Patent ID: 8055370

Claim:
A method of monitoring a process system for performing a fabrication operation on a semiconductor wafer, the method comprising: receiving at a monitoring system feedback specifying a delay in a change in state of a characteristic of a component of the process system after entering of input data or a setpoint to cause the change in state of the component, wherein the specified delay occurs during a fabrication operation on the semiconductor wafer; determining at the monitoring system whether there is an actual or imminent problem with operation of the component based on a timing analysis of the feedback from such component so as to determine whether there is a timing trend in the delay for the change in state that indicates an actual or imminent problem, wherein such determination is accomplished without analysis of the input data or setpoint that was entered for such component; and reporting the actual or imminent problem or sending an alert regarding the actual or imminent problem when it is determined that there is an actual or imminent problem.