Patent ID: 8112554

Claim:
A method of transmitting data on a data line in a system having a central control device and at least one decentralized data processing device, the method which comprises: in a normal operating mode of the system, periodically outputting synchronization pulses on the data line from the central control device to the at least one data processing device in order to request data packets; transmitting data awaiting transmission from the decentralized data processing device to the central control device as a data packet following a synchronization pulse; wherein the data line is a data bus; and prior to a first transmission of data packets to the central control device, configuring each of the decentralized data processing devices with the central control device, and thereby communicating in a bidirectional communication between the central control device and the at least one decentralized data processing device for the purpose of configuring the system; within the bidirectional communication: transmitting data from the central control device to the at least one decentralized data processing device as a sequence of synchronization pulses; and transmitting data from the at least one decentralized data processing device to the central control device as a data packet following the synchronization pulse; and coding the information contained in a configuration sequence into the synchronization pulse.