WO2009040298A1

WO2009040298A1 - Method for operating a bus system, and bus system

Info

Publication number: WO2009040298A1
Application number: PCT/EP2008/062485
Authority: WO
Inventors: Volker Grosch; Frank Schubert; Thomas Grossen; Michael Franzen
Original assignee: Insta Elektro Gmbh
Priority date: 2007-09-20
Filing date: 2008-09-18
Publication date: 2009-04-02
Also published as: DE102007044816B3

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a bus system B comprising a bus (5) and a plurality of bus subscribers (1, 3, 4), wherein the bus subscribers (1, 3, 4) are connected in series by means of a unidirectional line (12) separated from the bus (5), each bus subscriber (1, 3, 4) sending a signal during initialization of the bus system B in the direction of operation of the line (12) to the bus subscribers (3, 4) connected downstream in sequence. In a first step of the method according to the invention for initializing the bus system, all bus subscribers (1, 3, 4) are sent an activation signal via the bus (5) for preparing the bus subscribers (1, 3, 4) for a subsequent address assignment. In a subsequent step, starting at a first bus subscriber (1, 3, 4), an address signal for every bus subscriber connected downstream of said subscriber in the sequence of the arrangement thereof in the line (12) is sent via the line (12), to the second bus subscriber (3) or (4) connected directly downstream in the sequence of the arrangement thereof in the line for the address to be assigned to the bus subscriber (3) or (4) connected downstream. A bus system comprises a control device (1), a bus (5) extending from the control device (1) and having a signal transmission device (2) and at least two bus subscribers connecting to the signal transmission device (2) of the bus (5) by means of bus connection points (6, 7), wherein the bus system B further comprises a unidirectional line (12) extending from the control device (1), said line being connected to the bus subscribers (3, 4) such that said subscribers can be addressed in the line (12) on the basis of the physical arrangement thereof. Each bus subscriber has a counting member, wherein the individual address of a bus subscriber (1, 3, 4) in the bus system represents the counter level transmitted by the bus subscriber connected upstream thereof to said bus subscriber.

Description

Method for operating a bus system and bus system

The invention relates to a method for operating a bus system comprising a bus and a plurality of bus subscribers, wherein the bus subscribers are connected in series via a unidirectional line separate from the bus, wherein during initialization of the bus system, each bus subscriber sends a signal to the in line in the direction of operation of the line the sequence downstream bus subscriber sends.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a bus system, comprising a control unit, an outgoing from the control unit bus with a signal transmission device and at least two connected via bus coupling points with the signal transmission device of the bus bus subscriber, wherein the bus system further comprises an outgoing from the control unit unidirectional line connected to the bus participants such is that these are addressable based on their physical arrangement in the line.

Bus systems for the communication of spatially distributed system components, such as actuators, sensors and control units are known. Bus systems are used, for example, in vehicles, in systems for office communication and in the field of automation technology. Installation busses are used to automate the building services, whereby household appliances, components of an alarm system and the devices for building heating or air conditioning can be centrally controlled and remotely controlled by means of a bus system.

The control of photometric devices by means of a bus system allows a user to control, for example, a plurality of bulbs simultaneously and for example by means of a single switch operation to select a programmed lighting scene for which a predetermined brightness is set for a plurality of lamps, which corresponds to a typical usage situation , Such lighting control can also be carried out automatically by bus users equipped with brightness sensors return sensor data to the control unit, which then according to its programming the Automatically adjusts building lighting.

Examples of bus systems for controlling lighting devices are the DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) control protocol, the DMX (Digital Multiplex) control protocol preferably used for the stage lighting, and the KNX standard based on the European installation bus (EIB). Each photometric device connected to such a bus system comprises, in addition to the actual illuminant or the photometric sensor, a resource with a bus coupler, by which the respective photometric device realizes the data exchange with the signal transmission device of the bus system and executes the associated digital protocol.

In the following, the term "bus participant" will be used for the different devices connected to the bus. These may be bus-compatible lighting devices. For such a bus subscriber is a separation of the power supply and the device control, so that the operating state, such as the on / off state or a dimmer position, can be set individually for each bus station.

To address a single bus user, it is necessary to assign this a unique address when initializing the system. In the simplest case, this is done by setting coding switches on the respective subscriber. This process may be complicated for reasons of accessibility of the coding or their smaller size. In addition, the setting of encoder switches is a potential source of error in system initialization.

