# US 10,873,536 B2 · Distribution node, automation network, and method for transmitting real-time-relevant and non-real-time-relevant data packets > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,536 B2 - Document ID: US10873536B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/428,926 - Filed: 2017-02-09 - Published: 2017-06-15 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2014-08-22 - Assignees: Beckhoff Automation GmbH - Applicants: Beckhoff Automation GmbH - Inventors: Thorsten Bunte; Holger Büttner; Erik Vonnahme; Dirk Janssen; Thomas Rettig; Hans Beckhoff - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873536B2 ## CPC - H04L 47/625: for service slots or service orders - H04L 12/40006: {Architecture of a communication node (current supply arrangements H04L12/10; intermediate storage or scheduling H04L49/90)} - H04L 12/4625: {Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge} - H04L 45/745: Address table lookup; Address filtering - H04L 47/56: implementing delay-aware scheduling - H04L 47/628: based on packet size, e.g. shortest packet first - H04L 47/801: {Real time traffic} - H04L 47/822: {Collecting or measuring resource availability data} - H04L 47/826: {Involving periods of time} - H04L 49/206: {Real Time traffic} - H04L 49/351: for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches - H04L 67/125: involving control of end-device applications over a network - H04L 2012/4026: {Bus for use in automation systems} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A distribution node for an automation network comprises at least two input/output interfaces for transmitting and receiving real-time-relevant and non-real-time-relevant data packets, and a switching device connected to the input/output interfaces. The switching device forwards data packets received via an input/output interface via a further input/output interface using a switching table, where the switching table contains at least a data packet identifier and a transmission time in a data transfer cycle for each real-time-relevant data packet. Inter alia, the switching device can detect a data packet identifier on reception of a real-time-relevant data packet, and output the real-time-relevant data packet at the transmission time allocated to the detected data packet identifier in the switching table via an input/output interface as a transmission interface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A distribution node for an automation network comprising: at least two input/output interfaces adapted for transmitting and receiving a plurality of real-time-relevant and non-real-time-relevant data packets within a data transfer cycle, and a switching device connected to the input/output interfaces, wherein the switching device forwards data packets received via a first input/output interface via a second input/output interface using a switching table listing the plurality of real-time-relevant data packets within the data transfer cycle, each listing entry containing a discrete data packet identifier and a discrete transmission time within the data transfer cycle for the corresponding real-time-relevant data packet, wherein the switching device detects a data packet identifier on reception of one of the real-time-relevant data packets and outputs said real-time-relevant data packet at the transmission time allocated to the detected data packet identifier in the switching table via the second input/output interface as a transmission interface, wherein the switching device, on reception of one of the non-real-time-relevant data packets, detects a length of said non-real-time-relevant data packet in order to determine a transmission duration resulting therefrom for the non-real-time-relevant data packet, and wherein the switching device continuously checks whether the second input/output interface is in a transmission-free state, and if the second input/output interface is in the transmission-free state, utilizes the switching table to determine a transmission pause duration, the transmission pause duration being a time period remaining within the data transfer cycle until the discrete transmission time of a next real-time-relevant data packet listed in the switching table, and checks whether one of the non-real-time-relevant data packets is present with a transmission duration which corresponds at most to the transmission pause duration for the second input/output interface within the data transfer cycle as the transmission interface in order to forward the non-real-time-relevant data packet via the second input/output interface in the event of a positive check result so that a mixed sequence of real-time relevant data packets and of non-real-time relevant data packets within the data transfer cycle can be forwarded, wherein said non-real-time-relevant data packet can be present between two of the real-time-relevant data packets within the same data transfer cycle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The distribution node as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switching device temporarily stores the non-real-time relevant data packet if the allocated transmission interface of the non-real-time relevant data packet is not released for forwarding. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The distribution node as claimed in claim 2, wherein the switching device checks, on reception of the non-real-time-relevant data packet, whether the allocated transmission interface is free until the transmission of the next real-time-relevant data packet for the transmission duration resulting from the length of the real-time-relevant data packet, wherein, in the event of a positive check result, the non-real-time-relevant data packet is forwarded via the allocated transmission interface, and, in the event of a negative check result, the non-real-time-relevant data packet is temporarily stored. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The distribution node as claimed in claim 2, wherein the switching device compares the transmission pause duration of the second input/output interface free for transmission with the transmission duration of non-real-time-relevant data packets allocated to the input/output interface as the transmission interface and present in the distribution node and selects, from the non-real-time-relevant data packets of which the transmission duration corresponds at most to the transmission pause duration, the non-real-time-relevant data packet to be forwarded according to a predefined criterion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The distribution node as claimed in claim 4, wherein a selection criterion is the transmission duration and/or a hold-up duration in the distribution node. ### Claim 6 An automation network comprising: a distribution node and at least one node, the distribution node comprising at least two input/output interfaces adapted for transmitting and receiving a plurality of real-time-relevant and non-real-time-relevant data packets within a data transfer cycle, and a switching device connected to the input/output interfaces, wherein the switching device forwards data packets received via a first input/output interface via a second input/output interface using a switching table listing the plurality of real-time-relevant data packets within the data transfer cycle, each listing entry containing a discrete data packet identifier and a discrete transmission time in the data transfer cycle for the corresponding real-time-relevant data packet, wherein the switching device detects a data packet identifier on reception of one of the real-time-relevant data packets and outputs said real-time-relevant data packet at the transmission time allocated to the detected data packet identifier in the switching table via the second input/output interface as a transmission interface, wherein the switching device, on reception of one of the non-real-time-relevant data packets, detects a length of said non-real-time-relevant data packet in order to determine a