Method of assigning addresses to bus participants

The invention relates to a method of assigning addresses to bus participants connected to a data bus, in whichthe bus participants are electrically and in particular also mechanically coupled to a respective base plate, with the base plates each comprising an electrical test element;the base plates are electrically connected along a row to adjacent base plates in each case, with the base plates forming a test circuit in which the test elements are preferably connected in series;a central unit is connected to the test circuit;a test current is impressed into the test circuit;at least one bus participant, in particular a bus participant without a bus address, makes a change to the test circuit;the change of the test circuit is measured by means of the central unit; andbased on the change of the test circuit, a position of the bus participant making the change or of the bus participant without a bus address is determined and a bus address is assigned to the bus participant making the change or to the bus participant without a bus address.