Patent ID: 7707499

Claim:
A method for optimizing operation of a device, comprising: detecting a suboptimal condition associated with said device; analyzing said suboptimal condition in light of selected operator preferences and device-related data; in response to said analyzing, performing at least one of: modifying at least one of: configuration of said device; current state of said device; a current state of a networked device associated with said device; and a configuration of a networked device associated with said device; and notifying said operator of said suboptimal condition; wherein said selected operator preferences include intrusion level settings; personality settings; expert level settings; communications means settings; and reactive/predictive settings; wherein said intrusion level settings comprise an operator-defined level of intrusion used by said device for communicating with said operator in the event of said suboptimal condition, said intrusion level settings comprising: resolving said suboptimal condition without notifying said operator; resolving a select type of suboptimal condition without notifying said operator; notifying said operator when any suboptimal condition is detected; notifying said operator when a select type of suboptimal condition is detected; and providing no notification and no resolution to said suboptimal condition.