Patent ID: 7272152
Filing Date: 2007-09-18
Classification: H04J,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for real-time communication between a number of network subscribers in a communication system using Ethernet physics, comprising the steps of transmitting messages via Fast-Ethernet devices to establish communication between a master unit and one or more slave units with one another, synchronizing the master unit and the one or more slave units by means of a common timebase to interchange messages cyclically within a total cycle time, and assigning each slave unit a first timeslot within said total cycle time for transmission of a telegram and a second timeslot for reception of a telegram; and assigning the master unit a third timeslot within said total cycle time for transmission of a telegram and a fourth timeslot for reception of a telegram, wherein each slave unit being timed by way of a respective counter with a preassigned total cycle time, the respective counter being set cyclically by reception of respective slave-specific synchronization information determined by the master unit and each counter of a slave unit, even in the absence of the respective synchronization information after expiration of the preassigned total cycle time automatically starting a new cycle.