METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR QUALITY MEASURE DRIVEN PROCESS CONTROL

A process controller determines the quality of a process based on input signals derived from a measured parameter value. A processor generates the input signals using a function of the parameter value which is positive over the range of the parameter, is monotonic, has a single peak at a preferred value for the parameter, and decreases strictly as the deviation from the preferred value increases. The quality function is used as an objective measure to control the process to produce an optimal product.