Redundant communications network

A redundant ringlike communications network that is configured to enable communication bidirectionally between participants of an automation network, comprising:

• at least one primary participant, wherein said at least one primary participant is configured as a master, and wherein said at least one primary participant includes a data processing device and first and second network connections;
• at least two secondary participants, wherein said at least two secondary participants are configured as slaves, wherein the at least one primary participant and the at least two secondary participants are connected to one another redundantly via a bidirectional connection line wherein the bidirectional control line is based on Ethernet technology or on fiber optic technology, wherein data transmission takes place using real-time fieldbus protocols wherein the at least one primary participant receives at an input the first network connection, and wherein data is conducted by means of the data connection to an output of the second network connection,
• wherein solely in an event of a malfunction in a data transmission between two of the secondary participants, said at least two secondary participants communicate with one another by means of said at least one primary participant, wherein said forwarding by the primary participant includes forwarding by the primary participant all data sent by the at least two secondary participants;
• wherein said at least one primary participant and said at least two secondary participants are selected from the group consisting of electric controllers and electrical drive regulators.

A drive system comprising a redundant ringlike communications network that communicates bidirectionally between participants of an automation network, comprising:

• at least one primary participant, wherein said at least one primary participant is configured as a master and wherein said at least one primary participant includes a data processing device and first and second network connections;
• at least two secondary participants, wherein said at least two secondary participants are configured as slaves wherein the at least one primary participant and the at least two secondary participants are connected to one another redundantly via a bidirectional connection line, wherein the bidirectional control line is based on Ethernet technology or on fiber optic technology, wherein data transmission takes place using real-time, fieldbus protocols, wherein the at least one primary participant receives at an input the first network connection, and wherein data is conducted by means of the data connection to an output of the second network connection wherein solely in an event of a malfunction in a data transmission between two of the secondary participants, said at least two secondary participants communicate with one another by means of said at least one primary participant, wherein said forwarding by the primary participant includes forwarding by the primary participant all data sent by the at least two secondary participants;
• wherein said at least one primary participant and said at least two secondary participants are selected from the group consisting of electric controllers and electrical drive regulators.

A method for operating a redundant ringlike communications network that communicates bidirectionally, comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one primary participant, wherein said at least one primary participant is configured as a master, and wherein said at least one primary participant includes a data processing device and first and second network connections;
• providing at least two secondary participants, wherein said at least two secondary participants are configured as slaves, wherein the at least one primary participant and the at least two secondary participants are connected to one another redundantly via a bidirectional connection line, wherein the bidirectional control line is based on Ethernet technology or on fiber optic technology, wherein data transmission takes place using real-time, fieldbus protocols, wherein the at least one primary participant receives at an input the first network connection, and wherein data is conducted by means of the data connection to an output of the second network connection;
• wherein said at least one primary participant and said at least two secondary participants are selected from the group consisting of electric controllers and electric drive regulators;
• and
• processing the data telegrams exchanged by the primary participant between the secondary participants, between its data transmission device connections in such a way that the data telegrams can be distinguished from data telegrams exchanged directly between the secondary participants by means of manipulation of data fields within the data telegrams.