Elevator Safety Circuit Remote Certificate Update
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing elevator system safety circuits require physical replacement when a factory security certificate is compromised, leading to time-consuming and costly maintenance, as new safety circuits with updated security certificates cannot communicate with old ones.
Innovation Solution
A method and device, known as the 'communicator', facilitate the update of safety circuit security certificates by connecting to a certification server, allowing new security certificates to be installed without replacing the physical safety circuits, enabling communication between new and old safety circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a new factory security certificate is issued to replace a compromised one, then security reliability is improved, but all existing safety circuits become incompatible and must be replaced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the security certificate validation function from the physical safety circuit hardware. By storing security certificates in a separate, updateable memory component within the safety circuit, the system allows certificate updates without replacing the entire safety circuit assembly. This segmentation enables independent updating of security credentials while preserving functional hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a preliminary update mechanism where security certificates can be refreshed before they become invalid or before system incompatibility occurs. The communicator device enables proactive certificate updates by contacting a certification server, allowing the system to maintain continuous compatibility and avoid the need for mass hardware replacement when certificate issues arise.
2Adaptability or versatility
If all safety circuits are replaced when a factory security certificate changes, then security compatibility is improved, but maintenance time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static security certificate embedded in safety circuits into a dynamic, updateable component. The certificate storage is designed to accept new certificates without hardware replacement, allowing the system to adapt to certificate changes over time. This dynamic approach replaces the traditional static model where certificates are fixed at manufacturing and require full hardware replacement for updates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a communicator device that acts as an intermediary, copying and transferring certificate data from a certification server to the safety circuit memory. This copying mechanism allows certificate updates without physical hardware replacement, as the essential security credentials are replicated from an external authoritative source directly into the existing safety circuit infrastructure.
3Reliability
If all safety circuits are replaced when a factory security certificate changes, then system security is improved, but maintenance cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables safety circuits to self-update their security certificates through the communicator device, which automatically contacts the certification server and retrieves new certificates. This self-service capability eliminates the need for manual intervention and expensive hardware replacement cycles, allowing the system to maintain current security standards automatically while reducing maintenance expenditures.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of updating at least one security certificate of a safety circuit of an elevator system includes: connecting the safety circuit with a communicator which is capable to communicate with a certification server; sending from the communicator to the safety circuit a security certificate update request for updating at least one security certificate stored within the safety circuit; the safety circuit sending a public key of a safety circuit security certificate associated with the safety circuit via the communicator to the certification server; the certification server checking whether the safety circuit security certificate associated with the received public key is included in a data base of known security certificates and not marked as compromised.