Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method comprising:acquiring output from a process model, the process model having elements reused from a design process, the elements providing a known good state, the process model corresponding to an actual process of an actual system, the actual process regulated by a managing controller;obtaining output information generated from the actual process;determining a difference between the process model and the actual process, using the output information and the output from the process model; andapplying the determined difference arranged to diagnose the actual system including diagnosing a problem in the actual process from determining the difference, wherein initial input states to the actual process are used providing initial input states to the process model, the initial input states to the process model representing essentially the same initial input states as the initial input states to the actual process with the process model operating as the actual process operates. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining output information includes obtaining a current status of elements operating in the actual process. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein acquiring output includes acquiring an expected current status of elements operating in the actual process. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a difference between the process model and the actual process includes comparing the output from the process model with the output information. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a difference between the process model and the actual process includes comparing an input image table from the actual process with an input image table from the process model, both input image tables correlated to common initial input states. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes providing the process model with process logic verified in the design process as the elements reused from the design process. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining output information generated from an actual process includes obtaining the output information from one or more controllers. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes scanning element input states into the process model at a scan rate. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes scanning element input states into the process model at a rate such that aperiodic events are captured. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes announcing the difference between the process model and the actual process. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes logging information associated with the difference between the process model and the actual process. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes analyzing the difference between the process model and the actual process. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes reinitiating the design process based on analyzing the difference between the process model and the actual process to evolve the process model. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a process model includes integrating logic from a plurality of design processes. 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes:monitoring, using a virtual programmable logic controller of the process model, outputs from the managing controller;sending, using the virtual programmable logic controller, input states to an input image table for the process model based on the monitoring; andcomparing, using a difference engine, an input image table corresponding to the managing controller against the input image table for the process model for determining the difference between the process model and the actual process. 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes monitoring the managing controller, by a virtual programmable logic controller of the process model, using an identification tag for process control. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein using an identification tag for process control includes using an object linking and embedding tag. 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes the process model generating all inputs to itself after the initial input states are provided to the process model. 19. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:acquiring output from a process model, the process model having elements reused from a design process, the elements providing a known good state, the process model corresponding to an actual process of an actual system, the actual process regulated by a managing controller;obtaining output information of the actual process;determining a difference between the process model and the actual process, using the output information and the output from the process model; andapplying the determined difference arranged to diagnose the actual system including diagnosing a problem in the actual process from determining the difference, wherein initial input states to the actual process are used providing initial input states to the process model, the initial input states to the process model representing essentially the same initial input states as the initial input states to the actual process with the process model operating as the actual process operates. 20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the output information of the actual process includes a current status of elements operating in the actual process and the output from the process model includes an expected current status of elements operating in the actual process. 21. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the method further includes scanning element input states into the process model at a scan rate. 22. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, the method further includes scanning element input states into the process model at a rate such that aperiodic events are captured. 23. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the method further includes announcing the difference between the process model and the actual process. 24. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the method further includes logging information associated with the difference between the process model and the actual process. 25. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the method further includes analyzing the difference between the process model and the actual process. 26. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the method further includes reinitiating the design process based on analyzing the difference between the process model and the actual process. 27. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein determining a difference between the process model and the actual process includes comparing an input image table from the actual process with an input image table from the process model, both input image tables correlated to common initial input states. 28. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the process model includes logic integrated from a plurality of design processes. 29. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions include:monitoring, using a virtual programmable logic controller of the process model, outputs from the managing controller;sending, using the virtual programmable logic controller, input states to an input image table for the process model based on the monitoring; andcomparing, using a difference engine, an input image table corresponding to the managing controller against the input image table for the process model for determining the difference between the process model and the actual process. 30. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions include monitoring the managing controller, by a virtual programmable logic controller of the process model, using an identification tag for process control. 31. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein using an identification tag for process control includes using an object linking and embedding tag. 32. An apparatus comprising:a process model adapted to virtually perform logical tasks based on elements reused from a design process and to provide outputs, the elements structured to provide a known good state, the process model corresponding to an actual process of an actual system;a difference engine to compare the outputs from the process model with output information correlated to the actual process; andan evaluation unit configured to diagnose the actual process from the comparison of the outputs from the process model with the output information correlated to an actual process such that a difference determined from the comparison is applied to diagnose a problem in the actual system, wherein initial input states to the actual process are used providing initial input states to the process model, the initial input states to the process model representing essentially the same initial input states as the initial input states to the actual process with the process model operating as the actual process operates. 33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the output information correlated to the actual process includes a current status of elements operating in the actual process and the outputs from the process model include an expected current status of elements operating in the actual process. 34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein at least a portion of the output information correlated to an actual process is provided from a controller that manages a portion of the actual process. 35. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the process model includes hardware logic to provide the outputs in response to determining expected element input states. 36. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the process model includes software to provide the outputs in response to determining expected element input states. 37. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the apparatus includes an annunciator to signal an occurrence of the difference between the process model and the actual process. 38. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the apparatus includes a log to collect information associated with the difference between the process model and the actual process. 39. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the apparatus includes an analysis unit having historical information regarding the actual process. 40. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the process model includes a plurality of component process models in a one-to-one relationship with a plurality of controllers that manage the actual process, the plurality of component process models adapted to diagnose the actual process as an integration of a plurality of component actual processes. 41. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the process model includes a virtual programmable logic controller arranged to monitor outputs from a managing controller of the actual process and to send input states to an input image table for the process model such that the difference engine operatively compares an input image table corresponding to the managing controller against the input image table for the process model. 42. The apparatus of claim 32, the process model includes a virtual programmable logic controller arranged to monitor outputs from a managing controller of the actual process such that the monitoring uses an identification tag for process control. 43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the identification tag for process control includes an object linking and embedding tag. 44. A system comprising:a process model adapted to virtually perform logical tasks based on elements reused from a design process and to provide outputs, the elements structured to provide a known good state, the process model corresponding to an actual process of an actual system;a controller adapted to regulate tasks of the actual process, the controller configured to provide output information correlated to the actual process;a difference engine to compare the outputs from the process model with output information from the controller to determine a difference between the process model and an actual process; andan evaluation unit configured to diagnose the actual process from the determined difference between the process model and an actual process such that the determined difference is applied to diagnose a problem in the actual system, wherein the controller is configured to provide initial input states to the actual process and corresponding initial input states to the process model, the initial input states to the process model representing essentially the same initial input states as the initial input states to the actual process with the process model operating as the actual process operates. 45. The system of claim 44, wherein the output information correlated to the actual process includes a current status of elements operating in the actual process and the outputs from the process model include an expected current status of elements operating in the actual process. 46. The system of claim 44, wherein the system includes an annunciator to signal an occurrence of the difference between the process model and the actual process. 47. The system of claim 44, wherein the system includes a log to collect information associated with the difference between the process model and the actual process. 48. The system of claim 44, wherein the system includes an analysis unit having historical information regarding the actual process. 49. The system of claim 44, wherein the process model includes a plurality of component process models in a one-to-one relationship with a plurality of controllers that manage the actual process, the plurality of component process models adapted to diagnose the actual process as an integration of a plurality of component actual processes. 50. The system of claim 44, wherein the system is a manufacturing plant having a number of manufacturing lines. 51. The system of claim 44, wherein the process model includes a virtual programmable logic controller arranged to monitor outputs from the controller and to send input states to an input image table for the process model such that the difference engine compares an input image table corresponding to the controller against the input image table for the process model for comparing the outputs from the process model with output information correlated to the actual process. 52. The system of claim 44, the process model includes a virtual programmable logic controller arranged to monitor outputs from the controller such that the monitoring uses an identification tag for process control. 53. The system of claim 52, wherein the identification tag for process control includes an object linking and embedding tag.