recognize and provide necessary structure “below” (neural nets, computer codes, tool kits) and “above” (environments, systems, organizations, networks, ecologies) thus making unified, systemic action impossible.

This web of phenomena is seen and treated as made up of different, unrelated and often contradictory elements (the perceived conflict between human economies and natural ecology, as example). This causes immense confusion, leads to poor utilization of resources and and drives emergent behavior of increasing instability in complex systems such as human collaboration, large organizations, global networks and economies.

It is a significant insight of the present invention that a System and Method is required to “see” and treat (act upon) a broad bandwidth of this phenomena in an unified way that:

1) Provides a language (Descriptive, Technical, Pattern Language, Modeling Language, Algorithm, Deep Language) that describes the necessary phenomena, from the levels of neural nets to global economies, as essentially similar and reoccurring, rule based processes that can be treated in consistent, concurrent engineering terms (in other words, the similarities between the complex phenomena can be described and employed);

2) Provides the ability to create environments (made up of processes, environments and tools) - which can be also treated as Agents - so that Agents (on the levels of recursion from computer code to networks) can be housed, augmented, facilitated and “acted upon” in such a way as to systematically promote interaction, collaboration, synergy, leading to desired emergent behavior;

3) Provides the processes and rules of interaction so that the proper facilitation of interaction among Agents (of many kinds) is accomplished; so that collaborative environments for these Agents are created; so that tools and a system of tools necessary for Agent interaction and synergy is provided; so that the transportation of Agents (without “down time”) and allowing sophisticated interactions (in transit and “parking” and upon “arrival”) is made possible; so that Agents can create and trade value (and form custom economies), and so that, a system and method of work and commerce is made consistent with the realities and conditions of an emergent, global Knowledge/Network Economy;

4) Provides the net result of Human collaboration and “group genius” (with orders of magnitude greater productivity and reduction of time and effort - therefor cost) able to remain requisite with the complexity - that humans themselves are creating - while being able to better integrate human actions with other natural phenomena.

An insight of the present Invention is that “structure wins” and that the factors limiting the present economy are intrinsic, structural and technical. It is not simply a matter of human imagination, level of effort or good will - working harder will not improve things, it may make them worse.

To appropriately effect a complex system one must act upon the system as a system. To do this the Law of Requisite Variety (Asby, Beer) must be met. Existing processes, tools and environments do not allow this. Many aspects of the present system-in-place are contrary to the precepts and necessary conditions for the emergence of a true Knowledge/Network Economy. At the simplest level, there is not an adequate working definition of what a Knowledge Economy is.

The complexity of presently forming and future Human social systems, technologies and economies is such that they cannot, in principle, be analyzed, understood and directed. A whole new strategy of human work has to be devised. A whole new tool-kit has to be developed to implement the strategy. A new language has to be created to identify, “see,” and act with efficacy.

This is a “technical” problem and the languages, methods and tools of the present economy, as expressed in business, economics, politics and social theory cannot address the necessary levels of “action” that are required. The technical system of communication, banking and legal structures further impede growth and transition. The Industrial Economy cannot evolve into a Knowledge Economy - there are too many systems-in-place that cannot be removed without causing premature failure of the existing order. This would have disastrous results.

However, the emerging elements of the new economy are driving unprecedented growth and complexity that can “blow up” the present systems ability to respond.

Many (would be) “solutions” actually increase complexity further, thus, increasing the rate of decline of the system that was (to be) “fixed.” This is the result of too many, misplaced positive feedback loops ToA built into many key elements of the system. A new system has to be put in place that can exist in parallel with the old, augmenting the Industrial Economy, and replacing it over time.

Prior to this Invention, there is no known method (or known attempt to make a method) that explicitly addresses these issues.

The existing “economy” exists on multiple levels of recursion. It is no just “out there” in a contextual, abstract sense. As one simple example, it is an embedded language and set of constraints in the memory of a group designing a new product.

