Patent ID: 7103805

Claim:
A central node for a data bus system having a bus monitor unit with receiver means for registering signals on the data bus, and evaluation means for at least temporarily blocking communication by a bus user which causes faulty communication on the bus, or for compensating a faulty communication that is triggered by interference influences, wherein: the bus monitor unit has timing means which are triggered according to time patterns for transmission by each user of the data bus, to detect a faulty communication of a particular user if the particular user transmits outside a time provided for it; the bus monitor unit is integrated into the central node; a plurality of bus branches of different users are combined at the central node, so that the bus monitor unit can check a plurality of users for incorrect communication; in addition to the bus monitor unit the central node has integrated therein, a diagnostic unit that monitors regularity of retriggering of the bus monitor unit according to the time patterns, whereby the bus monitor unit can be deactivated in the absence of retriggering; and a configuration means for configuring the communication for each user in accordance with a provided configuration list, whereby, in the event of a fault, each user is either released or blocked to further communication; the time patterns for transmission on the data bus are settable via the central node, to trigger the bus monitor unit in response to the various transmission slots for the users on the data bus; the diagnostic unit includes means for intermittently switching the bus monitor from an active state to an inactive state in particular time periods, to permit asynchronous communication on the data bus during such time periods.