# US 11,442,432 B2 · Communication device and method for data transmission within an industrial communication network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,442,432 B2 - Document ID: US11442432B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/279,295 - Filed: 2019-08-23 - Published: 2022-02-17 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-25 - Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Feng Chen; Franz-Josef Götz; Marcel Kießling; An Ninh Nguyen; Jürgen Schmitt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11442432B2 ## CPC - G05B 19/4185: {characterised by the network communication} - H04L 47/826: {Involving periods of time} - G05B 19/41875: {characterised by quality surveillance of production} - G05B 19/4188: {characterised by CIM planning or realisation} - H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks - H04L 67/61: taking into account QoS or priority requirements - H04L 67/62: Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Method for data transmission within an industrial communication network, wherein selected datagrams are transmitted within predetermined time intervals, which are synchronized at all network nodes, where a number of network nodes from the respective source network node to the respective target network node is determined for forwarding the selected datagrams in each case, and where the selected datagrams are transmitted during first periodic time intervals having a first protection interval length in the event of a determined number of network nodes corresponding to at least one predefined threshold value and, in contrast thereto, if a determined number lies below the threshold value, then the selected datagrams are transmitted during second periodic time intervals having a second protection interval length, which is shorter than the first protection interval length. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for data transmission within an industrial communication network, comprising: transmitting selected datagrams from first communication devices to second communication devices within predefined time intervals; synchronizing the predefined time intervals at all network nodes; ascertaining a number of network nodes from each respective first communication device to each respective second communication device for forwarding the selected datagrams; transmitting the selected datagrams during first periodic time intervals having a first guard interval length if the ascertained number of network nodes corresponds to at least one predefined threshold value; transmitting the selected datagrams during second periodic time intervals having a second guard interval length, which is shorter than the first guard interval length, if the ascertained number is below the threshold value. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selected datagrams are assigned to a first category, for the transmission of which first system resources are reserved within the communication network, if the ascertained number of network nodes corresponds to at least the predefined threshold value; and wherein the selected datagrams are assigned to a second category, for the transmission of which second system resources are reserved within the communication network, if the ascertained number is below the threshold value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein category-specific time-aware shapers according to Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.1Qbv are used in each case selected datagrams of the first category and for selected datagrams of the second category. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein a pause time window is provided between the first time intervals and the second time intervals in each case. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein a pause time window is provided between the first time intervals and the second time intervals in each case. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first communication devices are connected to the second communication devices via a time-sensitive network in accordance with Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.1Q and IEEE standard 802.1Qbv. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selected datagrams are transmitted as multicast data streams via paths comprising intermediate network nodes, in which communication terminals connected to the first communication devices specify quality of service parameters for each multicast data stream of multicast data streams to reserve resources to be provided to intermediate network nodes by third communication devices; wherein communication terminals connected to the second communication devices specify a multicast data stream identifier for a reservation request in each case; and wherein in an the event of a reservation request at least one of (i) third communication devices and (ii) a superordinate control device each check/checks whether there are sufficient resources available in the third communication devices along a respective path to transmit data while maintaining the specified quality of service parameters. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein a multicast address assigned to each specified multicast data stream identifier is transmitted to a requesting communication terminal connected to a destination network node if sufficient resources are present. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the resources to be provided by the third communication devices comprise at least one of (i) bandwidth, (ii) number of queues, (iii) queue cache and (iv) address cache of the respective third communication device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the resources to be provided by the third communication devices comprise at least one of (i) bandwidth, (ii) number of queues, (iii) queue cache and (iv) address cache of the respective third communication device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the reservation requests are handled in accordance with Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.1Qcc. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the reservation requests are handled in accordance with Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.1Qcc. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the reservation requests are handled in accordance with Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.1Qcc. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the communication terminals connected to first communication devices each have an assigned talker function; and wherein the communication terminals connected to second communication devices each have an assigned listener function. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first guard interval length and the second guard interval length are stipulated based on ascertained latencies for a transmission of the selected datagrams from the first communication devices to the second communication devices. ### Claim 16 A communication device, comprising: a plurality of multiple connections for connection to further communication devices; a coupling element via which the plurality of multiple connections are switchably connectable to one another; wherein the communication device is configured to: transmit selected datagrams from first communication devices to second communication devices within predefined time intervals, synchronize the predefined time intervals with communication devices at other network nodes, ascertain a number of network nodes from each respective first communication device to each respective second communication device for forwarding the selected datagrams, transmit the selected datagrams during first periodic time intervals having a first guard interval length if the ascertained number of network nodes corresponds to at least one predefined threshold value, transmit the selected datagrams during second periodic time intervals having a second guard interval length, which is shorter than the first guard interval length, if the ascertained number is below the threshold value.