Instant Messaging Systems, Intelligent Agents

The instant message (IM) systems are welcomed universally because they allow people to chat or send messages to others online instantly and in real time. At present, there are all kinds of IM systems. These systems can work well alone but can't communicate with others, which brings limit and inconvenience to people. To resolve this problem, an intelligent agent for IM systems is presented which makes it possible for the different IM systems to send messages to others by using customized XML protocol.In the thesis, an XML protocol is defined and based on it an IM system is carried out, which has the same basic functions as the other IM systems. But a special function agenting for other systems is added. When the system is registered to act as an agent for the other system, user can send messages directly to his contacts who are in that IM system. In my thesis, the system acts as an agent for MSN Messenger as an example. By inter-transforming the protocol of MSN and the XML protocol, the system makes communication with MSN possible. Similarly, we can make the system act as an agent for other IM systems by inter-transforming the protocol of other IM systems and the XML protocol. In this way, user can send messages to the contacts of other IM systems at the same time only by using this system.