Centralized Power Facility Control with Biometric Authentication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional centralized control systems for power facilities face issues with unauthorized access and operations exceeding the authority range of operators due to increased numbers of terminal users, leading to security concerns.

Innovation Solution

A centralized power facility control system that utilizes a combination of ID card authentication and biometric verification, such as vein pattern recognition, to ensure that only authorized personnel can perform operations within their designated authority range, incorporating a control unit with identification and biometric authentication units to manage access and operations through a network.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple terminals are deployed to increase operational capacity, then productivity is improved, but security control deteriorates because unauthorized persons can operate terminals

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational capacityVSAvoidsecurity control
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The authentication system is segmented into multiple independent layers: ID card authentication, biometric authentication, and operation authority authentication. Each layer performs a specific function and together they form a comprehensive security framework that maintains security control while supporting multiple terminals

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary authentication checks before allowing operations. The centralized control device authenticates operator identity and verifies operation authority in advance, preventing unauthorized operations before they can occur, thus maintaining security control across multiple terminals

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If biometric authentication is implemented to enhance security, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity controlVSAvoidsystem structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The centralized control device serves as an intermediary that manages the complexity of biometric authentication. It receives biometric information from terminal devices, performs authentication, and manages operation authorities centrally, thereby enhancing security control while keeping individual terminal devices relatively simple

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces traditional mechanical authentication methods (physical keys, manual authorization) with biometric authentication using vein pattern recognition. This substitution enhances security control through more reliable biological identification while the centralized management keeps overall system complexity manageable

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP3367280B1Centralized control system
Publication Date: 2022.03.30 TOKYO ELECTRIC POWER CO HOLDINGS INC
  • EP3367280B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3367280B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3367280B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A centralized control system includes a centralized control device including a storage unit configured to store biometric information of an operator, and operation authority information indicating a range of authority of an operation by the operator for an operation target device in association with each other, a biometric information acquisition unit configured to acquire the biometric information from the operator, a selection information acquisition unit configured to acquire selection information for selecting the operation target device, a biometric authentication unit configured to authenticate the operation of the operator on the basis of the biometric information acquired by the biometric information acquisition unit and the biometric information stored in the storage unit whenever the selection information acquisition unit acquires the selection information, a specific operation reception unit configured to receive a specific operation for the operation target device on the basis of the authentication result by the biometric authentication unit, and the operation authority information stored in the storage unit, and an operation information output unit configured to output specific operation information indicating the specific operation received by the specific operation reception unit to an operation target device, and a network configured to connect the centralized control device and the operation target device with each other.