Any robust process has to allow “Graceful Failure” ToA. The present invention, therefore, composes a whole system that can emerge, incrementally, augment the existing order but, ultimately, create a system with orders of magnitude more flexibility and capability of processing complexity. The interaction and integration of the Subsystems described herein is a particularly significant aspect of the present invention. For example, a process on one level of a Subsystem can turn out to be a specialized process of what is another Subsystem. Moreover, a step in a process of one Subsystem can turn out to be the same step in the process of another Subsystem. This, of course, demonstrates the principles of Recursion and Iteration. In a broader sense, the interaction and integration of the Subsystems and the recursive and iterative aspects of the System and Subsystems relate to the issue of intelligence (ToA) itself.

The system and its Subsystems are a kit of “tools” or “components” required to making networks and “non-living” systems “intelligent.” In this sense, the present invention is a system that contains processes that are related to the construction of any “thinking” system and that are likely to emerge on the level of a PC or in the network itself. An example of this is that an Agent on the level of an JAVA Applet is seen to be no different (other than capacity and rule-set) than a human Agent in a DesignShop or a KnOwhere Store (as an) Agent in a Network (itself an Agent).

All of these Agents act by rules and can be facilitated, for example, as described in Subsystem 1 of the present Invention pertaining to facilitation of Agents. The present inventors have found that it is the similarities among these Agents that are critically important. All these exhibit many of the same behaviors as a mind/brain neural Agent as described by Minsky. In contrast, differences are species specific and, thus, less relevant to the overall system and process of the present Invention. This vantage point, of similarities among vastly “different” Agents, then offers a new perspective for considering the question of what makes a complex system work including what is “intelligence” or “life.”

Iteration, Recursion and “Critical Mass” and “Entrainment” ToA and Feedback may well form the principal Agency (architecture) of what we commonly refer to as intelligence and self awareness. (See: Lilly and Janes).

Naturally, it takes the materials of a real species to make a living thing and, naturally, these materials will interact according to their own rules - but this is immaterial to what makes life. “Life” can be breathed into anything if certain aspects and patterns exist. Thus, in addition to iteration and recursion, critical mass and entrainment, the processes, tools and enviornments - as a systemic approach - establish foundations for truly intelligent systems that are, at least life-like - it not capable of evolving into real living systems (Gaia Hypothesis - Lovelock).

In particular, the System of the present Invention includes a plurality of real Agents - each real Agent having a plurality of characteristics. Agents are used in the sense previously defined. The System further includes means for creating virtual Agents to represent real Agents in the system, each of the Agents containing data corresponding to some characteristic of the real Agent represented. This means can be a computer capable of copying computer code to replicate another Agent or biochemical replicators or humans creating copies of Agents. Humans, teams, groups and organizations can create models (Agents).

The System further includes means for allowing at least some of the Agents to control the degree to which data corresponding to characteristics is revealed to other Agents. Humans and agents at higher levels of recursion (teams, groups organizations etc.) plainly have this capability and computers can be programmed to create software Agents (e.g., objects or applets) that reveal more or less data to other Agents. This feature can also be achieve through known biochemical techniques.

The system further includes means for allowing Agents to control other Agents, including themselves. Humans and other Agents operating at higher levels of recursion typically can control themselves and Agents at lower levels of recursion, including tools. Control in this context is used in its cybernetic definition. Human agents and agents operating at higher levels of recursion can, but do not necessarily have control, over Agents at their own level of recursion. Computers can be used to create software Agents (e.g., objects or applets) that control other software objects. The system further includes means for at least some of the virtual Agents having an access/use characteristic that allows access or use only to agents having access privilege corresponding to the Agent. Computers can be used to create software Agents (e.g., objects or applets) that have an access/use characteristic. There are also known biochemical techniques for controlling access.

