1. A method for handling complex regular expression patterns using local result processor, comprising: scanning by a finite state machine, an input stream; accessing by a result processor, a result table for an entry associated with a predetermined sub-expression of a regular expression in response to the finite state machine finding the predetermined sub-expression in the input stream; executing by the result processor an instruction associated with the entry, the instruction including one or more operations to be performed on one or more bits in a bit vector register; and determining as a function of said one or more bits in the bit vector register whether the complex regular expression has been found in the input stream.