A method includes predicting measurements or states to be used by a controller (202) to control a process (204). The predicted measurements or states are generated using a model of the process (204). The method also includes providing the predicted measurements or states to the controller (202) such that the controller (202) uses the predicted measurements or states at a sampling rate of the controller (202). In addition, the method includes updating at least some of the predicted measurements or states using measurements associated with a characteristic of an item from a sensor. The model may represent a discrete time model (304), and the method may also include generating the discrete time model (304) using a continuous time model (302) of the process (204). The measurements could be received from a plurality of sensors (122, 124), where at least two of the sensors have different sampling times.