Patent ID: 7474625

Claim:
A time-triggered communication system which comprises: at least a first and second channel and at least a first and a second node, one of which is selected as a cold-start node to perform a cold-start operation of the communication system responsive to a start signal received via the channels; a first communication controller assigned to the first channel and connected the first node and a second communication controller assigned to the second channel and connected to the second node, the first and the second communication controller each including a local clock, said local clocks being independent of each other; the controller of the selected cold start node must listen to both channels and transmit simultaneously data for the cold staff to both channels, and wherein only a single control logic within a communication controller for carrying out the cold start is available for both channels; an interface for the interchannel communication is arranged between the first communication controller and the second communication controller, wherein the first and second communication controllers each generate and send a status signal to the other one of the communication controllers via the interface, each of the first and second communication controllers receiving and storing the status signal sent by the other one of the communication controllers, and the first and second communication controllers perform the cold-staff operation only if both of the communication controllers are in a ready status as indicated by the status signals.