Industrial Control Security Unit for Incident Severity Response

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing control devices in factory automation (FA) systems lack the capability to address security incidents effectively, as they only sense failures and unusual states without providing methods to manage networked threats and intelligentization incidents.

Innovation Solution

A control system with a security unit that senses incidents based on collected state information, determines the type and seriousness of the incident, and provides information for addressing it, including a notification mechanism to manage the incident accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a control device is networked and intelligentized to perform sophisticated processing, then the functionality and capability of the control system are improved, but the vulnerability to security incidents and threats increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovefunctionalityVSAvoidsecurity threats
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The control device is divided into separate functional units: a sensing means for detecting incidents, a determination means for classifying incident types and seriousness, and a notification means for communicating with external devices. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in specific security tasks, improving overall security capability while maintaining system functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The control device acts as an intermediary between the controlled facility and external devices, incorporating a notification means that can communicate security incident information to external devices. This intermediary function enables the system to handle security threats by facilitating information exchange with external security systems or operators.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the control device monitors and detects security incidents, then the security awareness is improved, but the complexity of the control system increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity monitoringVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control device integrates multiple functions into a single system: it maintains its original control functions while additionally incorporating sensing means for incident detection, determination means for incident classification, and notification means for external communication. This multi-functionality allows security monitoring without requiring entirely separate systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The control device performs self-monitoring and self-diagnosis through the integrated sensing means that detects incidents within the device itself. The determination means automatically classifies incident types and seriousness levels without requiring external intervention, enabling the system to manage its own security monitoring needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If the control device provides detailed information about security incidents, then the ability to address incidents is improved, but the loss of time for processing and communicating information increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveincident responseVSAvoidinformation processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The determination means pre-classifies incident types and seriousness levels before notification is sent to external devices. By preparing and structuring the incident information in advance with clear categorization, the system reduces the time required for external devices to process and respond to the information, as the data is already organized and prioritized.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3926429B1Control system
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 OMRON CORP
  • EP3926429B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3926429B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3926429B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Information for addressing an incident depending on the incident is given. A control system includes a control unit configured to perform a control operation for controlling an object to be controlled and a security unit (200) connected to the control unit, the security unit being responsible for a security function of the control system. The security unit includes collection means configured to collect state information indicating an operating state of the control system, sensing means configured to sense an incident in the control system based on the collected state information, and notification means configured to give information for addressing the sensed incident.