Alternatively, it is possible to work with predetermined serial numbers or random addresses which, in the case of a bidirectional bus system, the bus subscriber can report to the control unit during initialization. If this option is not available, then an address input must be made directly on the control unit, which in turn creates the risk of incorrect input. For initialization, DE 199 09 646 A1 discloses an individual address assignment for an installation bus for lighting control. Each one includes on the installation bus Connected bus subscribers a resource and a light source. After connecting to the installation bus, the contact between the lamp and the equipment is briefly disconnected. As a result of this measure, the bus subscriber for the control unit is recognizably selected, since with a light source which is not connected, the operating medium sends a message via the bus to the control unit. During the initialization phase, the controller responds with an address assignment. The method described above is particularly complicated when starting up large, locally distributed lighting installations.

Another initialization method is disclosed by DE 44 22 215 A1. At the beginning of initialization, all bus subscribers have originating addresses that do not include information regarding their arrangement or grouping. These source addresses are first transmitted to the control unit in the bus system. The controller then activates each of the bus users individually with its source address. In the case of a light source provided in the bus subscriber, this activation may be a change in the illuminance, for example. At a selected bus subscriber, a monitoring device is installed which, in the event of activation, provides feedback to the control unit. In this case, the source address is replaced by an operating address from which the spatial arrangement or the classification of the bus user can be read. This procedure is then repeated for each of the other bus subscribers, i. the monitor is then repositioned each time. Accordingly, this initialization process, in particular for spatially extended installation bus systems in the implementation consuming.

An alternative to the assignment of individual addresses during initialization is when a bus station can only be addressed by its physical positioning in the bus system. This is given for the special case of a bus system in daisy-chain arrangement, in which the signal transmission device is designed so that the bus subscribers are connected in a series arrangement. This is understood to mean a special bus topology for which each bus subscriber comprises a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver takes the data stream - A -

the signal transmission device, processes this, possibly the data packets are modified or regrouped, before they are in turn forwarded via the transmitter to the subsequent bus subscriber. Accordingly, the data stream passes through each bus subscriber in the series arrangement successively. Therefore, it is possible to uniquely identify and select each individual bus subscriber based on its position within the series arrangement. A bus system with the above-described series arrangement is disclosed, for example, in EP 1 530 108 B1. A disadvantage of a bus system with daisy-chain arrangement is that in the event of failure of a single bus subscriber, the bus subscribers following in the series arrangement fail due to the separation in the bus due to lack of controllability.

From DE 44 28 502 A1 discloses a bus system is known in which the individual bus participants are connected in a conventional manner to the bidirectional bus. This bus is the data bus with which the data to be transmitted to the bus users for operating the bus system is transmitted. In addition, the bus subscribers are connected in series starting from the control unit via a line which is separate from the bus. This line is used in the course of initialization of the bus system in connection with an address allocation to the individual bus users. The initialization procedure is based on a basic state in which all bus users are inactive. Address assignment is made to the individual bus subscribers via the bus. For this purpose, via the unidirectional line of the bus subscriber addressed downstream of a first bus subscriber addressed by the bus receives a signal for activating its bus receiver. When the address is redistributed by the bus, this activated bus user recognizes this as its address and registers it. Thus, during this initialization, the individual addresses are sent via the bus, wherein the individual bus subscribers in the arrangement of their order in the line are successively activated via the line.

Furthermore, there is a fundamental requirement to minimize energy consumption in installation bus systems. Particularly complex bus systems and the sum of the connected bus subscribers have a noticeable power consumption. Accordingly becomes In many cases, an energy-saving mode is provided in which the bus system or parts of the bus system or the bus users connected to it enter a sleep mode. In order to ensure that an operation by a user leads to a control reaction, it is necessary to reactivate at least the interrogation function of the control elements regularly from the sleep mode. However, there is the problem with longer sleep phases that a user perceives a significant delay in the processing of an actuating request, which is disadvantageous.

The invention is therefore based on DE 44 28 502 A1 the task of proposing a method for operating a bus system and a bus system with which an automatic addressing of the bus participants in the order of their arrangement in the line during initialization is possible. In addition, the method and the bus system should be characterized by the possibility of operating an improved power saving mode, in which a reactivation of the system from the sleep phase with a small time delay is possible.

The method-related object is achieved by an initially mentioned, generic method in which

- For initialization of the bus system in a first step all bus users via the bus an activation signal for preparing the bus participants for subsequent address assignment is sent and

- In a subsequent step, starting from a first Busteil- participants and successively each this in the order of its arrangement in the line downstream bus subscribers in the order of its arrangement in the line immediately downstream second bus subscriber via the line an address signal for the downstream bus subscriber sends the address to be allocated.

