Abstract: A system for routing data in an automatic identification system includes an event management system (EMS), a real-time in-memory data structure (RIED) coupled to the EMS, the RIED for storing event information gathered by the EMS and a task management system (TMS) for ensuring that the RIED is updated by one transaction at a time. With this particular arrangement, a system for managing a large number of real-time events is provided. In one embodiment, the control system can be provided in a distributed hierarchical arrangement. The EMS of each control system can include filters which limit the amount of information provided to the next level in the hierarchy. In this manner the hierarchical control system network acts as a high volume data collector and processor. In some embodiments a level of the hierarchy can be removed spatially and/or temporally from an adjacent level in the hierarchy. This approach results in an intelligent network and also lends itself to scalability.