1. A method for implementing a configurable state machine, comprising the steps of: determining a state machine diagram for a desired state machine; allocating a RAM variable for an input word; assigning transition condition bits in said input word; implementing an input word processing function; allocating a state machine workspace structure in RAM; configuring said state machine by creating a list of states and corresponding constant values and allocating and populating a state machine configuration structure; calling, at initialization, a configurable state machine initialization function passing an address of said state machine configuration; and calling periodically a configurable state machine processing function passing said address of said state machine configuration.