The device-related object is inventively achieved by a generic bus system mentioned above, in which each bus subscriber has a counting member and a meter reading transmitted to each bus subscriber by the upstream bus subscriber represents the individual address of this bus subscriber in the bus system.

In this initialization process, the individual bus participants activated in a first step. This serves the purpose of preparing the bus subscribers connected to the data bus for the address allocation to be made. Such an activation signal, which is sent via the data bus all bus subscribers can be complex, so that in this way an unintentional initialization of the bus system is avoided. The activation signal connects the bus subscribers connected to the line with respect to their respective transmitter connected to the additional line.

Depending on the configuration of the initialization method, such an activation signal may be an address signal, with the result that an identical address is first assigned to all bus subscribers. This address is registered by the bus users as such. The step of sending the activation signal can be repeated one or more times for redundancy reasons. After all bus subscribers have been activated, for example an identical address, which may also be combined with a complex activation signal, received, the address assignment of the individual bus subscribers takes place in a subsequent step, which is the case in which an address has been sent as the activation signal represents a necessary address individualization of the bus participants.

What is desired is an addressing of the bus subscribers in the physical order of their arrangement in the line in which the bus subscribers are connected in series next to their connection via the data bus. Address assignment takes place exclusively via signals sent via the line present next to the bus. This readily ensures addressing of the bus subscribers in the physical order of their arrangement in the line. This is achieved by each bus subscriber successively transmitted in the order of its arrangement in the line to its downstream bus subscriber an address signal, after this bus subscriber has received its associated address signal from the upstream bus subscriber. The address signal corresponds to the address to be assigned to the downstream bus subscriber or is designed as a signal on the basis of which the downstream bus subscriber generates an address in accordance with a predefined algorithm. This generates with this method every- the bus subscriber for the downstream bus subscriber his own address. The address signal may be the address as such or else a switching pulse or a pulse sequence with which or with which in the downstream bus subscriber an action for generating a separate address is triggered. The address of the downstream bus station differs from the addresses of the upstream bus station.

This is readily possible since each of the bus participants connected upstream of a particular bus subscriber with regard to its arrangement in the line is responsible for generating the address of the downstream bus subscriber and since this upstream bus subscriber is the downstream bus subscriber one of his own and that of him If necessary, upstream bus users allocate different addresses. Depending on the configuration of the method, it is basically not necessary for a bus user to know the individual addresses of the bus subscribers connected to him, as long as it is ensured that the address to be assigned to the following bus subscriber differs from these and his own. Nevertheless, according to a method embodiment, it is provided that each bus subscriber has an address memory in which, in addition to his own address, the addresses of the bus users connected to him are entered.

Thus, according to a method embodiment, each bus subscriber receives on the receiving side, on the line, address signals of the bus subscribers connected to it and transmits them both unprocessed and processed to the downstream bus subscriber. The term "processing of a received address signal" in the context of these embodiments means that the received address signal is converted into an address signal which differs from the received address signal. The processed address signal represents the potential address signal for the downstream bus subscriber. Thus, according to this method embodiment, each bus subscriber receives one or more address signals which he receives twice and an address signal which is received only once. The latter then represents the address signal for the address to be assigned to this bus subscriber. Fahrensausgestaltung it is expedient to assign the bus users an address memory so that each of these received address signal is sent only once to the downstream bus subscriber via the line.

In an alternative embodiment of the method, each address signal received by a bus subscriber is sent unprocessed to the downstream bus subscriber via the line. A processed signal is only sent from this bus subscriber when it has received the last address signal and has processed it. In contrast to the previously described embodiment, in this embodiment of the method, not every received address signal but only the address signal last received in the course of such an initialization is processed to generate an individual address signal for the downstream bus subscriber.

Furthermore, it is possible that only one address signal is sent from each bus subscriber to the respectively downstream bus subscriber, which address signal is the address provided for the downstream bus subscriber. The received address signal is typically processed in such an embodiment by the receiving bus subscriber to generate the address signal for the turn this downstream bus subscriber bus subscribers. This processing is carried out, as well as the address signal processing in the aforementioned cases according to a predetermined algorithm, which according to a preferred embodiment via a counter and the processing by changing, so about increasing the counter to a defined jump, for example, the counter 1, takes place.

In a preferred embodiment, each bus subscriber has a counting member, which can be realized, for example, by the microprocessor, which is already present in a bus subscriber. The addresses of the individual bus subscribers are represented by counter readings. The processing of a received address signal is carried out in this procedural embodiment by increasing the count by a predefined value, preferably by the value "1" for the sake of simplicity. The address signals can then be formed as pulses, each of which Apply counter to the downstream bus device and thus change its count. This means that with increasing number of bus subscribers in the order of their arrangement in the line, the addresses starting from the first bus subscriber increase successively in value. Such a method configuration requires only a very small amount of data or pulse, which has to be transported over the line in order to carry out the initialization process.

