1. A method of operating an intelligent programmable logic controller over a plurality of scan cycles, the method comprising: creating, by the intelligent programmable logic controller, a process image area in a volatile computer-readable storage medium in the intelligent programmable logic controller; updating, by the intelligent programmable logic controller, the process image area during each scan cycle with contents comprising input data for controlling a production unit included in an automation system and output data generated by the production unit; transmitting, by the intelligent programmable logic controller, the input data to the production unit via one or more field devices included in the automation system to control the production unit; storing, by the intelligent programmable logic controller, the contents of the process image area during each scan cycle on a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium in the intelligent programmable logic controller; and annotating, by the intelligent programmable logic controller, the contents of the process image area with automation system context information stored outside the process image area to generate contextualized data specified in a semantic modeling language, wherein the automation system context information comprises a status indicator indicative of a status of the automation system while the contents of the process image area were generated.