A plurality of pattern components is presented to a user. Each of the pattern components describe events and/or sub-events that, when combined, create emergent information that indicates the occurrence of a primary event. The user builds and then transmits a customized graphical event pattern, composed of one or more pattern components, rules and other emergent information artifacts to a server, which generates an underlying database file that describes the customized graphical event pattern and/or data pattern. The data pattern is then transmitted to an intelligent sensor, server, or other detection device. If a set of event data inputs, from an interlinked array of intelligent sensors or other detection devices, meet a predetermined threshold requirement of one or more of the pattern components, the data patterns then intercommunicate and vote as to the degree to which they have collectively each detected a primary event, using the sub-events as criteria.