At the human level and higher levels of recursion, there are numerous ways of controlling access, including, without limitation, password protection, locks and biometrics tools. The system further includes means for allowing the Agents to posses access or use privileges with respect to access or use of other Agents. Computers can assign or grant privileges to software Agents (e.g., objects or applets). There are also known biochemical techniques for granting access to certain Agents, but not others. At the human level and higher levels of recursion, there are numerous ways of gaining access, including, without limitation, keys passwords, locks and biometrics characteristics.

The system also includes means for allowing Agents to control what is revealed by those Agents that they control or interact with. Computers can limit the degree to which software agents (e.g., objects or applets) communicate with one another. There are also known biochemical techniques for determining certain characteristics of other Agents, but not others. At the human level and higher levels of recursion, there are numerous ways of limiting disclosure.

The system also includes means for allowing Agents to modify the Agents that they control. This means can be a computer capable of altering computer code to modify another agent or biochemical replicators or humans creating copies of Agents. Humans, teams, groups and organizations can modify models and lower level Agents and some Agents at or above their own level of recursion. The system also includes means for allowing Agents to replicate other Agents to the extent the characteristics of the other Agents are revealed. Again, this means can be a computer capable of copying computer code to replicate another Agent or biochemical replicators or humans creating copies of Agents.

Humans, teams, groups and organizations can create models and other Agents through copying what they observe. The system also includes means for measuring actual performance of Agents. Any known measurement means can be used. The measurement may be objective, e.g., a quantity or measured value or the measurement may be subjective, e.g., “good” or “bad.”

The system also includes means for inputting expected performance of Agents. The means for inputting may be a human to computer data interface, communication between software objects, biochemical communication, a statement of goals and objectives. The system also includes means for comparing actual performance of Agents to expected performance of Agents The comparison may be objective, e.g., a difference between a desired and actual quantity or measured value or the comparison may be subjective, e.g., “goals met” or “objectives achieved.”

The system also includes means for modifying Agents based on the difference between actual performance of Agents and expected performance of Agents. Again, this means can be a computer capable of copying computer code to modify another agent or biochemical agents or humans altering of Agents. Humans, teams, groups and organizations can modify models and other Agents through altering the composition of the Agent components, e.g., the members of a steam or the objects used in an “electronic” environment. The system also includes means for allowing communication between Agents limited to what the Agents reveal about themselves. There are myriad forms of Agent communication from direct human to human communication to biochemical reaction to electronic communication to communication through networked computers. Any known means of communication may be used.

The system also includes means for determining the location of Agents within the system. Again, any known means may be used. Computers can track and keep records of the location of objects in the system or software objects can be programmed to report their own location. With human agents and tools, GPS is an effective way of communicating an agents location to an electronic Agent. Any of the senses smell, sound, visual touch can be used to determine location, however.

The system also includes means for determining the health, status or condition of Agents within the system. Any known means may be used for this purpose. At lower levels of recursion direct measurement is possible with tools or systems. At higher levels of recursion health, status or condition can be sensed or monitored electronically or determined through inspection by other Agents. The system also includes means for determining the value that other Agents places on access, control, use or communication of another Agent and report. The means employed can be any form of market (live or virtual), an auction, an electronic or textual reference table, e.g., “the Blue Book,” a physical characteristic, e.g., “attraction” or actuarial tables and statistical analyses.

The present Invention also contemplates a variety of methods for optimizing interaction among Agents that include various combinations of the following steps:

Creating virtual Agents to represent real Agents in the system, each of the Agents containing data corresponding to some physical characteristic of the real Agent represented; at least some of the Agents can control the degree to which data corresponding to physical characteristics is revealed to other Agents;

Allowing Agents to control other Agents, including themselves; at least some of the virtual Agents having an access/use characteristic that allows access or use only to Agents having access privilege corresponding to the Agent; allowing the Agents to posses access or use privileges with respect to access or use of other Agents; allowing Agents to control what is revealed by those Agents that they control; allowing Agents to modify the Agents that they control;

Allowing Agents to replicate other Agents to the extent the characteristics of the other Agents are revealed; measuring actual performance of Agents; inputting expected performance of Agents; comparing actual performance of Agents to expected performance of Agents; modifying Agents based on the difference between Actual performance of Agents and expected performance of Agents;

Allowing communication between Agents limited to what the Agents reveal about themselves; determining the location of Agents within the system; determining the health, status or condition of Agents within the system; determining the value that other Agents places on access, control, use or communication of another Agent and report.