The first bus (data bus) can be a serial or a parallel bus. For both embodiments, it is preferable to design the first bus bidirectionally so that feedback from the individual bus users to the control unit is possible.

The line in which the individual bus users are connected in series is referred to below as a structure bus and can be created in the manner of a daisy-chain arrangement. Accordingly, the physical arrangement of the connected bus users automatically results from the specially selected bus topology. This is preferably achieved in that the structure bus has a signal transmission device, which leads in each case via the bus participants. Accordingly, each bus device has a receiver and a transmitter, wherein a communication connection between the transmitter of a bus subscriber and the receiver of a physically subsequent further bus subscriber exists. This creates a defined series arrangement that can be used to simplify installation of the entire bus system. In a very simple embodiment, this structure bus needs only a very small amount of data and ultimately only one signal to be transmitted and can therefore also be designed as a single-wire line. For this reason, this is much simpler and can be operated with a significantly lower energy consumption.

The initialization of such a bus system can be carried out according to an embodiment with the following steps:

The starting point is initially a bidirectionally operated first bus. This is used to uniformly transmit a first address to the connected bus subscribers. This first address is preferably a structure counter with its start value, for example the value 1 or in the simplest case, the address of the structure counter itself will be.

In a second method step, the line addressed as the structure bus is traversed by the control unit, the received message being processed by each bus subscriber along the row arrangement of the bus subscribers in such a way that an individual address is created for the subsequent bus subscriber. In the simplest case, this is realized by means of the structure counter which, as described above, is set to a defined initial value, for example 1, at the beginning of the run. If the structure counter is incremented by 1 in each bus subscriber, each bus subscriber receives a unique structure counter assignment, which in the simplest case corresponds to the individual address. Due to the different bus speeds, wherein the speed of the first bus corresponds to a multiple of the speed of the second, designed as a structure bus bus, the two methods can in principle be started simultaneously.

If the first bus is bidirectional, there is the possibility that each bus user, after the allocation of an individual address, sends a feedback message to the control unit via the first bus. Accordingly, the control unit receives as information the total number of bus subscribers connected to the bus system and can consequently derive the individual addresses. As a result, it is then possible to address individual bus subscribers, which reflects their physical arrangement. In addition, the controller can query the accuracy of the procedure by a successive addressing of the individual bus participants.

As an alternative to the feedback, the number of bus subscribers can be entered directly at the control unit, so that it is also possible to use a simplified, only unidirectionally operable first bus. Alternatively, the structure bus can be designed so that it has an annular topology, ie the transmitter of the last in the series arrangement bus subscriber is in communication with the controller, so when passing through the series arrangement of the state of the structure counter to the last bus subscriber by means of the second bus the control unit is returned, which in turn receives knowledge about the set individual addresses and thus can address the individual bus participants via the first bus.

According to another embodiment, the serial arrangement of the bus subscribers in the second bus does not pass from the controller, but from the end of the series arrangement, i. starting with that bus subscriber which is located furthest away from the control unit with respect to the row-like topology of the second bus. If this is assigned to the starting value of the structure counter, typically 1, and the value of 1 is correspondingly increased by the value 1 in each individual bus device when the series arrangement of the line arrangement is reversed, an individual addressing results again. In addition, the last structure counter value is transmitted from the transmitter of the controller closest to the controller to the controller, so that the controller receives the necessary information regarding the address assignment. In the simplest case, this in turn is the knowledge of the number of connected bus subscribers.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it is possible to use the line for performing an energy-saving operation of the bus system by the simple-applied and thus low-energy consuming structure bus for transferring the bus system or the first bus serving the data transfer from the sleep mode to the normal mode becomes. In this case, the line can be used differently to fulfill this task, depending on whether in the sleep mode, only the bus users or part of this or in addition the control unit is set to a standby mode.

If, for example, a bus-capable switching element is operated by a user for the first variant, then in the case of a bidirectional bus, this bus user can deliver a message to the control unit. All other bus users are at this time to save energy in a sleep mode, ie their coupling devices to the bus are disabled, so that a signal output via the bus from a sleeping bus subscriber, such as a light, is not processed. Therefore, first by means of the line, which during the Energy saving mode is active, causes the switching of the bus participants in the Normalbethebszustand. For this purpose, at least the receivers of the bus users for the structure bus are preferably constantly active, so that starting from the control unit, the entire row arrangement can be activated starting with the bus subscriber closest to the control unit. In this case, upon activation of a bus subscriber, this will resume its connection to the first bus and additionally send a signal by means of its transmitter on the structure bus to activate the subsequent bus subscriber. Successively, all bus users are reactivated in this way and can be addressed and thus controlled via the data bus.

