CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the US-national stage of PCT application PCT/EP2016/062672 filed 3 Jun. 2016 and claiming the priority of German patent application 102015210307.2 itself filed 3 Jun. 2015.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method of operating a transmission system having a first network and at least one other network, with data being exchanged between at least two of the networks in that data is fed from the first network to a doubler and then transmitted wirelessly by PRP via at least two transmission paths to a splitter that forwards the data to the connected second network.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Such known transmission systems are used in safety-critical cases in process engineering systems, stationary or mobile work equipment, for example in work vehicles such as cranes, or the like.

It is critical here that data be transmitted reliably from the first network to the at least one other network. Such safety-critical data transmission is important especially if the data are transmitted via a wireless transmission path. One improvement has already been made to the effect that not only one transmission path, but at least two, preferably exactly two transmission paths, are used for this safety application. Another improvement of this redundant data transmission has been made to the effect that it is performed wirelessly, that is, via radio or light, by PRP (Parallel Redundancy Protocol) that is a layer-2 redundancy process that is dependent on higher layers and is suitable above all for real-time Ethernet mechanisms.

It is true that such a transmission system works satisfactorily in safety-related aspects, because there is redundancy for both transmission paths. For example, if a wireless transmission path is disrupted or malfunctions, the at least second transmission path can be used in order to ensure the data transmission from the first to the other network.

At the same time, however, it cannot be ruled out that, despite this redundancy, the data transmission between the two networks will be impermissibly disrupted in safety-critical aspects.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore the object of the invention to substantially improve a method of operating a transmission system in safety-critical aspects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, the data packets are buffered in a memory after they are transmitted via the at least two transmission paths.

The data stream that is to be transmitted from the first network to the at least one other network is first split in an inherently known manner and transmitted wirelessly via the two similar or different transmission paths (different due to time-shifted transmission, for example). The two sets of data (data streams in the form of data packets) that were transmitted separately from one another are then merged again via the splitter and fed into the at least one other network as an ideally original data stream. Since it is possible for data packets (i.e. at least one data packet, or optionally a plurality of data packets as well) to arrive with defects or not at all at the splitter during transmission as a result of an incident on at least one transmission path, the data packets that are transferred via the transmission paths and reach the splitter are buffered. Advantageously, this makes it possible, for example, to use a data packet (or a plurality of data packets) that were transmitted without defects via one transmission path to be used from its buffer in order to replace the corresponding data packet (or the corresponding data packets) that were not transmitted at all or were transmitted with defects and therefore did not reach the splitter or did so with defects with the buffered, defect-free data packets. In that case, it is assumed that a data packet has been transmitted without defects via a transmission path and buffered, for example, and a corresponding data packet has been transmitted via the other transmission path in the incorrect sequence or not at all or with defects.

The defectively transmitted data packet of one transmission path can thus advantageously replace the data packet in the data stream of the other transmission path that is defective or was not transmitted at all by being taken from the buffer, or the data packet of this transmission path that was transmitted in the incorrect sequence can be inserted in the correct sequence (that is, in the proper position) into the data stream to be forwarded to the other network.

All in all, the method according to the invention thus offers the crucial advantage that the original data stream that was split by the doubler and sent over two transmission paths can be forwarded again by the splitter as a correct data stream to the other network by virtue of the fact that the two transmitted data streams are checked and then, if it is determined that one data stream over one or the other transmission path or even the data streams over both transmission paths do not match with the original data stream, a correction can be performed of the transmitted data streams from the buffered data packets. It is thus especially advantageous that, if data packets in one transmitted data stream have not been transferred in the correct sequence or data packets were not transferred at all, these data packets that were transmitted via the other transmission path are buffered in the memory and taken from it in order to correct the data stream to be forwarded to the other network. This is done particularly such that a buffered data packet of one data stream is inserted into the data stream to be transmitted via the other transmission path so as to replace a missing data packet (in the event of a gap) or a data packet that is not in the correct sequence (in the event the data packets were transmitted in an incorrect sequence). In a first additional advantageous embodiment of the invention, if at least one data packet has been lost on one transmission path, at least one corresponding data packet that was transmitted without defects on the at least one other transmission path and buffered replaces this at least one lost data packet in the data stream to be forwarded. This offers the advantage that it is assumed that a data packet that is lost on one transmission path can be replaced by a corresponding data packet that was transmitted without defects via the other transmission path through removal from the buffer and insertion into the data stream to be forwarded. As a result, the original data stream that is to be transmitted via both transmission paths is fault-free after the insertion of the buffered data packet into the data stream to be forwarded and corresponds to the original data stream.

