Processing systems and methods

{
  "publication_number": "US9354909B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Processing systems and methods",
  "abstract": "Example processing systems and methods are described. In one implementation, a method receives a request to perform a processing operation. The method identifies a first task associated with the processing operation and identifies a second task associated with the processing operation. A first virtual machine is invoked to perform the first task and a second virtual machine is invoked to perform the second task. The first and second virtual machines each execute an instance of a browser application to perform the first and second tasks, respectively.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method comprising: receiving a request to perform a processing operation; identifying a first task associated with the processing operation; identifying a second task associated with the processing operation; invoking, using one or more processors, a first virtual machine to perform the first task, wherein the first virtual machine executes an instance of a browser application to perform the first task, wherein the first virtual machine includes a first programming cell that includes tables that define a set of tasks associated with the first virtual machine, and wherein the first virtual machine is functionally limited to performing the set of tasks associated with the first virtual machine and invoking, using the one or more processors, a second virtual machine to perform the second task, wherein the second virtual machine executes another instance of the browser application to perform the second task, wherein the second virtual machine includes a second programming cell that includes tables that define a set of tasks associated with the second virtual machine, and wherein the second virtual machine is functionally limited to performing the set of tasks associated with the second virtual machine.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to perform a processing operation is received from an external system.",
    "3. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a result associated with the invoking of the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine.",
    "4. The method of claim 3, further comprising communicating the result to an external system that generated the request.",
    "5. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting an appropriate first virtual machine to perform the first task.",
    "6. The method of claim 5, wherein selecting an appropriate first virtual machine includes accessing a registry that identifies available virtual machine functions.",
    "7. The method of claim 1, further comprising cloning an existing virtual machine to create the first virtual machine.",
    "8. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the first virtual machine from a pool of available virtual machines.",
    "9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine are invoked substantially simultaneously.",
    "10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine are invoked sequentially.",
    "11. The method of claim 1, wherein the tables of the first programming cell can be changed by a training process, wherein the training process is performed based on environmental feedback.",
    "12. A method comprising: receiving a request to perform a processing operation; identifying a first task associated with the processing operation; selecting a first virtual machine to perform the first task; identifying a second task associated with the processing operation; selecting a second virtual machine to perform the second task; invoking, using one or more processors, the first virtual machine to perform the first task, wherein the first virtual machine is functionally limited to performing the first task; and invoking, using the one or more processors, the second virtual machine to perform the second task, wherein the second virtual machine is functionally limited to performing the second task; wherein the first virtual machine includes a programming cell that includes tables that define a set of tasks associated with the first virtual machine, and wherein the tables of the programming cell can be changed by a training process, wherein the training process is performed based on environmental feedback."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to processing systems and methods that execute a processing operation by performing multiple tasks associated with the processing operation.\n\nVarious types of processing systems perform multiple tasks associated with a particular processing operation. As processing operations become more complex, more tasks are needed to complete the operations. Existing systems use application programs to perform specific processing operations. As a processing operation becomes more complex, the application program that performs the processing operation also becomes more complex. Each modification of the processing operation (e.g., the addition of more tasks) further increases the complexity of the application program. The management and modification of these complex application programs can be difficult and time consuming.\n\nNon-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures unless otherwise specified.\n\nFIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting an environment within which an example embodiment may be implemented.\n\nFIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting an embodiment of a VMBot (virtual machine bot) or virtual machine (VM).\n\nFIG. 3 is a block diagram depicting an embodiment of a VMBot management system.\n\nFIG. 4 is a flow diagram depicting an embodiment of a method for managing individual VMBots.\n\nFIG. 5 is a flow diagram depicting an embodiment of a method for executing a browser application using a VMBot.",
  "cpc": [
    "G06F 9/45533"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G06F 9/455"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "VM-ROBOT Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Alistair Black"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2013-10-30",
  "publication_date": "2016-05-31",
  "grant_date": "2016-05-31",
  "priority_date": "2013-10-30",
  "application_number": "US-201314067775-A",
  "family_id": "52996992",
  "cited_by_count": 3,
  "citations": [
    "US20060070067A1",
    "US8839245B1"
  ]
}