 

For ease of understanding, the system of the present invention will be described as including six discrete Sub-Systems.

return to invention Summary

The six Sub-Systems of the present invention are linked, connected and integrated in myriad ways at many levels of recursion. The six Subsystems of the present invention may be summarized as follows:

Subsystem 1
System and Method for Facilitating Interaction among Agents - Promoting Feedback, Learning and Emergent Group Genius in a Radically Compressed Time Period

AGENT INTERACTION Dissolves many problems of numerous Agents (Humans, computers, books, data bases, environmental and infrastructure elements, multimedia objects, etc.) speaking in non-compatible voices while interacting to solve complex problems associated with the necessity to stay requisite with a quickly changing and transforming environment and economy. Dissolves numerous blocks to the systematic emergence of synergy among Agents.

Subsystem 2
System and Method for Optimizing Agent Pattern Language Values in Collaborative Environments

AGENT ENVIRONMENTS Dissolves many problems of Human (and other Agents) Architectural Pattern Language Values while accomplishing flexibility of arrangement (from workstation component level to building scale), the variety of individual and work spaces necessary for the full range of knowledge-intensive work (including collaboration of different size groups), the integration of multimedia and communication tools, yet, accomplishing a greater utilization of space and utilities than existing systems. Dissolves numerous blocks to the timely and economic management of these environments.

Subsystem 3
System and Method for Integrating/Optimizing Technical Systems to Promote Agent Interaction

AGENT SYSTEMS Dissolves many problems of knowledge-augmentation by technical systems and tools for single Agent work and the collaborative interaction of Agents, both real time and asynchronously, through multi-channel and multimedia networks and tool sets. Dissolves numerous blocks to the systematic creation, testing and employment of Agents of many kinds.

Subsystem 4
System and Method for Transporting Agents and Agent Environments as an integrated Experience

AGENT TRANSPORTATION Dissolves many problems of seamless and integrated Agent (and agent environments) transportation providing a continuity of work and experience required by the demands of a global economy. Dissolves numerous blocks related to supply chain integration, RemotePresence, RemoteCollaboration and RemoteManufacturing.

Subsystem 5
System and Method for Structuring and Facilitating Value Exchange among Agents Forming Real and Virtual Economies

AGENT ECONOMY Dissolves many issues of facilitating knowledge-economy Transactions and Agent value accounting while radically reducing the multiplicity of financial instruments (in a myriad of legal environments) now systemic to the industrial-based economy. Dissolves many problems associated with the evaluation of intangible assets. Dissolves many problems associated with the failure of existing “instruments and processes of execution” to accomplish the cycle-time (ToA), fine-graininess, ubiquity and scale-of-use required by the emerging Knowledge/Network Economy (ToA) - today, “ v does not equal V” (RS).

Subsystem 6
System and Method for Facilitating Work and Commerce among Agents in a Knowledge Economy

AGENT WORK AND COMMERCE Dissolves many problems of Agent participation in a Complex Global Economy and the TRANSITION to it. Dissolves many problems related to the incremental use of new capacities that, lacking appropriate built-in feedback, can actually damage the economic system that “hosts” them.

