Abstract: In an automation-communication network, at least one distribution node comprises input/output interfaces each connected to at least one network segment. In a first network segment a first subscriber and in a second network segment a second subscriber are arranged. Data are exchanged between the first and the second subscriber by telegrams realized as scheduled telegrams and unscheduled telegrams. The distribution node receives an unscheduled telegram on an input/output interface and sends an unscheduled telegram on a further input/output interface. The distribution node determines a transmission duration for transmission of the unscheduled telegram. The distribution node transmits the unscheduled telegram. Prior to transmission, the distribution node deposits a first telegram information in a data field. The distribution node fragments the unscheduled telegram if the telegram cannot be transmitted within a time slot.

Abstract: A first participant transmits a clocked data sequence to a second participant of a communication network, wherein one data unit of the data sequence is transmitted per clock cycle by the first participant and wherein the data sequence contains a datagram as a write datagram which contains a header, an intermediate field following the header and a data field following the intermediate header, wherein the header, the intermediate field and the data field in each case have one or more data units. The second participant reads the header of the datagram, defines input data depending on the content of the header within a response time, and records the input data in the datagram while the data sequence passes through the second participant. The length of the intermediate field of the datagram is matched to the clock frequency of the data sequence and the response time of the second participant.

Abstract: A first communication subscriber transmits a first data packet comprising data and an identification character to the second communication subscriber. The first communication subscriber and the second communication subscriber respectively determine a first and a second acknowledgement character on the basis of the identification character. The second communication subscriber transmits a second data packet comprising the second acknowledgement character back to the first communication subscriber. The first communication subscriber can thus check, on the basis of the second acknowledgement character, whether the first data packet arrived at the second communication subscriber.

Abstract: To control a technical process comprising a control task for independently controllable modules, modules are each assigned to a computing core on a controller with a plurality of computing cores. The technical process is connected to the controller via at least one communication connection. In a first time segment, the controller provides read-in input data of the modules for the respectively associated computing core. Subsequently, synchronization of the computing cores to which modules are assigned is carried out by the controller. In a second time segment, the computing cores process the input data of the modules to generate output data for the modules, wherein each computing core signals the end of processing. As soon as all computing cores have signaled the end of processing, the output data are provided in a third time segment by the controller in order to be provided to the modules on the communication connection.

Abstract: A message transmission between communication subscribers in an automation system is controlled, wherein publisher applications and/or subscriber applications are executed on each of the communication subscribers, wherein the automation system comprises a message broker configured to enter subscriptions for specified topics for designated subscriber applications into a topic tree. In reaction to a message on a specified topic of the topic tree being published by a publisher application of a first of the plurality of communication subscribers on the first communication subscriber offering one or a plurality of services, the message broker determines whether a subscriber application of a second of the plurality of communication subscribers has been entered for the specified topic.

Abstract: A network includes a first network participant connected via a first connection to a further network participant. The first network participant receives a data message containing information that a parameter must be set to a first value, via the first connection. The first network participant checks whether it is connected via a second connection to a still further network, and whether the parameter is not set to the first value in the second connection. In this case, the first network participant forwards the data message via the second connection, clearing down the second connection, and re-establishes the second connection, where the parameter for the second connection is set to the first value.

Abstract: In a real-time environment at least one task is executed with a pre-defined task run-time, wherein at least one auxiliary function with indeterminate function run-time is to be processed within the specified task run-time by means of a time monitoring function. The time monitoring function, which defines a termination time for the auxiliary function within the pre-defined task run-time, is started. Then the auxiliary function is executed, wherein the time monitoring function monitors the function run-time and a function abort is initiated if the pre-defined abort time point is exceeded. Finally, the time monitoring function is terminated.

Abstract: In order to transmit data on a transmission path to which a control unit and several nodes are connected, the control unit cyclically outputs data in a continuous manner onto the transmission path during the entire transmission cycle time in the form of telegrams by taking into account the transmission standard, the nodes exchanging data with the telegrams during the cycle. The control unit subdivides the transmission cycle into a number of subcycles that have the same length. At least one communication telegram into which a first node can write data for a second node located downstream on the transmission path during the cycle, is sent in each subcycle.

Abstract: A method for operating a network that has a network subscriber that is connected to a superordinate bus and to a subordinate bus comprises steps for the reception of a first superordinate data message by the network subscriber via the superordinate bus, the extraction of first data from the first superordinate data message by the network subscriber and for the transmission of a first subordinate data message by the network subscriber via the subordinate bus. In one case, the first subordinate data message comprises the first data.

Abstract: A network module is specified for controlling an automation process via a data network with superordinate and subordinate data paths. The network module is configured to successively receive, during a communication cycle, via the superordinate data path, a first portion of a sum total of first output data transmitted to signal units connected to a first subordinate data path, a first portion of a sum total of second output data transmitted to signal units connected to a second subordinate data path, a second portion of the first output data and a second portion of the second output data. The network module is configured to send the first and second portions of the first output data immediately subsequently to one another via the first subordinate data path and the first and second portions of the second output data immediately subsequently to one another via the second subordinate data path.

