Network Failover in Digital Substations Using Wireless Redundancy
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional digital substation systems face challenges in maintaining reliable and secure communication networks, requiring costly and time-consuming configuration processes, and are prone to common failure modes due to the use of similar Ethernet switched networks for redundancy protocols like PRP and HSR.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a network failover method that uses a process interface unit (PIU) and intelligent electronic device (IED) to receive and process data streams, identifying redundant frames to ensure data quality and reliability, thereby eliminating the need for physical security and minimizing engineering efforts, and providing architectural redundancy to avoid common failure modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional Ethernet switched networks are used for PRP or HSR redundancy protocols, then communication reliability is improved, but the system becomes prone to common failure modes due to similar network architectures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication architecture into two distinct parts: a wired Ethernet network for standard communications and a wireless communication channel for redundancy protocols. This segmentation allows each channel to operate independently with different failure modes, preventing common mode failures while maintaining communication reliability through the wireless backup path.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite communication system that combines wired Ethernet and wireless communication technologies into a unified redundancy architecture. This composite approach leverages the strengths of both technologies while mitigating their individual weaknesses, particularly the susceptibility of wired networks to common failure modes.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If physical security measures are implemented in digital substation switchyards, then infrastructure protection is improved, but engineering complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical/physical security measures with a cybersecurity-based authentication system. Instead of using physical barriers, guards, or secure enclosures in the switchyard, the system uses digital authentication protocols and encrypted communication channels to protect against unauthorized access and cyber threats, significantly reducing engineering complexity while maintaining protection levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cybersecurity protocols and authentication mechanisms as intermediaries between physical infrastructure and control systems. These digital intermediaries provide a layer of protection that eliminates the need for complex physical security measures while maintaining infrastructure protection through virtual security boundaries.
3Reliability
If configuration processes are performed for IEDs and process bus to meet security requirements, then cyber security is improved, but time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary security configurations during the manufacturing and commissioning phases, establishing authentication protocols, encryption keys, and security parameters before the system enters operational use. This preliminary action ensures cyber security is built-in from the start, eliminating the need for time-consuming configuration processes during later maintenance or expansion activities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the system to automatically perform security configurations and authentication setups without requiring extensive manual engineering intervention. The system self-configures security parameters, manages cryptographic keys, and establishes secure communication channels autonomously, significantly reducing the time and cost associated with manual configuration processes.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for network failover in digital substations are provided. One method includes receiving, by an intelligent electronic device (IED) from a process interface unit (PIU), in parallel a pre-configured data stream via a point-to point connection and one or more other data streams via an Ethernet network. The method further includes determining that at least one of the following failure conditions is satisfied: a frame in the pre-configured data stream is lost or delayed, quality of the data in the frame in the data stream is below a first threshold, period of the time associated with the data in the frame in the data stream is below a second threshold, or a health indicator associated with the PIU is below a third threshold. The method further allows identifying at least one redundant frame in the one or more other data streams. If the quality of data in redundant frame is satisfactory, the method proceeds to use the redundant frame for further processing.