Basic Framework of Agent-based E-commerce and Its Application

摘要

A Framework of Agent-based E-Commerce facilitates consumers to live more conviniently in emerging network society. An agent system which assists consumer solves two problems: how to determine what to buy and how to adopt colleague consumers' opinion. The Framework of Agent-base E-Commerce is composed of agents which represent consumers and stores and cooperate with each other to achieve goals of their owners. A user's agent in the framework is composed of an Agent Framework of Purchasing Activity and a Support Mechanism of Intelligent Shopping. To determine what to buy, the Agent Framework of Purchasing Activity gathers product information from various stores and compares it with user's preferences. The Support Mechanism of Intelligent Shopping provides the Agent Framework of Purchasing Activity with required information and knowledge. In addition, it changes and enhances its information and knowledge by accepting colleague consumers' opinion. Four Agent Communication Protocols are used to facilitate cooperation between agents in the Framework of Agent-based E-Commerce. The effectiveness of the Framework of Agent-based E-Commerce proved by implementating GrocShop that is a Framework of Agent-based E-Commerce for grocery market.