Methods for automated process monitoring, wherein - image data (4) depicting a scene are generated by means of a camera
system (2); - by means of a computing unit (3) based on the image data (4) it is determined that objects (6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 7c, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14) are located within a specified area (B1, B2); - by means of the computing unit (3) for each of the objects (6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 7c, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14) based on the image data (4) one of at least two predefined object classes is determined; - using the computing unit (3) depending on the specific object classes, it is checked whether a predefined rule assigned to the area (B1, B2) is fulfilled; - by means of the computing unit (3) an output
signal is generated depending on a result of the check; - using the computing unit (3) based on the image data (4) for each of the objects (6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 7c, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14) one of at least two predefined sub-areas (B1.1, B1.1.1, B1.2, B2.1, B2.1.1, B2.2, B2.2.1) of the area (B1, B2) is determined within which the respective object (6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 7c, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14) is located; and - the
verification of whether the rule is fulfilled is carried out depending on the specific sub-areas (B1.1, B1.1.1, B1.2, B2.1, B2.1.1, B2.2, B2.2.1).