Abstract: A method is provided for selecting a plurality of program functions for providing repeatedly implemented functions, e.g., in a vehicle, ship or in an aircraft. The method includes determining a first total performance value based on recorded first single performance values and recorded first dependencies, determining a first total performance value based on determined second single performance values and recorded second dependencies, determining a cluster performance from the first total performance value and from the second total performance value, and the cluster performance value or at least one value determined from the cluster performance value is used for selecting the program functions or of other program functions for providing the repeatedly implemented functions.

Abstract: In order to reduce data traffic in a network, a master node sends master data to at least one checking instance. The master data are checked by the checking instance. In the absence of errors, either the master data or slave data determined by the slave node are sent by the checking instance to the data-processing unit. When an error is recognized, all master data and slave data available at the checking instance are sent by the checking instance to the data-processing unit.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for operating a network arrangement including multiple network devices that are coupled to each other in a ring structure. Each network device includes a control device and a switch device with at least two ports for coupling to a communication path. During operation, at least two VLANs are simultaneously provided in the ring structure, and the sending of a data packet from the control device of a selected network device is performed via a port of the switch device in one of the two VLANs. In order to achieve this, the other port of the switch device of the selected network device is deactivated for the one VLAN. By using two VLANs, a redundant and reliable data transmission may be achieved. A destabilization of the VLANs in the network ring is prevented by the targeted deactivation of specific ports of the sending network device.

Abstract: A network node for a communication network comprising a first subnetwork and a second subnetwork connected to the first subnetwork, wherein the first subnetwork uses a spanning tree protocol and the second subnetwork uses a second protocol differing from the protocol of the first subnetwork, and the network node is configured as an element for the second subnetwork and is configured for communication within the second subnetwork. In addition, the network node configured by a spanning tree functionality as a spanning tree master node for checking and controlling the second subnetwork in such a way that the second subnetwork is handled or is able to be handled by the spanning tree protocol of the first subnetwork as a virtual network node.

Abstract: A communications network with a plurality of network devices is provided. The communications network has a plurality N of virtual networks, which are implemented in the communications network in such a manner that each of the network devices is coupled to the communications network via at least two virtual networks. The communications network also has a plurality of network segments. A subset of the network devices is assigned to each of the network segments, wherein each network device arranged at a peripheral region of a network segment has N limiting units, each of the N limiting units being assigned to a respective one of the N virtual networks and designed to limit a data reception of the respective virtual network to a threshold for the data transmission rate predetermined for the respective virtual network.

Abstract: A method for operating a communication network, in particular an ethernet network is provided. Each network device coupled to the network has a first control device, a first switch device which is assigned to the first control device, a second control device, and a second switch device which is assigned to the second control device. Each switch device has a transmitting and receiving port for transmitting and receiving data via the communication network, a first internal transmitting and receiving port for transmitting and receiving data between the switch devices, and a second internal transmitting and receiving port for transmitting and receiving data to or from the control device. A respective data exchange at the first and second internal transmitting and receiving port is prioritized over a data exchange at the transmitting and receiving port for transmitting and receiving data via the communication network.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a communication network (101), in particular an Ethernet network. Network devices (1) which are coupled to the network comprise a switch device (4), a first and a second control device (2, 3) which are coupled to the switch device (4), and the switch device (4) comprises for the first and the second control device (2, 3) a respective input port (10, 14) and emitter port (9, 13) for sending and receiving data via the communication network (6). Ring-shaped communication paths for data are provided so that redundant data can be transmitted in different directions and checked for consistency. An improved protection against failure and error analysis in the event of transmission errors are ensured by the ring-shaped structure using bidirectional communication paths. The invention further relates to a network arrangement (101) comprising several corresponding network devices (100, 200, 300) which operate according to the method.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for operating a network arrangement including multiple network devices that are coupled to each other in a ring structure. Each network device includes a control device and a switch device with at least two ports for coupling to a communication path. During operation, at least two VLANs are simultaneously provided in the ring structure, and the sending of a data packet from the control device of a selected network device is performed via a port of the switch device in one of the two VLANs. In order to achieve this, the other port of the switch device of the selected network device is deactivated for the one VLAN. By using two VLANs, a redundant and reliable data transmission may be achieved. A destabilization of the VLANs in the network ring is prevented by the targeted deactivation of specific ports of the sending network device.

Abstract: A method for operating a communications network, in particular an Ethernet network is provided. Network devices that are coupled to the network have a switch device and a control device that is coupled to the switch device, and the switch device has at least one receiving port and a sending port for sending and receiving data via the communications network. Fuse devices for monitoring a particular data transfer rate are assigned to the receiving ports. The fuse devices block data reception at a particular receiving port when a previously determined maximum data transfer rate is exceeded. A possible annular structure using bidirectional communication paths and the limitation of the data transfer rate at the receiving ports improve fail-safety and error analysis in the event of transfer and hardware errors, in particular babbling idiot errors. The invention further relates to a network arrangement having a plurality of corresponding network devices which function according to said method.

Abstract: A method for operating a network arrangement having a plurality of network systems is disclosed. Data belonging to a first class is synchronously transmitted in a specified time slot identical for all network systems. A network system, which owing to a synchronization error during the specified time slot, receives data belonging to other classes from a plurality of senders, then only sends data belonging to the first class, but now in standard messages belonging to class 2. Non-vital data belonging to the other classes is no longer transmitted in this operating state. Improved failure safety and in particular a fail-operational mode is provided by the behavior of the network systems in the event of synchronization errors. A network system which implements the method and a network arrangement having a plurality of corresponding network systems is also proposed.

Abstract: A network mechanism for a communication network, e.g., Ethernet environment, includes a first control mechanism with an assigned first physical port and a second control mechanism with an assigned second physical port, the first and the second physical port being configured to receive and send data via a transmission medium. The network mechanism is configured such that transmitted data from the first control mechanism are coupled by an internal transmit connector of the first control mechanism via the first physical port into the transmission medium and received data at the second physical port are routed to an internal receive connector of the first control mechanism. Alternatively, received data can be routed crosswise to the other control mechanism, i.e., the control mechanism not assigned to the receiving physical port. The crosswise routing enables the formation of two independent ring-shaped communication paths of different transmit/receive directions within a single physical ring-shaped network.

Abstract: A method for configuring at least one device in an Ethernet-based communication network comprising a plurality of devices with Ethernet capability, wherein the topological position of a respective device to be configured, which is associated with a device type, in the communication network is ascertained, the respective device is sent configuration data, which correspond to its device type and to its ascertained topological position, from a database which contains a plurality of configuration data for at least one device type and a plurality of topological positions of the at least one device type, and the respective device is then configured based on the transmitted configuration data.

Abstract: A network node for a communication network comprising a first subnetwork and a second subnetwork connected to the first subnetwork, wherein the first subnetwork uses a spanning tree protocol and the second subnetwork uses a second protocol differing from the protocol of the first subnetwork, and the network node is configured as an element for the second subnetwork and is configured for communication within the second subnetwork. In addition, the network node configured by a spanning tree functionality as a spanning tree master node for checking and controlling the second subnetwork in such a way that the second subnetwork is handled or is able to be handled by the spanning tree protocol of the first subnetwork as a virtual network node.