Patent ID: 7254515

Claim:
A method for detecting problems in a system that generates a plurality of symptoms, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a matrix of values, each value corresponding to an element in a mapping between one of a plurality of symptoms and one of a plurality of likely events in said system, wherein selected ones of the symptoms are in a known state; (b) associating a high loss probability with symptoms not in a known state; (c) receiving a plurality of symptom generated by said system; (d) decreasing the loss probability of symptoms that have been received; (e) determining a mismatch measure between each of a plurality of groups of said values in said codebook and said plurality of known symptom data values, said mismatch measure taking into account the loss probability of symptoms; (f) selecting one of said plurality of likely events corresponding to one of said plurality of groups having the smallest mismatch measure; and wherein the said plurality of likely events are stored in a memory.