Proxy Processor Monitoring for Isolated Control System State
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Solution Overview
Problem
In various commercial and industrial applications, the need arises to monitor the operational state of control system processors indirectly and in real-time, due to reliability, safety, or security concerns that restrict or prohibit direct access to these processors.
Innovation Solution
A proxy processor is used to mimic the operational state of control system processors, receiving status data from a data acquisition module and generating output data that mirrors the control system processor's state, allowing indirect and real-time monitoring while isolating the control system processor from direct testing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If direct access to control system processors is restricted or prohibited to ensure reliability, safety, or security, then system security and reliability are improved, but the ability to monitor operational state and perform maintenance is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a proxy processor as an intermediary component that sits between the monitoring system and the control system processor. The proxy processor receives status data from the control system processor and forwards it to monitoring systems, enabling indirect monitoring without requiring direct access to the protected processor. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining security restrictions while still allowing operational state monitoring through the intermediary proxy processor.
2Reliability
If direct access to control system processors is prohibited to prevent unauthorized testing, then system security is improved, but the ability to identify corrective maintenance needs is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The proxy processor continuously collects and makes available status data from the control system processor in real-time, enabling monitoring systems to proactively identify performance degradation trends and potential failure conditions before they cause system downtime. This preliminary monitoring action allows maintenance teams to prepare corrective actions in advance, reducing actual downtime when maintenance is needed, while maintaining security restrictions on direct processor access.
3Ease of operation
If a proxy processor is introduced to enable indirect monitoring, then monitoring capability is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The proxy processor is designed to perform multiple functions: it acts as a data acquisition interface, a security buffer, a data formatting converter, and a monitoring enabler. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional component, the patent improves monitoring capability without proportionally increasing system complexity. The proxy processor's ability to handle multiple responsibilities makes the added complexity worthwhile by enabling otherwise impossible monitoring scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes an operating apparatus, a control system processor configured to control the operating apparatus by dynamically providing control data to the operating apparatus, the control system processor being further configured to dynamically receive status data from the operating apparatus, wherein an operational state of the control system processor is defined in accordance with the status data received from the operating apparatus. The system also includes a data acquisition module configured to also dynamically receive the status data from the operating apparatus, as well as a proxy processor communicatively coupled to the data acquisition module. The proxy processor is configured to obtain the status data from the data acquisition module, and mimic, using the status data obtained from the data acquisition module, the operational state of the control system processor.