As stated above, another variant in the design of the energy-saving operation is to bring the control unit itself in a stand-by mode. If, in this case, a single bus subscriber is activated externally, for example, by an external user intervention, then initially a message issued by the respective bus subscriber on the bidirectional data bus is not perceived by the sleeping control unit. To activate it again the line is used. In this case, it is necessary that a message can be forwarded to the control unit along the row arrangement in the line from bus subscriber to bus subscriber. This assumes that the sequence of receivers and transmitters leads to the controller. According to one embodiment, this succeeds by means of a ring-shaped topology for the structure bus.

Alternatively, for each bus subscriber, the pairing of sender and receiver with respect to the sender side is to be directed towards the control unit, ie the bus subscriber closest to the control unit is connected by means of its transmitter to the control unit. In the foregoing, a corresponding embodiment variant was presented in connection with an inverse initialization proceeding from the bus termination point. If there is therefore a connection to the control unit, the reactivation of the individual bus subscribers can be carried out up to the control unit itself. If this is activated, the actual message can be processed on the data bus and lead to a corresponding control result. The invention will be described by means of embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. Show it:

1 shows a schematically illustrated bus system with a data bus for the control of bus subscribers during normal operation and an additional line as a structure bus, optionally designed as a ring structure,

2 shows a further embodiment of a bus system with a structure bus whose unidirectional communication takes place to the control unit,

3 shows a diagram for illustrating the initialization method for initializing the bus system shown in FIG. 1 and FIG

Fig. 4: a bus system corresponding to that of Figure 2, which is operated to initialize the same with an alternative method.

A bus system B comprises a control unit 1, from which a data bus 5 and a unidirectionally operated line 12 addressed as a structure bus originate. Control unit 1 serves to control the two buses 5, 12. The first bus 5, which is also referred to as a data bus, comprises a signal transmission device 2 and extends to a termination point 15. Bus 5 serves to transmit the necessary data during operation of the bus system B to the individual bus subscribers after the bus system B has been initialized and the bus subscribers has been assigned an individual address. With this first bus 5, a first bus subscriber 3 is connected via the first bus coupling point 6 and a second bus subscriber 4 via the second bus coupling point 7. In this figure, only two bus subscribers, namely the bus subscribers 3, 4 are shown for the sake of simplicity. To the first bus 5, a plurality of other bus participants can be connected in a corresponding manner.

Each bus subscriber 3, 4 typically does not include one in detail illustrated resource comprising the means for bus connection and the means for operating the device component of the subscriber. For a lighting device this is, for example, a light source, such as an LED, a lamp or the like, or a group of bulbs or a sensory device used, such as a brightness sensor. In the schematically simplified representation of FIG. 1, the voltage supply for the bus users or the control unit is not shown in detail.

The data bus 5 sketched by way of example as a 2-wire arrangement can be used for the normal operation of the bus system B, i. the control of the bus subscribers 3, 4, be suitably selected. In this case, the bus may be serially connected, in which case the 2-wire arrangement may be used to carry out a non-inverted and an inverted serial transmission channel. Furthermore, the use of a parallel bus as the first bus 5 is conceivable. For this case, the signal transmission device 2 is to be designed accordingly. In addition, the first bus 5 can be applied with an arbitrary topology - in order to simplify the illustration, the first bus 5 is shown in a strand-like manner in FIG.

