Patent ID: 7296194

Claim:
In a computer system having a processor, memory and a network interface, an apparatus for monitoring a plurality of device or process objects operatively coupled to the computer system over a computer network, the apparatus comprising: (a) means for monitoring the status of the plurality of monitored objects over the computer network; (b) first means for storing in memory a plurality of different finite state machine models; (c) second means for storing in memory a virtual state machine associated with each of the plurality of monitored objects; and (d) a decision engine, coupled to the first and second means for storing in the memory, for receiving input event data relating to one of the monitored objects and for accessing the virtual state machine in memory associated with said one monitored object, the decision engine further configured to manipulate data identifying a current state of the virtual state machine and for determining which actions of a plurality of actions associated with an identified finite state machine model should be performed.