Method and computer system for quickly transmitting time-controlled real-time messages

A distributor unit for periodic transmission of real-time data in a distributed computer system, said computer system comprising:

• a plurality of node computers (111-116);
• and
• a plurality of distributor units (131, 132, 133, 151), wherein the node computers and the distributor units have access to a global time, and wherein real-time data is transmitted by means of time-controlled real-time messages, and
• wherein the topology of the computer system corresponds to that of an intree, wherein node computers (111-116) are arranged on the leaves of the intree, such that one or more sensors (101-106) are assigned to each one of these node computers (111-116), and wherein the node computers (111-116) arranged on the leaves of the intree send sensor data in the payload of messages in the direction of a central control system (100) situated at the root of the intree, at preferably synchronized times,
• wherein the distributor unit is equipped to copy the payloads of one or more incoming messages arriving in the distributor unit to an outgoing message leaving the distributor unit,
• wherein the distributor unit is configured to copy the payloads of the incoming messages by executing an individual schedule prepared a priori for the distributor unit to the payload of the outgoing message, and
• wherein in the individual schedule prepared a priori for the distributor unit, a periodically recurring starting time (391) of the transmission for the outgoing time-controlled message (390) leaving the distributor unit, this message being calculated a priori from
• the point in time which is known a priori for the arrival of a definitive payload, which is to be transmitted and is defined a priori, in one of the incoming real-time messages, in particular a time-critical payload to be transmitted from one of the incoming messages,
• minus the lead interval ([391, 393]) which is known a priori of the outgoing real-time message (390),
• [[]] plus at least one interval of time ([323, 393]) which is necessary to copy a data element of the definitive payload, in particular the time-critical payload of the incoming real-time message (320) into a data element of the payload of the outgoing real-time message (390).

A distributed computer system, for periodic transmission of real-time data in a distributed computer system, said computer system comprising:

• a plurality of node computers (111-116);
• and
• a plurality of distributor units (131, 132, 133, 151), wherein the node computers and the distributor units have access to a global time, and wherein real-time data is transmitted by means of time-controlled real-time messages,
• wherein the topology of the computer system corresponds to that of an intree, wherein node computers (111-116) are arranged on the leaves of the intree, wherein one or more sensors (101-106) are associated with each one of these node computers (111-116), and wherein the node computers (111-116) arranged on the leaves of the intree are configured to send sensor data in the payload of time-controlled real-time messages in the direction of a central control system (100) situated at the root of the intree at preferably synchronized points in time,
• wherein distributor units at the inner nodes of the intree, in particular all the distributor units (131, 132, 133, 151) at the internal nodes of the intree, which are configured to receive real-time messages from a plurality of transmitters, i.e., from at least two node computers or from at least two distributor units or from at least one node computer and at least one distributor unit, are configured to copy the payloads of the two or more real-time messages, which are arriving in the respective distributor unit, in particular at a time, which is defined a priori, or in a time window, into the payload of at least one new real-time message, preferably into the payload of exactly one new real-time message, and
• wherein this at least one new real-time message, in particular exactly one new real-time message is configured to be sent at a time that is defined a priori, in particular from the distributor units, in the direction of the central control system (100).