Switching device, redundant industrial communication network, and method for operating a communication network

摘要

The switching device has two connecting elements (351,352), four switching elements (51 to 54) and four pairs of terminals (341 to 344). The former pair of terminals is connected with a sending- and receiving unit (11,12,21,22,31,32) of a communication device over a network connection. The former terminal of the terminal pair is connected with the sending unit of the communication device, and the latter terminal of the terminal pair is connected with the receiving unit of the communication device. Independent claims are included for the following: (1) a redundantly operable industrial communication network with a monitoring- and controlling unit; and (2) a method for redundant operation of an industrial communication network.