As already mentioned, the bus system B is assigned a structure bus 12 designed as a unidirectional line, which also originates from the control unit 1. Shown is as a line 12, a daisy-chain arrangement in which the bus participants 3, 4 are involved in a series arrangement in this. Each bus subscriber 3, 4 in the series arrangement receives the signals transmitted via the line 12 from the bus subscriber preceding the arrangement. Accordingly, the data flow is forwarded to the subsequent bus subscriber, whereby the data stream within a bus subscriber can be modified (processed) or regrouped. For carrying out such a Dai-sy-chain arrangement of the first bus subscriber 3 comprises a first receiver 8 and a first transmitter 9 and the second bus subscriber 4, a second receiver 10 and a second transmitter 11. According to the diagram of Figure 1, there is a communication link 13th in each case between the transmitter 9 of the preceding bus subscriber 3 to the receiver 10 of a subsequent bus subscriber 4. Furthermore, the first receiver 8 is connected to the control unit 1 and the second transmitter 11 via a connecting line 14 to the control unit 1 in communication connection, so that according to this embodiment, the line 12 is annular and returns an outgoing from the control unit 1 passing back to the control unit 1. It should be noted that the connection line 14 is optional and in principle is only required if a return message to the control unit 1 is to be made by the last bus subscriber in the series arrangement, here the bus subscriber 4 via the structure bus 12. The connection 14 is not required in principle.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment variant which has no connection line 14. Here, the matching with Figure 1 reference numerals of the illustrated bus system B 'designate the components retained for this embodiment. In contrast to FIG. 1, a line-shaped topology for the structure bus 12 'is used for the illustrated embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, the receiver / transmitter pairs for each bus subscribers 3, 4 are each arranged so that the unidirectionally applied second bus 12 'is traversed by the bus device furthest from the control unit 1 in the direction of the control unit 1 out. According to the sketch of FIG. 2, the last bus subscriber 4 thus transmits with its second transmitter 11 to the first receiver 8 of the first bus subscriber 3 during operation of the second bus 12 '. The first bus subscriber 3 transmits the data stream for the second bus via its first transmitter 9 to the control unit 1.

An initialization method for assigning individual addresses to the bus subscribers 3, 4 in the case of the previously described bus system B or B 'is explained below (see also FIG. 3): In a first step, the bus subscribers 3, 4 connected to the first bus 5 are transmitted via this bus 5, an activation signal is sent so that the bus users 3, 4 are switched to their readiness to perform an address assignment. Such an activation signal is typically constructed such that an addressing run is not readily started by a random generation of such an activation signal.

In accordance with the initialization method described below, each bus subscriber connected to the bus 5 is activated as the activation signal. mer 3, 4 assigned a first address. Optionally, the address signal may be associated with an additional activation code. Such an address signal is the same for all bus subscribers 3, 4 according to this method embodiment. The control unit 1 allocates itself the same address and is also valid as a bus subscriber. This assigned individual address is in the illustrated embodiment, a structure counter SZ, which is initially set to the value SZ = O.

The further initialization for address assignment is made via serving as a structure bus line 12. Each bus subscriber 3, 4 to which also the control unit 1 counts, have received in each case by the first addressing the same address SZ = O. In each bus subscriber 1, 3, 4, this obtained structure counter is increased by one counter and then transmitted via the second bus 12 to the bus subscriber connected downstream in the series arrangement. For this purpose, each bus subscriber 1, 3, 4 has a counting member. This can be part of such a bus subscriber as a separate counting member. The function of the counter can also be taken over by the microprocessor associated with such a bus subscriber. Thus, the control unit 1 transmits to the first bus subscriber 3 via line 12 its incremented by a counter structure counter and thus the signal SZ = 1. The first bus subscriber 3 sends to the downstream second bus subscriber 4 the same structure counter, namely SZ = 1.

The first bus subscriber 3, who has received the structure counter SZ = 1 from the control unit 1 via the line 12, increases this structure counter by one counter and sends a structure counter, namely SZ = 2, to the downstream bus subscriber 4. Each bus subscriber retains the address which corresponds to the highest structure counter received by this subscriber. Thus, the controller 1 as the address of the structure counter SZ = O, the bus subscriber 3 as the address of the structure counter SZ = 1 and the bus subscriber 4 of the structure counter SZ = 2 are assigned. These steps will continue until all bus subscribers have received an individual address via the structure bus 12. If, as shown in FIG. 1, the last bus subscriber, in this case the bus subscriber 4, is connected to the control unit 1 via the connection line 14, in this way a feedback is sent to the control unit 1, that all bus subscribers have received an address. In order to optimize the data flow on the line sections between in each case two bus subscribers of the line 12 connected in series in series, each bus subscriber 3, 4 has an address memory in which the received address signals are stored. Thus, the number and addresses of the upstream in the line 12 bus participants are known to the respective bus subscriber 3, 4. The data flow is optimized by the fact that each received address is transmitted only once to the respectively downstream bus subscriber.

Regardless of whether the bus system is designed so that the last in the order in the line 12 switched bus subscriber generated after receiving the address associated with this bus subscriber feedback to the controller or not, it is expediently provided that after a certain period of time on the Data bus 5 is sent an END signal to inform the bus users of the end of the addressing run. The receipt of the END signal preferably signals the bus subscribers to register the transmitted or respectively generated individual address as such.