 

THE SYSTEM AND METHOD AS A SYSTEM

In accordance with the present Invention, however, all of these Subsystems INTEGRATE into a single System and Method-of-Work that facilitates a seamless, continuity of effort and high-performance results across what are now partially connected systems, (at different and, often, non-communicating levels of recursion), now delivering a fragmented, expensive and lengthy experience that is not requisite with the existing (let alone future) complexity nor rate-of-change in the global economic environment. It is necessary to follow the links provided on these web pages, not only to the description of the System and Method itself, but to the many projects, processes, artifacts and products hereby referenced to see the integration that is referenced herein. These projects, processes, artifacts and products are examples only and do not limit the scope and applicability of this System and Method.

 

PRINCIPLES OF ITERATION AND FEEDBACK
AND THE RULE OF RECURSION
AS USED IN THE PRESENT INVENTION.

One important aspect of the present Invention is the use of iteration ToA, feedback (ToA) and recursion (ToA) in the System and Method to consistently provoke emergent (ToA) behavior. In particular, iteration, feedback and recursion assembled properly (architecture) along with critical mass and proper scope will generate sufficient complexity to deal with the “Requisite Variety” rule and facilitate emergent behavior in systems. This is significant since the Requisite Variety issue has remained “unanswered” since the foundations of Cybernetics were established in the 1940s and 1950s (Weiner, Asby, Beer). There is no known system and method in which emergent behavior can be consistently provoked (as a directed, documented, transferable practice, engaging Agents of many kinds and on many levels) outside of the present invention.

Rule of Recursion:

All elements that define viability, on one level of recursion, of a system must occur on all levels of recursion of the system (Beer). For a complex Agent to be viable or for a simple Agent to be effective in a complex environment, (of Agents) the Agent must be “acted upon” (and/or be acting) at a minimum of three Levels of Recursion (“above,” at the level of the Agent and a level “below” the Agent).

It is an insight of this invention that a complex Agent cannot be predicted or controlled at the level of its own emergence. Levels of recursion above the Agent constitute context. Levels below the Agent constitute disciplines. The level of the Agent must be free if emergence is to occur systematically.

Actions that on a single Level of Recursion that are additive, on multiple Levels of Recursion will usually be multipliers, leverage is accomplished by employing more than one Level of Recursion (thus, dealing with the Requisite Variety Rule: Variety must equal Variety). Generally, greater complexity can be dealt with or accomplished by employing Recursion than by action on one level of a system (given the same number of actions and level of resources). Emergence happens “between” (out of) Levels of Recursion.

Rule of Iteration:

All things being equal, a single iteration of work, in isolation, is additive between steps while multiple iterations of work (in a continuous process) multiplies results. Work iterations must happen in rapid succession and within time compression for maximum effect. There must exist a continuity of experience (Agent environments, processes and tools) in such a way that establishes a Real Time ToA environment in order for the Rule of Iteration SS to be employed.

Rule of Feedback:

Feedback is the message from a sensor of the system to the controller of the system of the difference between performance and expectation. Positive feedback amplifies; negative feedback attenuates. Feedback on feedback and/or feedback between Levels of Recursion is feedback of a complex kind ToA and is required for the governance (self correction) of complex and emergent systems.

Rule of Iterative, Feedback Driven Systems acting on Multiple Levels of Recursion:

These systems exhibit increasing returns ToA and learning. They co-evolve ToA - (with their environment) - emergent behavior ToA. They are open-ended and cannot be predicted or controlled. These systems can be operated qwein a way so that the desired kinds or results are consistently accomplished. This is possible when the Rules of Iteration, Feedback and Recursion are employed in a system of specific architecture 1234567 - as described - that employs sufficient critical mass ToA.

Emergence ToA is the result of complexity. Complexity ToA is a factor of iteration, feedback, recursion, critical mass ToA and the number of Agent (nodes) interactions in a specific time period and place (and the architecture of how they are connected).

 

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE TABLES

Tables 1-3 further explain, summarize and demonstrate the Invention.

Briefly, Table No. 1 deals with scope, Table No. 2 describes the “engines” of Iteration, Feedback and Recursion, and, Table No. 3 provides an example of the present invention applied and also describes a portion Subsystem 4 of the present invention relating to Transportation.

