1. A device comprising:
at least one hardware processor programmed by one or more executable instructions to implement at least one first virtual agent, the device being a first device, the at least one first virtual agent being associated with a first user and being programmed to:
communicate with at least one second virtual agent executing on at least one second device, the at least one second device being different from the first device, the at least one second virtual agent being associated with at least one second user different from the first user;
determine if a piece of information is subject to a privacy constraint set by the first user;
if it is determined that the piece of information is subject to the privacy constraint, determine if the at least one second user associated with the at least one second virtual agent is permitted to access the piece of information according to the privacy constraint;
share the piece of information with the at least one second virtual agent only if it is determined that the at least one second user associated with the at least one second virtual agent is permitted to access the piece of information according to the privacy constraint;
collaborate with the at least one second virtual agent to make a joint recommendation for the first user and the at least one second user, wherein the joint recommendation is based on the piece of information shared with the at least one second virtual agent; and
render the joint recommendation to the first user.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one first virtual agent is programmed to negotiate with the at least one second virtual agent to make the joint recommendation for the first user and the at least one second user.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one first virtual agent is programmed to negotiate with the at least one second virtual agent at least in part by making a proposal to the at least one second virtual agent.
4. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one first virtual agent is programmed to negotiate with the at least one second virtual agent at least in part by rejecting a proposal from the at least one second virtual agent.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein collaborating with the at least one second virtual agent comprises receiving from the at least one second virtual agent information regarding the second user.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one first virtual agent is further programmed to use current information regarding the first user to dynamically update a receipt relating to the recommendation.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein the recommendation relates to a social gathering to be attended by the first user, and wherein the at least one first virtual agent is programmed to use the first user’s current location to dynamically update an estimated time of arrival for the first user.
8. A method performed by at least one processor implementing at least one first virtual agent on a first device, the at least one first virtual agent being associated with a first user, the method comprising acts of:
communicating with at least one second virtual agent executing on at least one second device, the at least one second device being different from the first device, the at least one second virtual agent being associated with at least one second user different from the first user;
determining if a piece of information is subject to a privacy constraint set by the first user;
if it is determined that the piece of information is subject to the privacy constraint, determining if the at least one second user associated with the at least one second virtual agent is permitted to access the piece of information according to the privacy constraint;
sharing the piece of information with the at least one second virtual agent only if it is determined that the at least one second user associated with the at least one second virtual agent is permitted to access the piece of information according to the privacy constraint;
collaborating with the at least one second virtual agent to make a joint recommendation for the first user and the at least one second user, wherein the joint recommendation is based on the piece of information shared with the at least one second virtual agent; and
rendering the joint recommendation to the first user.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein collaborating with the at least one second virtual agent comprises negotiating with the at least one second virtual agent to make the joint recommendation for the first user and the at least one second user.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein negotiating with the at least one second virtual agent comprises making a proposal to the at least one second virtual agent.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein negotiating with the at least one second virtual agent comprises rejecting a proposal from the at least one second virtual agent.
12. The method of claim 8, wherein collaborating with the at least one second virtual agent comprises receiving from the at least one second virtual agent information regarding the second user.
13. The method of claim 8, further comprising using current information regarding the first user to dynamically update a receipt relating to the recommendation.
14. The method of claim 8, wherein the recommendation relates to a social gathering to be attended by the first user, and wherein the first user’s current location is used to dynamically update an estimated time of arrival for the first user.
15. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium having encoded thereon instructions that, when executed by at least one processor on a first device, perform a method for implementing at least one first virtual agent, the at least one first virtual agent being associated with a first user, the method comprising acts of:
communicating with at least one second virtual agent executing on at least one second device, the at least one second device being different from the first device, the at least one second virtual agent being associated with at least one second user different from the first user;
determining if a piece of information is subject to a privacy constraint set by the first user;
if it is determined that the piece of information is subject to the privacy constraint, determining if the at least one second user associated with the at least one second virtual agent is permitted to access the piece of information according to the privacy constraint;
sharing the piece of information with the at least one second virtual agent only if it is determined that the at least one second user associated with the at least one second virtual agent is permitted to access the piece of information according to the privacy constraint;
collaborating with the at least one second virtual agent to make a joint recommendation for the first user and the at least one second user, wherein the joint recommendation is based on the piece of information shared with the at least one second virtual agent; and
rendering the joint recommendation to the first user.
16. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein collaborating with the at least one second virtual agent comprises negotiating with the at least one second virtual agent to make the joint recommendation for the first user and the at least one second user.
17. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein negotiating with the at least one second virtual agent comprises making a proposal to the at least one second virtual agent.
18. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein negotiating with the at least one second virtual agent comprises rejecting a proposal from the at least one second virtual agent.
19. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises using current information regarding the first user to dynamically update a receipt relating to the recommendation.
20. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the recommendation relates to a social gathering to be attended by the first user, and wherein the first user’s current location is used to dynamically update an estimated time of arrival for the first user.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A storage system, comprising:
a controller controlling to transfer data to a plurality of storage regions;
a plurality of disk drives having said storage regions and having a plurality of first type disk drives, each of which has a first type interface, and a plurality of second type disk drives, each of which each has a second type interface;
a plurality of housings having a first housing and a second housing, said first housing having said controller and said first type disk drives, and said second housing having said second type disk drives; and
a rack having said housings, one of said housings being laid on another of said housings.
2. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein said first type interface is a fibre channel interface, and
wherein said second type interface is an AT Attachment (ATA) interface.
3. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL) coupled to said controller and a plurality of first type disk drive units,
wherein said first type disk drive units include said first type disk drives.
4. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL) coupled to said controller, a plurality of first type disk drive units and a plurality of second type disk drive units,
wherein said first type disk drive units include said first type disk drives, and said second type disk drive units include said second type disk drives.
5. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a data line having said first type interface and coupled to said controller and a plurality of second type disk drive units,
wherein said second type disk drive units include said second type disk drives; and
a plurality of circuits in said second housing, each circuit coupled to said data line and controlling relay of data between said data line and said second type disk drive units, and controlling to separate one of said second type disk drive units and relay of data between said controller and said second type disk drive units without said one of said second type disk drive units if said one of said second type disk drive units has a failure.
6. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a data line having said first type interface and coupled to said controller and a plurality of second type disk drive units, said second type disk drive units having said second type disk drives; and
a plurality of circuits in said second housing, each circuit coupled to said data line and controlling to couple one of said second type disk drive units to said data line in conditions of transferring data in said data line.
7. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a data line having said first type interface and coupled to said controller and a plurality of second type disk drive units, said second type disk drive units having said second type disk drives; and
a plurality of circuits in said second housing, each circuit coupled to said data line and controlling to couple one of said second type disk drive units to said data line in conditions of processing to store data in the other of said second type disk drive units coupled to said data line.
8. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a data line having said first type interface and coupled to said controller and a plurality of second type disk drive units, said second type disk drive units having said second type disk drives; and
a plurality of converters, in said second housing, coupled to said data line and each converter corresponding to one of said second type disk drive units and converting said first type interface and said second type interface.
9. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a data line having said first type interface and coupled to said controller and a plurality of second type disk drive units, said second type disk drive units having said second type disk drives; and
a power supply coupled to said disk drive units by at least one of power lines and supplying power to said disk drive units; and
a power controller coupled to said power supply and controlling to supply power to said disk drive units in said second housing,
wherein one of said second type disk drive units relays a signal sent from said controller to said power controller.
10. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein said first type interface is a Fibre Channel (FC) interface,
wherein said second type interface is an AT Attachment (ATA) interface,
wherein some of said first type disk drives form a first logical unit, said first logical unit is an object to store data sent from an host computer which is coupled to said controller,
wherein some of said second type disk drives form a second logical unit, and
wherein each of said first logical unit and said second logical unit has a logical unit number.
11. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein said second type interface is an AT Attachment (ATA) interface, and
wherein some of said second type disk drives are used to store data, the data are used to back up.
12. A storage system, comprising:
a controller controlling to transfer data to a plurality of storage regions;
a plurality of disk drives having said storage regions and having a plurality of first type disk drives each of which has a first type interface and a plurality of second type disk drives each of which has a second type interface;
a plurality of housings having a first housing, a second housing and a third housing, said first housing having said controller, said second housing having said first type disk drives, and said third housing having said second type disk drives;
a rack having said housings, each laying on one of said housings; and
a data line having said first type interface and coupled to said first housing, said second housing and said third housing,
wherein said second housing is nearer a position of said first housing in said rack than said third housing.
13. A storage system according to claim 12, wherein said first type interface is a fibre channel interface, and
wherein said second type interface is an AT Attachment (ATA) interface.
14. A storage system according to claim 12, wherein said data line is a Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL), and
wherein said FC-AL couples said controller and a plurality of first type disk drive units, said first type disk drive units having said first type disk drives.
15. A storage system according to claim 12, wherein said data line is a Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL), and
wherein said FC-AL couples said controller, a plurality of first type disk drive units and a plurality of second type disk drive units, said first type disk drive units having said first type disk drives, and said second type disk drive units having said second type disk drives.
16. A storage system according to claim 12, wherein said data line couples said controller and a plurality of second type disk drive units, said second type disk drive units having said second type disk drives,
said storage system further comprising:
a plurality of circuits in said third housing, each circuit coupled to said data line and controlling relay of data between said data line and said second type disk drive units and controlling to separate one of said second type disk drive units and relay of data between said controller and said second type disk drive units without said one of said second type disk drive units if said one of said second type disk drive units has a failure.
17. A storage system according to claim 12, wherein said data line couples said controller and a plurality of second type disk drive units, said second type disk drive units having said second type disk drives,
said storage system further comprising:
a plurality of circuits in said first housing, each circuit coupled to said data line and controlling to couple one of said second type disk drive units to said data line in conditions of relaying data in said data line.
18. A storage system according to claim 12, wherein said data line couples said controller and a plurality of second type disk drive units, said second type disk drive units having said second type disk drives,
said storage system further comprising:
a plurality of circuits in said first housing, each circuit coupled to said data line and controlling to couple one of said second type disk drive units to said data line in conditions of processing to store data in the other of said second type disk drive units coupled to said data line.
19. A storage system according to claim 12, wherein said data line couples said controller and a plurality of second type disk drive units, said second type disk drive units having said second type disk drives,
said storage system further comprising:
a plurality of converters, in said first housing, coupled to said data line and each corresponding to one of said second type disk drive units and converting said first type interface and said second type interface.
20. A storage system according to claim 12, wherein said data line couples said controller and a plurality of second type disk drive units, said second type disk drive units having said second type disk drives,
said storage system further comprising:
a power supply coupled to said second type disk drive units by at least one of power lines and supplying power to said second type disk drive units; and
a power controller coupled to said power supply and controlling to supply power to said second type disk drive units in said third housing,
wherein one of said second type disk drive units relays a signal sent from said controller to said power controller.
21. A storage system according to claim 12, wherein said first type interface is a Fibre Channel (FC) interface;
wherein said second type interface is an AT Attachment (ATA) interface,
wherein some of said first type disk drives form a first logical unit, said first logical unit is an object to store data sent from an host computer which is coupled to said controller,
wherein some of said second type disk drives form a second logical unit, and
wherein each of said first logical unit and said second logical unit has a logical unit number.
22. A storage system according to claim 12, wherein said second type interface is an AT Attachment (ATA) interface, and
wherein some of said second type disk drives are used to store data, the data are used to back up.