Patent ID: 7117047

Claim:
A method for monitoring a process using a computer, comprising the steps of: determining a reference location of a product in three dimensional space with respect to a process monitoring system; providing placement guidance signals at predetermined positions in relation to a region of the product; placing an inspection data gathering device utilizing the placement guidance signals; capturing inspection data utilizing the inspection data gathering device; the inspection data gathering device being placed so the inspection data gathering device is capable of capturing predetermined inspection data; generating a rotation and translation transform which enables said process monitoring system to define the location of said product placed in a field of view of the inspection data gathering device; applying said transform to CAD data defining the process being performed with respect to said product to provide transformed CAD data represented as a single two dimensional pattern characteristic of said process with respect to said field of view of the inspection data gathering device; and determining whether said single two dimensional pattern characteristic of the process obtained from the inspection data is present within a range of acceptable two dimensional pattern characteristics obtained from the process performed with respect to said product; wherein if the product is processed properly said two dimensional pattern characteristic of said process is present within said range of acceptable two dimensional pattern characteristics; wherein said step of generating said rotation and translation transform is performed by a computer.