Following such an addressing run, a functional check of the bus system can take place. This is possible, for example, by addressing the bus subscriber or subscribers who have registered the address 1 for themselves. Responses to this interrogation signal multiple bus subscribers, this means that the line 12 has an interruption. By means of suitable algorithms, it is possible by means of further queries to determine via data bus 5 that bus subscriber which is connected upstream of the second bus subscriber with the address 1, which in turn locates the physical location of this bus subscriber or the section of the line 12 adjoining this bus subscriber ,

The signal sent by the bus subscriber in the series arrangement downstream of the bus subscriber following in the series arrangement can, as described above, be the structure counter as such or merely a signal by which the counter of the signal receiving bus subscriber is incremented by one counter. The above-described addressing method can also be carried out in the reverse direction, starting from the last bus subscriber in the series arrangement in the direction of the control unit.

The need for a connection to the control unit 1 is eliminated even if the first bus 5 is designed bidirectional. In this case, it is possible for each individual bus user, after receiving his individual address via the bidirectionally executed data bus 5, to send a message to the control unit 1, thereby initiating its initialization, i. the receipt of the individual address. From the totality of these messages, the control unit 1 receives the necessary addressing information for the first bus 5. Similarly, device-specific data can be sent to the control unit 1 after address assignment via the first bus 5, so that the control unit side an evaluation of the individual, to the bus. 5 connected devices can be done.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the method described above is carried out correspondingly in the reverse order and thus starting from the last bus subscriber, here the bus subscriber 4.

FIG. 4 diagrammatically shows a further initialization method for an address assignment in a bus system corresponding to that of FIG. Of course, the method described below can also be implemented in the bus system of FIG.

Against the background that the bus system as such is already described in FIG. 2, this is shown in FIG. 4 with the same reference numerals. For address assignment in the bus system B 'according to this embodiment, the control unit 1 via the line 12' the following bus subscriber 3 an assigned this address is transmitted. The bus system B 'according to this method also operates by the use of counters for the generation of addresses. In this example, the bus subscriber 3 is assigned by the control unit 1, the address "1". This address signal received from the bus subscriber 3 is then stored in an address memory associated with this bus subscriber 3. At the same time, the received address signal is processed, which means in this embodiment by increasing the counter associated with the bus subscriber 3 by one step. This processed address signal is then the address for the bus subscriber 4 connected downstream of the bus subscriber 3 in the order of its arrangement in the line 12 '. The bus subscriber 4 thus receives the address signal "2". This process is repeated until the last bus subscriber of the bus system B '. In contrast to the exemplary embodiments described above, the amount of data to be transmitted on the line 12 'is reduced to a necessary minimum.

The above-described bus systems can be operated in a power saving mode. This is explained below. For this case, it is assumed by way of example that the first bus subscriber 3 comprises a lighting means as the device component and the second bus subscriber 4 a switch which can be actuated by a user, with the aim of switching the lighting means of the first bus subscriber 3. For a system design according to FIG. 1, it is initially assumed that the first bus subscriber 3 and the second bus subscriber 4 are in sleep mode, but not the control device 1. If the switch is switched by a user in the second bus subscriber 4, the reactivation of the second occurs Busteilnehmers 4 from sleep to normal operation due to the operation of external. As a result, a message on the first bus 5, which is applied bidirectionally for this case, forwarded to the control unit 1 via the switch operation. The control unit can not directly output a message to the first bus subscriber 3 for adjusting the illuminance of the light source, since the first bus subscriber 3 is still in the sleep state. Therefore, via the second bus 12, a message is delivered to the receiver of the bus subscriber, in the present case the first receiver 8. It represents the only component of the first bus user 3, which still has to be queried regularly in the sleep mode. Upon receipt of the signal on the first receiver 8, the first bus subscriber 3 reactivates and participates (again) in the communication via the first bus 5 and can thus be brought in the sense of the user request by a control command from the control unit 1, the Switching bulbs accordingly.

If, for a method alternative, it is assumed that the control unit 1 also goes into sleep mode for the energy-saving operation, a reactivation of the control unit 1 will first be carried out starting from the case described above after the activation of the second bus subscriber 4 due to the switch operation. This can again take place via the line 12 starting from an externally activated bus subscriber when a message can be transmitted to the control unit 1 via the second bus 12. In the embodiment of Figure 1, this succeeds due to the annular topology of the second bus 12, ie the Reaktivierungsnachricht continues so long on the series arrangement of bus subscribers on the second bus 12 until the connection fertil to the control unit 14, the control unit 1 is reached and can be reactivated. If the bus subscriber to be addressed has not yet been reactivated during the passage of the previous bus subscribers along the second bus 12, then the serial arrangement in this case is performed by the control unit 1 until the corresponding bus subscriber is reached, re-activated and addressable via the first bus 5. As described above, the activation of bus subscribers takes place via the second bus 12 in each case by sending a message to its receiver by the previously activated preceding bus subscriber.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 control unit