More specifically:

Table No. 1 “Relationship Among Invention Elements” - Provides an overall systems view.

Table No. 2) “Principles of Iteration and Feedback, and, the Rule of Recursion” - States the key operational uses of iteration, feedback and recursion as process rules of the system. The proper application of these rules is what makes the system reliable.

Table No. 3 “Basic Description of the Invention Utilizing the Modeling Language and Algorithms of the Present Invention” - A description of the system described in terms of itself.

Note the above illustraction is titled “table 4.” Consider it Table 3 for the purpose of this Invention.

 

Tables 1-3, taken together, demonstrate the synergy that occurs when the discrete Sub-Systems described herein are used in combination -- the present invention is thus a single process that deals with specific Knowledge/Network economy problems.

LEVELS OF LANGUAGE

There is language inherent in each us. Social beings organize, co-evolve and adapt through the use of language. This language is both verbal and not, and grows and expands as our psychological and knowledge-based foundation develops from intense experience, physical and mental travel, and study. Languages are both species-specific and individual-specific - each individual develops an unique memory and co-evolved language.

A simple concept to remember when thinking about language, and its importance in society, is that “everything speaks.” Each action, word, behavior, organization or product does not tell; it speaks. Dialog, within a system is transactional - that is, it transmits instructions.

To better understand the breadth of emergent solutions made possible by the present Invention, and to facilitate Agents with this experience, the following Levels of Language are provided by the System and Method of the present invention.

Descriptive Language

Normal Use NU; Explains the organic and inorganic Agent ENVIRONMENTS in which we live and work. Agent-individuals explain the “sky” as “blue,” the “light” as “amber,” the “climate” as “comfortable.” We explain the “office” as “creative,” or “flexible,” or “rigid.” We explain the “organization” as “innovative,” or “mundane,” or “mainstream.” Descriptive language describes the design of Agent environments in relation to the five senses of the human body; sight (“light” and “dark”), smell (“good” and “bad”), sound (“loud” and “quiet”), touch (“rough” and “smooth”), and taste (“delicious” and “awful”).

Descriptive language provides context for the concept of primary and secondary color, explaining how red, yellow, and blue can flower purple, green, and brown. Descriptive language distinguishes our natural resources. . . . water, wood, coal, oil, iron ore. Descriptive language is an essential ingredient in creating an {gent environment experience as a tool for facilitating Agent interaction (on the level of Human Agents) to breakthrough results.

Technical Language

Terms of Art ToA; Explains the TOOLS of the mind in the form of buildings, infrastructures, computers, electronic devices, modes of transportation, and more. Earth is an organization in itself, formed of many cultures of living systems; animals, people, groups, organizations, communities, businesses. Each applies unique technical language to its agents. The Term of Art for the agent who created Windows Operating System is "Microsoft". The Term of Art for the appliance that bakes slices of bread is "toaster". The Term of Art for a team of individuals working together within a company may be "Strategic Business Unit", or "Marketing Department". We use Technical Language (Terms of Art) in all disciplines including manufacturing, law, medicine, technology, education, etc. With each new discipline you begin to acquire mastery in, a new set of Technical Language (Terms of Art) you will have to learn. In organizations we create brands, symbols, icons, and slogans that work as modern technical languages. Developing a vast technical language prepares Agents for success in a knowledge economy. The most obvious representation of Technical Language (Terms of Art) are glossaries, indexes, dictionaries, manuals, brochures, etc.

