Our agent server provides an easy-to-use web interface to assist users. First-time users are required to register before using the service. The registration verifies that the user has a valid account with the Michigan AuctionBot. Once the user ID and password pair is verified, the user's ID, encrypted password, and email address are stored in a protected directory.
When users request an agent bidding service, they can specify one of three types of agents provided by the service. The details of these types are discussed in later sections. Users also specify the initial endowments for the two types of goods. The user's utility is computed as a function of these endowments. This utility function is defined by the agent service based on certain parameters. For security purposes, users have to authenticate themselves every time they request an agent service.
Agents are started through an HTML form and corresponding CGI script which invokes the agent program on the agent server. The agent will then try to establish the TCP/IP connection and authenticate with the AuctionBot using the AuctionBot's API. After a connection is established, the agent starts submitting bids for the user. The agent keeps track of the bid status and submits subsequent bids after each clear of the auction. This process continues until the auction closes or the user stops the agent.
As the agent runs, it updates the user's browser dynamically by maintaining a persistent HTTP connection. New data is sent to the client until either the server or the client stops the connection. The continuous updates allow the user to keep track of the bidding process dynamically.