In another embodiment of the invention, if at least one data packet on one transmission path did not arrive in the correct sequence, this at least one data packet that was transmitted in the incorrect sequence is deleted (before the forwarding of the data stream to the other network) and replaced in the data stream to be forwarded at the correct position by at least one corresponding data packet that was transmitted on the at least one other transmission path and buffered. In that case, it is assumed that, due to some sort of disturbance, data packets of the data stream are not transmitted in the correct sequence during the transmission of the data stream via the first transmission path, for example, and thus arrive out of sequence at the splitter. This is disadvantageous particularly if a data packet is transmitted not only in the incorrect sequence but also with substantial delay, so that it is no longer available in due time for forwarding to the other network. At the same time, however, it must be assumed that this data packet that was transmitted with substantial delay on the first transmission path was transmitted on time via the other transmission path in a sufficient time window, so that it is not only buffered (during the sufficient time), but rather can also be taken during a likewise sufficient time from the buffer memory and inserted into the data stream that was transmitted via the first transmission path in the correct sequence, that is, at the correct position. While it is true that this will also generally occur with a certain time delay, not only can this time delay be tolerated, it is also substantially shorter than if, as a result of the time delay during transmission of the data stream via the first transmission path and the substantially belated arrival of a data packet, this data stream had to be resorted.

According to a development of the invention that, if at least one data packet did not arrive in the correct sequence on a transmission path, it is replaced in the data stream to be forwarded in the proper place in a time-shifted manner after buffering. This, too, offers the advantage that it is first waited until all of the data packets of a data stream have been transmitted via one transmission path, upon which an analysis is performed in order to determine whether they arrived in the correct sequence. During this transmission time, the data packets arriving at the splitter are buffered, so that an analysis of the sequence of the received data packets can be performed subsequently. If it turns out that at least one data packet did not arrive in the correct sequence, it can be removed from the buffer memory and inserted in a time-shifted manner in the data stream to be forwarded such that it is located at the correct position after insertion in order to ensure that the original data stream, which consists of a sequence of successive data packets in a target sequence, is transmitted and forwarded to the other network in a fault-free manner.

According to the invention, the buffering is performed according to a predetermined criterion, particularly for a predetermined period of time. This is advantageous in terms of reducing storage size and increasing the speed of the data transmission. It is assumed in this regard that the data streams to be transmitted (that is, the sequence of successive data packets) is always stored only as long as is required in order to make the buffered data packets available in order to correct the data stream being forwarded, that is, to replace faulty data packets from the buffered data packets or to correct the sequence of the data stream being forwarded. Another criterion could be the number of data packets, the sum of the size of the buffered data packets, and the like.

According to the invention, one related aspect is that, once the predefined criterion is reached, preferably the period of time, the data packets that were buffered during this period of time or generally according to the predefined criterion are deleted. As a result, free storage space is available again upon conclusion of the correction in order to temporarily store a new portion of a data stream in the memory. This increases not only the processing speed of the memory but also effectively prevents buffered data packets of a transmitted data stream from being confused with data packets of the following portion of the data stream in the memory. This advantageously increases not only the redundancy of the data transmission but also correct and reliable data transmission, because the data packets of a portion of a data stream cannot mix together with data packets of another portion of the data stream.

According to the invention, the buffering is performed in a suitable buffer, preferably in the form of a circular buffer. With circular buffering, an especially advantageous implementation of the buffering is made available, since this automatically ensures that the buffered data packets of one portion of the data stream are deleted when new data packets of another portion of the data stream follow. Other buffers can however also be used just as well.

If, due to some kind of disruption during the transmission of the data packets via the at least two transmission paths, a correction of data packets that arrived faulty or in the incorrect sequence cannot be made, particularly not within the predefined time period, the data stream is forwarded from the splitter in any case, particularly after the predefined time period has lapsed. An interruption of the forwarding of the data stream to the other network is thus effectively prevented in the event the method according to the invention cannot be carried out or not within the predetermined time period. Such a case arises, for example, if a data packet that is to be transmitted via both transmission paths is transmitted with defects or not at all on both transmission paths due to a disruption. Nor is it available during buffering in such a case, or only in defective form, and it must be tolerated that the data stream to be forwarded to the other network does not contain this at least one data packet or is defective in such a case.

In order to compensate for packet mix-ups occurring as a result of PRP during use on a radio path, the received packets are buffered for a certain time or for a certain volume in case the packet sequence of one of the two data streams is not complete. The buffering is continued until the next missing packet of the faster path reaches the slower path. This mechanism is continued for all subsequent packets.

In order to avoid substantially delayed delivery in the event of a lost packet on both paths, a data-flow time window can be configured and then a buffered packet stream is delivered even if packets are missing. Time-critical applications can thus also be operated with the reordering buffer.

