Title: "About the component-oriented design of mobile agents and their behavior"

Many research and development efforts in the past focussed on providing
software infrastructures with a view to find applications based on mobile
agents. There are, however, comperatively few dealing with the development of
an agent itself and its behaviour. Some existing works handle general
methodologies and generic architectures up to specific frameworks. It is quite
obvious, however, that there is a general lack of reuseability as to the
development of mobile agents and their behaviour. This shortcoming applies to
the reuseability of methods and techniques, as well as to the results arising
from their application.

The thesis proposes a concept by which mobile agents and their behaviour are 
designed in a reusable manner. Central focus of this concept has been placed on 
the reuseability of results which originate from its application. Single 
components are to be constructed in such a way that they may be used in various 
different contexts.

The concept developed is made up of a state-oriented design method and a 
component-oriented framework for implementing the models designed. A suitable 
interpretation of the concept of the hierarchical state machine should enable 
the combination of both - paradigms of componentoriented software engineering - 
and state-oriented modelling, into a context related to mobile agents. 
Application of this approach bridges the gap between known models of 
agent-design and the implementation level. On the other hand an independent 
application of solutions in the context of mobile agents is rendered possible.

For a better understanding the thesis contains an introduction into the basics
- this includes an overview of the main topics of agent-oriented computer
science.  Moreover a brief introduction into the statecharts of the UML. Some
existing approaches to designing and modelling (mobile) agents are introduced
and analysed.

The concept proposed in the thesis and its implementation are presented in 
detail. First of all requirements of the concept are listed and substantiated, 
followed by an analysis of the requirements regarding state-oriented modelling. 
The solution is derived from this analysis. It is first of all described on a 
conceptional level and then in the form of a technical description of the 
components relevant for the implementation. Finally the actual implementation 
of this concept for the platform SeMoA is demonstrated.