Method of operating a network utilizing data telegrams between primary and secondary stations

A method for operating a network having a primary station and at least two secondary stations, comprising the steps of:

• communicating the primary station with the at least two secondary stations, wherein said primary station is configured to operate as a master and wherein said at least two secondary stations are configured to operate as slaves of the master;
• communicating the at least two secondary stations with one another to furnish a cross communication;
• effecting the cross communication by telegrams which are generated in a context of communications cycles, wherein said telegrams comprise real time data fields;
• generating said telegrams by the primary station, by one of the at least two secondary stations, or by both said primary station and said one of said at least two secondary stations;
• implementing said communication via said real time data fields, wherein cyclically transmitted data transmitted between the primary station and said at least two secondary stations, among said at least two secondary stations, or between the primary station and said at least two secondary stations and among said at least two secondary stations are contained in said real time data fields, wherein said real time data fields simultaneously include a plurality of sub data fields for data that are transmitted from the at least two secondary stations to the primary station, wherein a separate and distinct sub data field is provided for each of said at least two secondary stations, and wherein the real time data fields further include a plurality of sub data fields that contain data for transmission among said at least two secondary stations;
• and
• signaling in a context of the communication between the secondary stations, a refreshment of cross-communication data to be exchanged, wherein the signaling of the refreshment of the cross-communication data is performed by secondary stations that produce said data, and activating a receiver of the secondary stations only in response to the signaling of the refreshment of the cross-communication data, such that the receiver of the secondary stations thereafter exchanges and receives data,
• wherein said network is a linked-together control or automation system network.