Pattern Language

Solution Sets SS; Explains solutions to what we understand to some degree, and we find difficult to change. These are rigid patterns of behavior, language, architecture, organization, that once observed become obvious, but seldom we take time to understand them. Within major disciplines of work (architecture, education, systems thinking, biology, technology, mathematics, social sciences, physics, anthropology, etc.), agents connect Technical Language and Descriptive Language creating solutions to societys most common problems. Understanding this knowledge allows Agents to understand the world. English, Spanish, French and Japanese are embed, often hidden, pattern languages for their respective cultures, solutions that solve “the problem” of communication. The language may change, or not, to benefit society and to increase understanding. Understanding English allows agents to understand other agents who also understand the solution sets SS society calls English. When the same agent understands the solution-French, it increases its knowledge, and ability to communicate, by an order of magnitude, and so on. The same could be said about a computer, as you add software programs making it multi-functional and cross-platform. Consider the young woman, agent-Mary, who at an early age travels long distances, across culture and gathers technical language along the way. She enters a multi-national organization and spends time in several different strategic business units (SBUs). She brings a great deal more solutions to her work, because of the patterns she has learned from her experience. Consider a student of medicine, who becomes an expert in a bone of the knee, in the mechanics of it, how it moves, etc. Compare this person to an architect, biologist, technocrat, mathematician. What if all this knowledge were combined, through practice and study? What if we viewed the world through a broad based lens, covering many disciplines, not just one? Agents collect these solutions from a variety of sources, most common of which are formal education and experience. The present inventors have found that an element of emergence of solutions is the ability to augment ones experience with the appropriate Knowledge Objects in the form of articles, books, research materials, scientific explanations, mechanical objects, and much, much more. The experience that agents bring to their work can currently be augmented with knowledge objects (books, Internet research, stories, mechanical objects, etc.) including texts covering several disciplines, familiar and not.

These knowledge objects/Agentss each provide unique solution sets that can be applied to the complex problems of a group, AND solutions that facilitators can use to accelerate Emergence of solutions. The knowledge base available to all Agents is currently increasing exponentially with improvements to communication and data mining technologies.

Modeling Language

Design and Process Terms D/PT; Explains the PROCESS we use to work, interact, live, transport, build, etc. The models have formal and informal “rules of engagement” which are flexible, sometimes broken, boundaries for agent interaction. Some of us choose to explore these models, drill deep into them, break old models, and create new ones. In accordance with an important aspect of the present invention, the present inventors have created modeling language for organizations to use to develop common understanding - a means to view existing conditions in alternative ways. This modeling language provides a vehicle for Agents to communicate on all levels, in any environment, at all times.

Algorithm Language

Rule Statements RS; Explains our experience. Interaction among agents, neuralgic behavior, fundamental building blocks. The economic, industrial, and information age work we do today is built upon algorithmic equations and rules. Rarely is it believed that ecosystems, organizations, companies, individuals are built, at the core by algorithms. Contrary to common belief, the present inventors have found that behavior within groups, among agents, is repeatable, driven by rules, and can be demonstrated as such. Regardless of the dynamics of the individuals, the groups, the organizations and the issue they wish to “solve,” certain predictable combinations of events and patterns will occur if predictable, patterned rules are followed in the facilitation process.

Deep Language

Machine Language ML; Explains the mind of individuals, the engine of automobiles, the code of computer programs, so deep that it has not yet, been decoded by humans. This is explained in connection with the exemplary Subsystems of the present Invention as described herein. It is noted, however, that it is possible to construct other Subsystems using the System and Method of the present Invention.

 

AGENT CODE DEFINITION

According to another aspect of the present Invention, Agents may be uniquely and precisely defined. This is useful in building electronic or virtual Agents according to the present Invention. Preferably, the Agent definition “code” will contain (at least) the following:

1) Level of Recursion.
2) Iteration number (in a sequence of facilitated activities - this could be done by InfoLog #).
3) The material composition of the Agent (by category).
4) The medium of the Agent (in terms of the System).
5) The FUNCTION of the Agent (which is the sum of all the agents that make up the Agent in the language (level) of algorithm.

