The DSI protocol (distributed system interface) that relates to the bus communication in sensor arrangements is known from the prior art.
Methods are proposed for operating a sensor arrangement (12) on the basis of the DSI protocol in order to consequently be able to operate, in particular in an advantageous manner, active sensor units (20A-20F) having a transmitter (21) and a receiver (22). In particular, the use of three part phases is proposed for the communication between the processing unit (14) and the active sensor unit (20A-20F), namely a CRM phase (40) for the bidirectional communication between the processing unit (14) and the active sensor unit (20A-20F), a power phase (43) for the transmission of energy from the processing unit (14) to the active sensor units (20A-20F) and a PDCM phase for the unidirectional transmission of data from the active sensor unit (20A-20F) to the processing unit (14). Furthermore, it is proposed in a CRM phase (40) to grant at least one active sensor unit (20A-20F) the release for a supplementary time slot (47G, 47H) in the PDCM phase (44) with the result that this active sensor unit (20A-20F) in the PDCM phase has two time slots (47A-47H) available for the communication with the processing unit (14).