Abstract: A network subscriber comprises a plurality of individual functional units, each individual functional unit comprising an application interface. The network subscriber further comprises a network subscriber comprises at least a shared functional unit, a first interface for establishing a physical connection and a second interface for establishing a further physical connection.

Abstract: A first participant transmits a clocked data sequence to a second participant of a communication network, wherein one data unit of the data sequence is transmitted per clock cycle by the first participant and wherein the data sequence contains a datagram as a write datagram which contains a header, an intermediate field following the header and a data field following the intermediate header, wherein the header, the intermediate field and the data field in each case have one or more data units. The second participant reads the header of the datagram, defines input data depending on the content of the header within a response time, and records the input data in the datagram while the data sequence passes through the second participant. The length of the intermediate field of the datagram is matched to the clock frequency of the data sequence and the response time of the second participant.

Abstract: A method for operating a communication network comprising a master and a number of subscribers. A message comprising a data field is transmitted by the master, wherein at least one of the subscribers, on receiving the message, reads data out of the data field of the message, and forwards the message to at least one other one of the subscribers after the readout, and wherein the at least one other one of the subscribers, on receiving the message, writes data into the data field.

Abstract: A communications network comprises a plurality of participants. A first participant transmits a message repeating sequence of N?2 successive messages to a second participant. An action which can be performed by the second participant is assigned to each message in the sequence. The first participant begins to transmit one of the N messages at N successive transmission times T_I (I=0, . . . , N?1). Each of the N messages contains a field defining a waiting time assigned to the respective message W_I=T_(N?1)?T_I+?W_I (I=0, . . . ,N?1), where ?W_I is a non-negative tolerance time. The second participant selects one message from among the messages in the sequence which are successfully received by the second participant as a useful message, measures a time elapsed since reception of the useful message, and performs the action assigned to the useful message when the elapsed time has reached the assigned waiting time.

Abstract: Data transmission in a communication network is performed via a transmission path with which a master participant and at least one slave participant communicate. The master participant outputs messages on the data transmission path with which the slave participants exchange data on the fly. The messages output by the master participant contain datagrams which comprise a control data field and a payload field, where the control data field has a command field and an address field. In the case that at least one message has at least one datagram which is a write datagram in which the command field defines the data transmission procedure to be performed by a slave participant with the payload field as a write procedure, at least the control data field of a further datagram is arranged between the control data field of the write datagram and the payload field of the write datagram.

Abstract: A method for operating a node in a communications network comprises the following steps: The node receives a reference time via the communications network. A transmit clock of the node, which was determined for an earlier clock cycle on the basis of a local clock of the node, is compared with the reference time. The local clock of the node is corrected on the basis of the comparison result. On the basis of the corrected local clock a transmit clock is determined to be used by the node for the current clock cycle.

Abstract: A first communication subscriber transmits a first data packet comprising data and an identification character to the second communication subscriber. The first communication subscriber and the second communication subscriber respectively determine a first and a second acknowledgement character on the basis of the identification character. The second communication subscriber transmits a second data packet comprising the second acknowledgement character back to the first communication subscriber. The first communication subscriber can thus check, on the basis of the second acknowledgement character, whether the first data packet arrived at the second communication subscriber.

Abstract: A transmission module for a machine control, is designed to process an input program code of a control program, and based thereon, to generate a uniform intermediate code having work instructions for execution by the machine control. The input program code comprises a first program code component and a second program code component, where the first program code component is written in a first programming language and the second program code component is written in a second programming language. The work instructions of the intermediate code comprise a first work instruction and a second work instruction, where the first work instruction is generated on the basis of the first program code component and the second work instruction is generated on the basis of the second program code component.

Abstract: A module for a data bus comprises a terminal. The terminal comprises two opposite outer faces, each comprising at least one contact, wherein the two contacts are connected by means of an internal data-bus line for forwarding data through the terminal via said internal data bus. The module further comprises a software-protection unit which is integrated into the terminal and connected to said data-bus line.

Abstract: A distribution node for an automation network comprises at least two input/output interfaces for transmitting and receiving real-time-relevant and non-real-time-relevant data packets, and a switching device connected to the input/output interfaces. The switching device forwards data packets received via an input/output interface via a further input/output interface using a switching table, where the switching table contains at least a data packet identifier and a transmission time in a data transfer cycle for each real-time-relevant data packet. Inter alia, the switching device can detect a data packet identifier on reception of a real-time-relevant data packet, and output the real-time-relevant data packet at the transmission time allocated to the detected data packet identifier in the switching table via an input/output interface as a transmission interface.