Method and device to configure real-time networks

A device (CNC) to configure nodes (v1, . . . , v8) in a real-time network, which nodes (v1, . . . , v8) of the real-time network are connected with links (E1a, . . . , E8a, E1b, . . . , E8b) to each other directly or indirectly via other nodes (v1, . . . , v8) and communicate with each other using said links (E1a, . . . , E8a, E1b, . . . , E8b) by exchanging frames (F1, . . . , F4),

• wherein at least one node (v1, . . . , v8) associates at least one queue (Q1, . . . , Q3) with at least one link (E1a, . . . , E8a, E1b, . . . , E8b), wherein said at least one node (v1, . . . , v8) is connected to said at least one node (v1, . . . , v8), and
• wherein the at least one node (v1, . . . , v8) places frames (F1, . . . , F4) in said at least one queue (Q1, . . . , Q3) for transmission on the associated link (E1a, . . . , E8a, E1b, . . . , E8b), and wherein said at least one queue is associated with a gate (G1, . . . , G3) which can be in an open state or in a closed state
• and said at least one node only may select (TS) frames that are placed in said at least one queue on the link associated with said queue for transmission if the state of the gate associated with said queue is in the open state, and does not select frames for transmission from said queue on said link when said gate is in the closed state,
• and wherein said gate changes the state with the progress of time from open to closed and from closed to open to form windows (W1, . . . , W4) as indicated by configuration data (GCL),
• wherein:
• the device is capable of producing configuration data (GCL) by executing a tool, where said tool is capable of solving constraints in array theory, and wherein
• said tool is configured to accept input, which input is formulated as constraints in array theory (CON), wherein
• said input is provided to said tool by means of human user input and/or by means of communication requests from one, two, or more nodes in the real-time network, and wherein the device is configured to communicate
• said configuration data (GCL) to the one, two, or more nodes (v1, . . . , v8) in the real-time network, which applies/apply at least parts of said configuration data (GCL) as local configuration.