Patent ID: 7349753

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for controlling a manufacturing process, comprising the steps of: (a) inputting a model for the manufacturing process and obtaining a manufacturing recipe based on the model, wherein the model predicts at least one value for a product characteristic of at least one product processed by the manufacturing process; (b) receiving at least one observed value for the product characteristic of the at least one product and determining a variance between the at least one observed value and the at least one predicted value; (c) determining a value for uncontrollable error from the variance; (d) using the value for uncontrollable error to update a process threshold; and (e) adjusting at least one control parameter of the manufacturing process using the updated process threshold, wherein the manufacturing process includes at least one device on which the at least one product is processed, the at least one device being affected by the at least one control parameter.