Sum stream for actual states and control signals of a distributed control system

A method for controlling a technical industrial process, comprising:

• with sensors of a control system, cyclically detecting actual states of the technical industrial process and transmitting the detected actual states to a common central unit of the control system via a first protected connection of a first open communication network, said first protected connection being common to the sensors and each sensor transmitting the detected actual states to the common central unit once within a specified time window, wherein a respective transmitter-side sub-region is assigned to the respective sensor within the time window within which sub-region the respective sensor supplies the actual states detected by said sensor to the first open communication network;
• with the common central unit, cyclically ascertaining control signals for the technical industrial process while taking into consideration the detected actual states transmitted to the central unit and transmitting the ascertained control signals to multiple actuators of the control system via a second protected connection of a second open communication network, said second protected connection being common to the actuators, wherein the common central unit transmits the ascertained control signals determined for the respective actuator to each actuator once within the specified time window;
• the actuators cyclically acting on the technical industrial process commensurate with the control signals transmitted to the actuators;
• and
• the central unit receiving the transmitted actual states within a respective receiver-side sub-region of the time window, with the receiver-side sub-region corresponding to the respective transmitter-side sub-region;
• wherein the transmitter-side sub-regions of the sensors are specified such that the receiver-side sub-regions are disjointed from one another.

A control system for controlling a technical industrial process, comprising:

• a plurality of sensors,
• a plurality of actuators, and
• a common central unit,
• a first open communication network connecting the plurality of sensors with the common central unit,
• via a second open communication network connecting the common central unit and the actuators,
• wherein the control system is configured to
• cyclically detect, with sensors of a control system, actual states of the technical industrial process and transmit the detected actual states to a common central unit of the control system via a first protected connection of the first open communication network, said first protected connection being common to the sensors and each sensor transmitting the detected actual states to the common central unit once within a specified time window, wherein a respective transmitter-side sub-region is assigned to the respective sensor within the time window within which sub-region the respective sensor supplies the actual states detected by said sensor to the first open communication network;
• with the common central unit, cyclically ascertain control signals for the technical industrial process while taking into consideration the detected actual states transmitted to the central unit and transmit the ascertained control signals to multiple actuators of the control system via a second protected connection of the second open communication network, said second protected connection being common to the actuators, wherein the common central unit transmits the ascertained control signals determined for the respective actuator to each actuator once within the specified time window;
• cause the actuators to cyclically act on the technical industrial process commensurate with the control signals transmitted to the actuators;
• and
• receive at the central unit the transmitted actual states within a respective receiver-side sub-region of the time window, with the receiver-side sub-region corresponding to the respective transmitter-side sub-region;
• wherein the transmitter-side sub-regions of the sensors are specified such that the receiver-side sub-regions are disjointed from one another.