2 signal transmission device

3 bus participants

4 bus subscribers

5 first bus

6 first bus connection point

7 second bus connection point

8 first receiver

9 first transmitter

10 second receiver

11 second transmitter, 12 'cable, structure bus

13 communication connection

14 Connection to the control unit

15 Termination point

B ₁ B ¹ bus system

Claims

claims

1. A method for operating a bus and a plurality of bus subscribers (1, 3, 4) comprising bus system (B, B '), wherein the bus subscribers (1, 3, 4) via a separate from the bus unidirectional line (12) in a row are connected, during the initialization of the bus system (B, B ') each bus subscriber (1, 3, 4) in the direction of operation of the line (12) sends a signal to the downstream in the sequence bus subscriber, characterized in that

- For initialization of the bus system (B, B ') in a first step all bus devices (1, 3, 4) via the bus (5) an activation signal for preparing the bus users (1, 3, 4) sent for a subsequent address assignment will and

- In a subsequent step, starting from a first bus subscriber (1) and successively each this in the order of its arrangement in the line downstream bus subscriber (3, 4) in the order of its arrangement in the line respectively immediately downstream second bus subscriber (3 or 4) via the line (12) sends an address signal for the downstream bus subscriber (3 or 4) to be assigned address.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that via the line (12) additionally starting from a first bus subscriber (1) and successively each this in the order of its arrangement in the line downstream bus subscriber (3, 4) in the order of his Arrangement in the line respectively immediately downstream second bus subscriber (3 or 4) the

Addresses of this second bus subscriber (3 or 4) upstream bus subscriber (1 or 1, 3) are sent.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that each bus subscriber (3, 4) the address signals received via the line unprocessed as first address signals and processed in the form of a further additional address signal to this downstream bus subscriber via the line (12) sends.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that for initialization of the bus system (B, B ') in a first step via the bus (5) as a signal for preparing the address assignment all bus subscribers (1, 3, 4) an identical address is assigned and registered by the bus users (1, 3, 4) as such.

5. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that

each bus subscriber (1, 3, 4) has a counting member and the current counter reading represents the address of this bus subscriber in the bus system, the counter of all bus subscribers (1, 3,

4) can be set to a predefined value and the processing of a received address signal by the bus users (1, 3, 4) to generate the additional address signal by increasing or decreasing the current counter reading,

- Received by a downstream bus subscriber (3, 4), designed as a count signals address signals set their own counter to the counter corresponding to the address signal, each bus subscriber (3, 4) the received meter reading signal with the highest value or the lowest value as his Address retains, and

- For processing, the received meter reading signals are increased or decreased by a predefined value.

6. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the counter steps, by which the counter states of the bus subscribers (1, 3, 4) received during the processing of the address signals are incremented, have the value 1.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that of the last bus subscriber (4) in the series connection of the same in the line (12) a Adresszuwei- sungsabschlusssignal to the control unit (1) of the bus system (B) is transmitted.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the allocation of an individual address to a

Bus subscriber (3, 4) by a message from the newly addressed bus subscriber (3, 4) on the bus (5) for the control unit (1) is displayed.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that for carrying out a power-saving operation of the bus (5), the line (12) for reactivating sleeping bus participants (3, 4) and / or the control unit (1).

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that for the reactivation, the control device (1) sends a signal via the line (12) to at least the receiver of the sleeping, to be activated bus subscriber, so that this receives the communication link to the bus.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that for reactivating a sleeping controller, an active bus subscriber activates all bus users along the row arrangement thereof in the line to the control unit.

12. Bus system, comprising a control unit (1), one of the control unit (1) outgoing bus (5) with a signal transmission means (2) and at least two via bus coupling points (6, 7) to the signal transmission means (2) of the bus (5) Bus subscribers (3, 4), wherein the bus system (B, B ') further comprises a from the

Control unit (1) outgoing unidirectional line (12) which is connected to the bus users (3, 4) such that they are addressable based on their physical arrangement in the line (12), characterized in that each bus subscriber on a counting member and each bus subscriber (1,

3, 4) from the upstream of him bus subscriber meter reading the individual address of this bus station in the Bus system represents.

13. Bus system according to claim 11, characterized in that the line (12) has an annular topology and is returned from the last bus subscriber to the control unit (1).

14. Bus system according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that each bus subscriber (1, 3, 4) an address memory for storing the addresses of this bus subscriber (3, 4) in the order of their arrangement in the line (12) upstream Bus subscriber has.