 

This code could look something like this:

rL2/wid.1223990034.00123455.sts/dig/vNW/kLOC-pITRAV-rp&n

In this instance, the Agent is on Recursion 2 rL2, the InfoLog# states the place, time and person using/accessing/“owning” the Agent, that the Agent is digital in physical nature and posted on the Internet (or equivalent) and is made of three agents (functions) scripts: “Know your location,” “Purchase Integrated Travel Ticket” and “Report, Post and Notify (the results).

Other forms of code can be used and additional information can be embedded. Moreover, Color, shape, texture and size (in some systems) can be used to add further description for a more user friendy interface in “AgentBuilder.”.

The exact language structure and form of the code-strings are system-specific and will alter given the application enviornment.

DEFINITION OF MEMORY

A definition of “memoryToA is hereby offered that provides continuity from neuron level rL1 to Global Economic System rL7. Regardless of material, type or nature of Agent, a common view of memory (language) is established that can be described, measured, documented and recorded. State 1, state 2, state 3 state...n - that is, the STATE of the entire system (in focus) is the memory (of the system and its conponents and parts) and that this progresses through continuous but discrete changes.

This view of memory is congruent with the definition of “Variety” which, in Cybernetics (Asby, Beer), is identified as the number of possible states of an entity or system. Which means, for the purpose of the present Invention, memory of a system and the complexity of a system are roughly equivalent.

Therefore, when building o, facilitating 2, augmenting Agents of all kinds, the essential focus # of this System and Method is on how Agents, experiencej, move, learnA, connect, incorporate Iand accomplish emergent synergistic results - and are memory of this experiencej. This is the stuff of creativity and life. The very nature of a global complex economic system is “lifelike” in its scale, scope n, complexity and behavior (De Rosnay).

There are several Design Assumptions ToA that formulate this paradigmYof memory: 1- Memory is distributed. 2 - The architecture of memory is a network. 3 - The architecture changes with use. 4- Memory utilizes reuse. 5- It is digital and analog. 6 - It is active. 7 - Proximity, signal strength and repetition are important. 8 - It is context sensitive. 9 - It is agent-based. 10 - It employs morphic resonance. 11 - The components are rule-based. 12 - The state of the system is the memory. 13 - Geometry has content. 14 - Components vote. 15 - Memory employs language. 16 - Dialog within and without the system transacts instructions. 17 - Memory chunks into self organizing cascading hierarchies. 18 - Memory is not storage. 19 - Consciousness is not necessary. 20 - Complex Memory systems parallel process. (This missing some and somewhat out of order)

These Design &Assumptions can be used to generate the component attributes and architecture of any complex memory system. For example rL4-Ss1, a facilitator 2 Agent, In this System and Method, is aware of participating in a deliberate process of memory-making o. This is a far deeper level of work, with many different consequences, than group “facilitation” as it is commonly understood and practiced. The retention of the experience jis clearly one of these.

In another example, rL6-Ss4, a design &of a transportation system, in this System and Method, would employ all the component Agents of the system as units (Agents) of memory utilizing the STATE of the system, itself, as a means of governing the system itself. No more standing in lines merely to “inform” the system that you are there and intend to get on the airplane.

Today, in the design &of “complex” human systems, very little of the information Tthat is contained, intrinsically, in the system is used e. The “memory” is lost. This leads to all kinds of sub-optimizations and, too often, the human user has to keep putting back into the system the information that was “lost.” How often have you filled out that form?

The present Invention provides a System and Method for building “smarts” and “self-awareness” and learning into designing &, building o and using esystems that Augment Knowledge Commerce.

 

 

SolutionBox voice of this document:
IDENTITY • PHILOSOPHY • CONTRACT DOCUMENTS


posted May 26, 2000

revised September 21, 2001
• 20000526.120717.mt • 20000527.93515.mt • 2000061.100239.mt •
• 20000626.224913.mt • 20000628.11453.mt • 20010613.99879.mt •
• 20010921.369988.mt •

(note: this document is about 75% finished)

Copyright© 1982, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 Matt Taylor

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