Patent ID: 8369966
Filing Date: 2013-02-05
Classification: H04J,H04L

Abstract:
1. In a controller network for automated control of a technical installation, the controller network having a plurality of subscribers comprising a number of sensor devices, actuator devices and controllers controlling the actuator devices in response to messages from the sensor devices, with each subscriber acting as at least one of message transmitter and message receiver, and with at least one actuator device having an activated first state representing a hazardous situation and a deactivated second state representing a non-hazardous situation, a method for transmitting control data from a message transmitter to a message receiver, the method comprising: the message transmitter sends control messages containing the control data repeatedly with a first repetition rate, the message receiver receives the plurality of control messages and monitors delay times of the control messages using a time out criterion based on the first repetition rate, during control of the installation, a first subscriber additionally monitors the delay times by repeatedly sending a request message to a second subscriber, and by measuring time periods between sending of the request message and receiving of a response message from said second subscriber, wherein the first subscriber compares the measured time periods with a defined threshold value, and produces an error signal if a number of the measured time periods exceed the defined threshold value, and wherein the at least one actuator device enters into the deactivated second state in response to the error signal.