Meter Data Audit Trail via Chained Digital Signatures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current metering systems face challenges in verifying the authenticity and integrity of meter data outside the meter, particularly in flexible billing scenarios and IoT environments where data is shared among multiple parties.
Innovation Solution
A method involving digital signatures is implemented to create a data audit trail for meter data, where each meter dataset is signed with a digital signature, and subsequent datasets are signed with additional signatures, allowing for remote verification of authenticity and integrity across all levels of metering systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If meter data is made accessible for flexible billing and sharing among multiple parties, then adaptability and versatility improve, but data authenticity and integrity verification become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-signing meter datasets with digital signatures before they leave the meter. Each dataset is signed with a signature that incorporates previous signatures, creating a preemptive authentication mechanism. This allows any receiving party to verify authenticity without requiring the meter's presence, enabling flexible data sharing while maintaining reliability through pre-established cryptographic verification.
2Reliability
If a full audit trail of meter data is created for verification, then data integrity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audit trail into individual digital signatures attached to each meter dataset rather than maintaining a single complex centralized log. Each signature is self-contained and can be independently verified. This segmentation simplifies the meter's complexity while ensuring data integrity, as each segment (signature) independently validates its associated data without requiring complex cross-referencing.
3Reliability
If multiple digital signatures are applied to each meter dataset, then verification reliability improves, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple verification functions into a single digital signature structure. Instead of applying separate signatures for different verification purposes (authenticity, integrity, chronological order), the invention combines these into one comprehensive signature that incorporates previous signatures and validates all aspects simultaneously. This merging reduces processing time while maintaining verification reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method of establishing a data audit trail for meter data of a meter. The method comprises the steps of capturing a meter dataset comprising at least a first value and a second value, signing the meter dataset with a first digital signature, and subsequently signing a next meter dataset and the first digital signature with a second digital signature.