Patent ID: 7668182

Claim:
A network for data transmission, comprising: a plurality of sub-networks for transmitting data in data frames, in which each sub-network has at least two subscribers, wherein at least two of the sub-networks have different transmission rates, and wherein one of the sub-networks serves as a dedicated clock and frame rate master for synchronizing the clocks and frame rates of all other sub-networks; at least one gateway connecting each sub-network to at least one other sub-network for transmission of data between the sub-networks; at least one first sub-network is configured for at least one of simultaneous addressing of data frames to a plurality of subscribers, and random addressing of single data frames or parts of data frames, and this at least one first sub-network is furthermore adapted for synchronous transmission of synchronous data or control data, and normal package data; and for real-time transmission with deterministic transmission times between sub-networks by an exchange of time synchronization signals and a synchronization of the at least one first sub-network and at least one other sub-network with these signals, a transmission of individual data frames between the respective sub-networks is effected with a defined timing relationship between the sub-networks.