transmission duration resulting therefrom for the non-real-time-relevant data packet, wherein the switching device continuously checks whether the second input/output interface is in a transmission-free state, and if the second input/output interface is in the transmission-free state, utilizes the switching table to determine a transmission pause duration, the transmission pause duration being a time period remaining within the data transfer cycle until the discrete transmission time of a next real-time-relevant data packet listed in the switching table and to check whether one of the non-real-time-relevant data packet is present with a transmission duration which corresponds at most to the transmission pause duration for the second input/output interface as the transmission interface in order to forward the non-real-time-relevant data packet via the second input/output interface in the event of a positive check result, and wherein each input/output interface is connected to the at least one node and the data transfer of the real-time-relevant and the non-real-time-relevant data packets takes place within the data transfer cycle in a mixed sequence, wherein the non-real-time-relevant data packet can be present between two real-time-relevant data packets within the same data transfer cycle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The automation network as claimed in claim 6, wherein the switching device of the distribution node temporarily stores the non-real-time relevant data packet if the allocated transmission interface of the non-real-time relevant data packet is not released for forwarding. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The automation network as claimed in claim 7, wherein the switching device of the distribution node checks, on reception of the non-real-time-relevant data packet, whether the allocated transmission interface is free until the transmission of the next real-time-relevant data packet for the transmission duration resulting from the length of the real-time-relevant data packet, wherein, in the event of a positive check result, the non-real-time-relevant data packet is forwarded via the allocated transmission interface, and, in the event of a negative check result, the non-real-time-relevant data packet is temporarily stored. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The automation network as claimed in claim 7, wherein the switching device of the distribution node compares the transmission pause duration of the input/output interface free for transmission with the transmission duration of non-real-time-relevant data packets allocated to the second input/output interface as the transmission interface and present in the distribution node and selects, from the non-real-time-relevant data packets of which the transmission duration corresponds at most to the transmission pause duration, a non-real-time-relevant data packet to be forwarded according to a predefined criterion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The of the distribution node as claimed in claim 9, wherein a selection criterion is the transmission duration and/or a hold-up duration in the distribution node. ### Claim 11 A method for transmitting a plurality of real-time-relevant and non-real-time-relevant data packets within a data transfer cycle in an automation network with a plurality of nodes and a distribution node which has at least two input/output interfaces and a switching device connected to the two input/output interfaces, wherein: each input/output interface of the distribution node is connected to at least one node, and the distribution node forwards data packets received via a first input/output interface via a second input/output interface using a switching table listing the plurality of real-time-relevant data packets within the data transfer cycle, each listing entry containing a discrete data packet identifier and a discrete transmission time in the data transfer cycle for the corresponding real-time-relevant data packets, the switching device detects a data packet identifier on reception of one of the real-time-relevant data packets, the switching device outputs said real-time-relevant data packet at the transmission time allocated to the detected data packet identifier in the switching table via the second input/output interface as a transmission interface, the switching device, on reception of one of the non-real-time-relevant data packets detects a length of said non-real-time-relevant data packet in order to determine a transmission duration resulting therefrom for the non-real-time-relevant data packet, and the switching device continuously checks whether the second input/output interface is in a transmission-free state, and if the second input/output interface is in the transmission-free state, detects a transmission pause duration, the transmission pause duration being a time period remaining within the data transfer cycle until the discrete transmission time of a next real-time-relevant data packet listed in the switching table and checks whether one of the non-real-time-relevant data packets is present with a transmission duration which corresponds at most to the transmission pause duration for the second input/output interface as the transmission interface in order to forward the non-real-time-relevant data packet via the input/output interface in the event of a positive check result so that a mixed sequence of real-time relevant data packets and of non-real-time-relevant data packets within the data transfer cycle can be forwarded, wherein the non-real-time-relevant data packet can be present between two real-time-relevant packets within the same data transfer cycle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the switching device of the distribution node temporarily stores the non-real-time relevant data packet if the allocated transmission interface is not released for forwarding the non-real-time relevant data packet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the switching device of the distribution node, on reception of the non-real-time-relevant data packet, checks whether the allocated transmission interface is free until the transmission of the next real-time-relevant data packet for the transmission duration resulting from the length of the real-time-relevant data packet, wherein, in the event of a positive check result, the non-real-time-relevant data packet is forwarded via the allocated transmission interface, and, in the event of a negative check result, the non-real-time-relevant data packet is temporarily stored. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the switching device of the distribution node compares the transmission pause duration of the second input/output interface free for transmission with the transmission duration of non-real-time-relevant data packets allocated to the input/output interface as the transmission interface in order to select, from the non-real-time-relevant data packets of which the transmission pause duration corresponds at most to the transmission duration, a non-real-time-relevant data packet to be forwarded according to at least one predefined criterion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein a selection criterion is the transmission duration and/or a hold-up duration in the distribution node. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the data transfer of the real-time-relevant and the non-real-time-relevant data packets takes place in the individual data transfer cycle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the data packets are Ethernet messages and wherein, in the case of non-real-time-relevant Ethernet messages, the data field for the length information is provided in a header section of the data area. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the data packets are Ethernet messages and wherein, in the case of non-real-time-relevant Ethernet messages the data field for the length information is provided in a destination address section in a header area.