Software agents for e-commerce data workflow management

Abstract

Software agent technology started to have a key role in e-commerce domain. Agents are now used to support a pervasive technology for different partners in e-business environment in which various virtual business processes will be incorporated and facilitated. Agent technology is used to automate these processes, as well as to enhance e-market places where sellers, vendors, and retailers provide a virtual shop for consumers and buyers to purchase items online through delegating requirements to software agents. This paper proposes a new framework for the use of software agent technology. The paper presents underlying framework, which is implemented by using agent coordination and collaboration in a distributed computing environment. The use of an agent controller pattern will provide robustness and scalability to e-market place. The framework allows multiple sellers to be registered, whereas buyers satisfy their requirements by using a mobile purchasing agent, which translates their requirements to the e-market place. In addition, the framework customized to satisfy e-business transactions for buyers and sellers. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.