Data transmission method, segment telegram and automation communication network

A non-transitory data storage medium having a segment telegram stored in program code thereon, the program code being executable by a computer processor and the segment telegram comprising a header section, a data area, and an end section, wherein the end section comprises a data field indicating a priority for a subsequent segment telegram on a network segment,

• wherein at least one distribution node is configured to receive the segment telegram on an input/output interface and to transmit the segment telegram according to a routing specification on a further input/output interface;
• and
• wherein the at least one distribution node blocks the further input/output interface on which the segment telegram of the segment telegrams was transmitted for a further send operation if the telegram sequence information contained in the data field of the transmitted segment telegram indicates a priority for the subsequent segment telegram from the respective network segment with a same routing specification as the transmitted segment telegram, a value of which is higher than that of the priorities assigned to other segment telegrams which are present in the at least one distribution node and are intended for transmission on the further input/output interface, in order to send the subsequent segment telegram on the further input/output interface after receipt of the subsequent segment telegram from the respective network segment with the same routing specification;
• wherein the automation communication network is a hierarchical system comprising an active bus subscriber and the subscribers comprised in the network segments are passive bus subscribers, each of the segment telegrams being transmitted and processed on a closed data transmission path starting from the active bus subscriber on an outward path via the at least one distribution node to an associated network segment comprising a passive bus subscriber of the passive bus subscribers that is addressed by the respective segment telegram and returning to the active bus subscriber on a return path via the at least one distribution node.

An automation communication network comprising:

• a plurality of network segments each having at least one subscriber,
• wherein the network segments are each assigned segment telegrams for processing by the at least one subscriber comprised in the respective network segment,
• wherein priorities are assigned to the segment telegrams,
• wherein the segment telegrams each have a data field containing telegram sequence information indicating which priority a subsequent segment telegram from the respective network segment has;
• and
• at least one distribution node which comprises a plurality of input/output interfaces which are each connected to at least one of the network segments, the at least one distribution node being configured to receive the segment telegrams on one of the input/output interfaces and to transmit the segment telegrams on a further of the input/output interfaces in accordance with a routing specification, and
• wherein the at least one distribution node is further configured to block the further input/output interface on which a segment telegram of the segment telegrams has been transmitted for a further send operation if the telegram sequence information contained in the data field of the transmitted segment telegram indicates a priority for the subsequent segment telegram from the respective network segment with a same routing specification as the transmitted segment telegram, a value of which is higher than that of the priorities assigned to others of said segment telegrams which are present in the at least one distribution node and are intended for transmission on the further input/output interface, in order to send the subsequent segment telegram on the further input/output interface after receipt of the subsequent segment telegram from the respective network segment with the same routing specification;
• wherein the automation communication network is a hierarchical system comprising an active bus subscriber and the subscribers comprised in the network segments are passive bus subscribers, and
• wherein the segment telegrams are each transmitted and processed on a closed data transmission path starting from the active bus subscriber on an outward path via the at least one distribution node to an associated network segment comprising a passive bus subscriber of the passive bus subscribers that is addressed by the respective segment telegram and returning to the active bus subscriber on a return path via the at least one distribution node.