Abstract: The invention concerns a network comprising an interconnecting network and several network nodes that are coupled to said interconnecting network and are designed to adapt their local communication time schedule to the communication time schedule of at least one other network mode, prior to being integrated as active network nodes. A network node to be integrated checks the activity of other network nodes and if no activity is identified, sends out positional messages for other network nodes, said message being fixed by predetermination in its communication time schedule. If a network node cannot be integrated as a reference node, it can only be integrated as an active node if it adapts its local communication time schedule to that of the reference node after receiving positional messages and if a check as to whether its own communication time schedule agrees with the communication time schedules of at least some of the active network nodes proves positive.

Abstract: A method, a device, and a bus system for synchronizing at least two buses having at least one bus user, a global time being determined in each bus, and the deviations in the global times of the buses being determined from the global times, the buses being connected via at least one user and the deviations in the individual global times being transmitted to at least one bus user, and the global times of the buses connected via at least one user being adjusted to one another as a function of the deviations in the global times, so that the buses are synchronized with respect to the global times. The buses may include TTCAN buses.

Abstract: A method, a multimedia device for transmitting, and/or a multimedia device and a gateway for connecting a multimedia device to a data transmission system are provided. The multimedia data include image and/or sound data in particular. To reduce the number of bus systems used in a motor vehicle, utilize existing bus systems in a motor vehicle more efficiently, and thus contribute overall to simplification and optimization of the data transmission within a motor vehicle, the multimedia data is transmitted via a data transmission system according to the FlexRay standard. Predefinable parameters of the FlexRay data transmission system are advantageously varied as a function of the format of the multimedia data and/or a repetition rate of a multimedia source which provides the multimedia data. In this way, particularly efficient and effective transmission of the multimedia data, which conserves resources and is thus cost-effective in particular, is possible.

Abstract: A method and a device for exchanging data in messages between at least two stations connected by a bus system. The messages contain the data being transmitted by the stations over the bus system. Each message contains an identifier characterizing the data contained therein. Each station decides on the basis of the identifier whether to receive the message. The messages are controlled in time by a first station. The first station repeatedly transmits a reference message over the bus in at least one specifiable time interval. The time interval is subdivided into time windows of a specifiable length, the messages being transmitted in the time windows.

Abstract: A method and a device for exchanging data in messages between at least two stations connected by a bus system. The messages contain the data being transmitted by the stations over the bus system. Each message contains an identifier characterizing the data contained therein. Each station decides on the basis of the identifier whether to receive the message. The messages are controlled in time by a first station. The first station repeatedly transmits a reference message over the bus in at least one specifiable time interval. The time interval is subdivided into time windows of a specifiable length, the messages being transmitted in the time windows.

Abstract: A method and a bit stream decoding unit for bit stream decoding has a bit stream comprising a number of consecutive samples. In order to provide for rapid and, in particular, reliable decoding of the bit stream, a detection window comprising a number of samples is defined and the detection window is positioned at certain positions on the bit stream in order to comprise certain samples with respective sample values. A majority voting is applied to the sample values in the detection window and, in dependence on the result of the majority voting, the bit stream is decoded and respective bit values are generated.

Abstract: A method for establishing a global time base in a time-controlled communications system comprising a network and multiple subscribers connected to it. At least one of the subscribers of the communications system is defined as a time master with which the remaining subscribers are synchronized. In order to allow for a synchronization of the communications system that is on the one hand as simple as possible and realizable at low cost and on the other hand is secure and reliable, the present invention provides for one subscriber to be defined as the main time master and at least one further subscriber to be defined as a reserve time master. The order of the reserve time masters is predefined in the event that more than one subscriber is defined as a reserve time master. First an attempt is made to synchronize all subscribers of the communications system with the main time master.

Abstract: A method, a device, and a bus system for synchronizing at least two TTCAN buses having at least one bus user, there being cycle times of the basic cycles in the TTCAN buses, a global time being determined in each TTCAN bus and the deviations of the global times of the TTCAN buses which are linked together by at least one user being determined from the global times, and the deviations of the individual global times being transmitted to at least one bus user, the cycle times of the TTCAN buses, which are connected by at least one user, being mutually adjusted as a function of the deviations in the global times in such a way that the buses are synchronized with respect to the cycle times.

Abstract: A method and a communication system for exchanging data between at least two users interconnected over a bus system are described. The data is contained in messages which are transmitted by the users over the bus system. To improve data exchange among users so that in the normal case, there is a high probability that it will be possible to transmit messages with a low latency, while on the other hand, in the worst case, a finite maximum latency can be guaranteed, the data be transmitted in an event-oriented method over the bus system as long as a preselectable latency period elapsing between a transmission request by a user and the actual transmission operation of the user can be guaranteed for each message to be transmitted as a function of the utilization of capacity of the bus system, and otherwise the data is transmitted over the bus system by a deterministic method.

Abstract: A method, a device, and a bus system for synchronizing at least two TTCAN buses having at least one bus user, there being cycle times of the basic cycles in the TTCAN buses, a global time being determined in each TTCAN bus and the deviations of the global times of the TTCAN buses which are linked together by at least one user being determined from the global times, and the deviations of the individual global times being transmitted to at least one bus user, the cycle times of the TTCAN buses, which are connected by at least one user, being mutually adjusted as a function of the deviations in the global times in such a way that the buses are synchronized with respect to the cycle times.

