Patent ID: 8473656

Claim:
Communications entity for communications via a bus-oriented communications network, comprising: a control device ( 101 ) that is constructed to communicate via the bus-oriented communications network in response to a selection signal according to a first communications bus sub-system or according to a second communications bus sub-system; and a selection device ( 103 ) for generating the selection signal as a function of an operating mode of the communications entity, in order to select the first communications bus sub-system or the second communications bus sub-system; wherein the operating mode comprises: (i) a first operating mode with operating phases for the configuration and/or addressing of the bus-orientated communications network and/or communications entities that can be connected to the communications network and/or for transmission of process data and/or parameter data, and (ii) a second operating mode with operating phase for the configuration and/or addressing of the bus-orientated communications network and/or communications entities that can be connected to the communications network and/or for the transmission of process data and/or parameter data; and wherein the selection device is constructed to select, in the first operating mode, the first communications bus sub-system and, in the second operating mode, the second communications bus sub-system for the transmission of process data and/or parameter data.