IED Memory Partitioning for Fast Protection Startup Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) in electric power systems, due to the integration of non-protection functions, leads to reduced reliability and potential vulnerabilities that can cause misoperation or unauthorized access, affecting the critical protection functions.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a full-featured operating system that prioritizes protection functions by partitioning code and using memory management features to isolate protection-enabling code from non-protection code, ensuring quick startup and continued operation of protection functions even if non-protection functions experience errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If non-protection functions are integrated into IEDs, then device functionality and versatility are improved, but system reliability and security deteriorate due to increased complexity and potential vulnerabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the IED firmware into distinct partitions: a protected first partition containing only protection-related computing instructions, and a non-protected second partition containing non-protection computing instructions. This segmentation allows the device to maintain versatile functionality while isolating critical protection functions from potential vulnerabilities in non-protection code, thereby preserving system reliability.
2Device complexity
If multiple functions are integrated into a single IED, then device complexity is reduced, but the risk of misoperation and unauthorized access increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts critical protection functions from the general non-protection code base and places them in a separately protected memory partition. This extraction ensures that even if non-protection functions experience errors or vulnerabilities, the protection functions remain isolated and secure, preventing misoperation and unauthorized access while maintaining integrated device architecture.
3Reliability
If protection functions are isolated in separate memory partitions, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing protection mechanisms selectively only where needed - specifically in the first memory partition containing protection functions. The memory management unit applies protection attributes locally to the critical partition without affecting the entire system, thereby improving protection function reliability while minimizing the overall increase in device complexity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a full-featured operating system is implemented, then communication and automation capabilities are improved, but startup time and vulnerability to errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by configuring the memory management unit with protection attributes before the system fully boots up. The protected first partition containing critical protection functions is initialized and protected in advance, ensuring that even if the full-featured operating system experiences startup delays or errors, the protection functions are already in place and can operate independently.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, devices, and methods include protection functions in an electrical power system. For example, a processing subsystem may include a processor. A memory subsystem may comprise a first memory section and a second memory section. A memory management subsystem may enable memory access only between the processor and only the first memory section to initialize the at least one protection function and, after initialization of the at least one protection function, enable memory access between the processor and the second memory section. Such a configuration may enable the protection functions as fast as possible without waiting for the functions of lesser criticality to be fully loaded and become operational.