Abstract: A measurement or protective device has an interface for establishing a connection to at least one measurement transducer and a further interface for connecting to a superordinate data bus. In order to allow the measurement or protective device to be used in a particularly universal manner and to make it possible for complex protective systems to be constructed in a particularly cost-effective manner, a communication unit is provided in the measurement or protective device. The communication unit is connected to both interfaces, can be directly connected to the measurement transducer via the interface, can be connected to the superordinate data bus via the further interface, forms messages and transmits them to the superordinate data bus.

Abstract: An automation system includes at least one device that detects measured values and is connected to a automated process, at least one field device connected to the at least one device detecting measured values, and a master computer connected to the at least one field device. In order to simplify the design of such an automation system as much as possible, the device detecting measured values, the field device, and the master computer are connected to a common data transmission network which is equipped for transmitting digital measured data from the device detecting measured values to the field device according to a first communication protocol and for transmitting digital control data between the field device and the master computer according to a second communication protocol.