A method is disclosed for the transmission of cyclic and acyclic data by means of a transmission channel between at least two user devices connected to the transmission channel, with a protocol-specific cyclic data transmission being carried out at least between one user device functioning as a master and at least one user device functioning as a slave. During an impending transmission cycle, data to be transmitted is checked against corresponding data of a preceding cycle with regard to redundancy and currency. Upon detection of an impending transmission cycle for which redundant data without new information content is provided, acyclic data is inserted in lieu of said data in the data field provided for said data. The transmission channel effectively counteracts disadvantages previously resulting from a ring structure and a linear structure, and combines advantages of the one topology group with advantages of the other topology group.