Abstract: Method of synchronizing at least one user of a bus system which is operated with a preselectable system clock period (NTU), a local clock period (LNTU) and a reference clock period (GNTU) being preselected for the at least one user, and the reference clock period (GNTU) being synchronized with the system clock period (NTU), a local clock period (SLNTU), synchronized with the system clock period (NTU), of the at least one user being generated by linking the local clock period (LNTU) to a scaling factor (P), the scaling factor (P) reflecting a ratio of the reference clock period (GNTU) to the local clock period (LNTU), the scaling factor (P) for synchronization of the local clock period (LNTU) being adapted to the system clock period (NTU) by addition or subtraction of an adjustment value (O).

Abstract: A method and a device for exchanging data in messages between at least two stations connected via a bus system, the messages containing the data being transmitted by the stations over the bus system and the messages being controlled over time by a first station in such a manner that the first station repeatedly transmits a reference message over the bus at least one specifiable time interval and the time interval is divided into time windows of specifiable length, the messages being transmitted in the time windows, a reference message and the subsequent time windows until the next reference message being combined into a first cycle, and the first station interrupting the transmission at the end of a first cycle due to a stop request, in particular, a message of the at least second station.

Abstract: A communications system for a motor vehicle, including a plurality of electrical components, a data bus structure to which the components are connected in order to transmit information among the components, and a power line structure to which the components are connected in order to be supplied with power. The information is transmitted in successive cycles over the data bus structure, each cycle including at least one time window for transmitting information at specific points in time and at least one event window for transmitting information in response to specific events. The communications system includes an arrangement for redundantly transmitting information which merely transmits the information transmitted in the at least one time window over the data bus structure at least partially over the power line structure as well.

Abstract: A method of triggering a component in a distributed safety-related system, i.e., a component of an X-by-wire system in a motor vehicle, is described. The component is triggered by a process computer assigned to the component and connected to a communication system via a communications controller. A monitoring unit which is independent of the process computer is provided for monitoring the process computer. To simplify the configuration of such a safety-related system while at the same time at least retaining the safety that is achievable on enabling the components, the functions of the monitoring unit are executed by the communications controller. The communications controller may execute a question-and-answer communication with the process computer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and a communications system for the exchange of data between at least two users who are in contact with one another using a bus system. The data are included in messages which are transmitted by users over the bus system. A specifiable priority is assigned to each message. In order to achieve, in the normal case, a high probability of a short latency period (t) of a message to be transmitted, and to be able to guarantee, in the worst case, a maximum latency period (tmax), it is provided that the priorities assigned to the messages be dynamically modified during the operation of bus system. Preferably, the set of all messages is subdivided into equivalence classes, and a priority is assigned to each equivalence class. During the operation of the bus system, the priorities of the messages are dynamically modified within an equivalence class, and the priorities of the equivalence classes are dynamically modified.

Abstract: A method and communication system for exchanging data between at least two stations that are connected to one another via a distributed bus system, in which the data is contained in messages that are sent by the stations via the bus system. A common global time base, which at a predefinable instant is synchronized with an external reference time, and is provided for the stations of the bus system. To ensure reliable synchronization of the global time base with the external reference time, in particular without destroying the characteristics of the global time, (that is, without causing jumps in the global time base or a regressive global time), the stations of the communication system receive information regarding correction of the global time base, consent to a uniform correction value, and synchronously carry out external synchronization (that is, correction of the global time base).

Abstract: A method for forming clock pulses of a second clock cycle (AT, TT) from clock pulses of a specified first clock cycle (ET) in a bus system having at least one user, a first number (E) of the clock pulses of the first clock cycle being determined or specified in a specifiable time interval and a second number (A) of the clock pulses of the second clock cycle being determined or specified in the specifiable time interval, in which an intermediate value (R) of the number of clock pulses is specified in the specifiable time interval, and the intermediate value (R) is compared to a value (C) which is formed from the first number (E) of clock pulses and the second number (A) of clock pulses and from the comparison a truth value (TRUE, FALSE) is yielded, and a clock pulse of the second clock cycle (AT, TT) is generated as a function of the truth value (TRUE, FALSE).

Abstract: A method and a device for exchanging data in messages between at least two stations connected via a bus system, the messages containing the data being transmitted by the stations over the bus system and the messages being controlled over time by a first station in such a manner that the first station repeatedly transmits a reference message over the bus at at least one specifiable time interval and the time interval is divided into time windows of specifiable length, the messages being transmitted in the time windows, a reference message and the subsequent time windows until the next reference message being combined into a first cycle, and the first station interrupting the transmission at the end of a first cycle due to a stop request, in particular, a message of the at least second station.

Abstract: A method and a device for exchanging data in messages between at least two stations connected via a bus system, the messages containing the data being transmitted by the stations over the bus system and the messages being controlled over time by a first station in such a manner that the first station repeatedly transmits a reference message over the bus at at least one specifiable time interval and the time interval is divided into time windows of specifiable length, the messages being transmitted in the time windows, a reference message and the subsequent time windows until the next reference message being combined into a first cycle, and the first station interrupting the transmission at the end of a first cycle due to a stop request, in particular, a message of the at least second station.

Abstract: A method, a device, and a bus system for synchronizing at least two buses having at least one bus user, a global time being determined in each bus, and the deviations in the global times of the buses being determined from the global times, the buses being connected via at least one user and the deviations in the individual global times being transmitted to at least one bus user, and the global times of the buses connected via at least one user being adjusted to one another as a function of the deviations in the global times, so that the buses are synchronized with respect to the global times. The buses may include TTCAN buses.