Tokyo, February 15, 2000 -- British Telecommunications Plc and Fujitsu
Limited have revealed their jointly developed Intelligent Distributed
Information Management System (IDIoMS), an intelligent information
system using a unique and most advanced agent technology. The
system was described at the Foundation for Intelligent Physical
Agents (FIPA) meeting held in January 2000 in London.
Agents are a new and novel software technology that can modularize
and conceal the complexity of design and development of large-scale
distributed systems. IDIoMS is an agent-based information management
system that provides a comprehensive set of tools for personalized
information delivery built upon a platform that enables flexible
management of distributed information systems using Internet
technologies. IDIoMS benefits users through the automatic provision
of timely and relevant information with minimal need for users to
search for that information. The system also benefits service
providers through the plug-and-play provision of information services.
The development of IDIoMS began when BT and Fujitsu entered into a
joint agreement in July 1999. IDIoMS is an agent-based system
providing intelligent knowledge management with distributed
information resources under a wide and dispersed platform
environment. The development of this system has been realized by
the integration of BT's Personal Agent Framework (PAF) and Fujitsu's
Open Agent Middleware (OAM) technologies.
The Personal Agent Framework has been developed at BT Laboratories to
provide a secure and private registered user environment, and a dynamic
user profile that can be shared among agents in the framework. The user
profile is then available to personal agent applications through a
common API, as well as for user review. The PAF provides a suite of
personalised applications, such as a daily newspaper, a contact finder
to locate other people with similar skills and interests, web searching,
and just-in-time information delivery. The PAF has been successfully
subjected to trials within BT over the last two years and has provided
a significant benefit to users.
OAM is a technology developed by Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. that allows
a dynamic, flexible and robust operation and management of service
components (agents) distributed over a wide network, which in turn
realizes plug-and-play, component repository management, connection
between various kinds of components, non-fixed workflow, dynamic
customization according to user preference, etc. Currently the Pl@za(TM)
engine, the web application environment of Fujitsu's Teamware Group
(www.teamware.com) is equipped with OAM technology. Teamware Pl@za is
a dynamic Internet service platform promoting professional interaction
among a community and its members.
The combination of PAF and OAM technologies has realized IDIoMS, a
system that intelligently supports the sharing, management, search,
and production of information in a multiple platform environment,
corresponding dynamically and flexibly according to users' needs.
BT and Fujitsu have been promoting the standardization of agent
technology through FIPA. A demonstration of IDIoMS took place at the
FIPA meeting in January 2000 in London, which was well-received by the
agent community. BT and Fujitsu will continue their research
collaboration programme in agent technology, and are considering future
exploitation of IDIoMS into the world market.
About BT
British Telecommunications plc is one of the world's leading providers
of telecommunications services. With a market capitalisation of around
£70 billion, it is one of the largest private sector companies in
Europe. Its principal activities include local, long distance and
international telecommunications services, mobile communications,
Internet services and IT solutions. In the UK BT serves 28 million
exchange lines and seven million mobile customers. International
direct-dialled telephone service is available to more than 200
countries and other overseas territories - covering 99 per cent of
the world's 800 million telephones.
BT is expanding its presence overseas rapidly and has operations in
more than 30 countries worldwide, with ventures in the Republic of
Ireland, France, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands,
Sweden, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Latin America
and India.
BT and AT&T have also created Concert, the leading global
telecommunications company serving multi-national business customers,
international carriers and Internet service providers worldwide.
Concert provides customers with communications services on an
unprecedented scale, scope and quality, with the industry's broadest
portfolio of voice, data and Internet services. Concert's frame relay
network reaches every major city in the United States and the United
Kingdom, and extends to an additional 170 cities in 47 countries. Its
global public network reaches directly 237 countries - more than any
other existing network.
In the year to March 31, 1999, BT's total turnover, including its
share of its ventures' turnover, was £18,223m with a pre-tax profit
of £4,295m including exceptional gains of £1,038m. Profit before
these gains was £3,257m.
Press Contacts:
BT Corporate Newsroom (London)
Tel: +44 20 7356 5369
Homepage: http://www.bt.com/
About Fujitsu Limited
Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) is a leading provider of comprehensive
information technology and network solutions for the global
marketplace. Comprising over 500 group companies and affiliates
worldwide -- including ICL, Amdahl and DMR Consulting Group -- the
Fujitsu Group had consolidated revenues of 5.24 trillion yen
($43.3 billion) in the fiscal year ended March 31, 1999. With world-
class hardware and software technology in computers,
telecommunications and microelectronics, and a corps of 55,000
systems and services experts around the world, Fujitsu is uniquely
positioned to harness the power of the network to help its customers
succeed. Altogether, the Fujitsu Group has 188,000 employees and
operations in over 100 countries.
Homepage: http://www.fujitsu.com/