Rail Vehicle Onboard Control Unit Write Access Filtering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for monitoring and controlling rail vehicle components via onboard control units restrict write access due to safety concerns, but this prevents necessary system write accesses, necessitating a solution that allows exceptions while maintaining safety and security standards.

Innovation Solution

Implementing fixed rules to restrict write access from the onboard control unit, allowing it only in exceptional cases, ensuring compliance with specified security requirements, particularly based on the type of access and the vehicle's operating state, using a dual-computer device system where one device handles unrestricted communication with the cloud and the other filters write access according to predefined safety integrity levels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If write access is completely prevented by hardware solution, then safety requirement is met, but necessary system write accesses are blocked

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety requirementVSAvoidwrite access capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into two separate computer devices: a first computer device that communicates with the cloud architecture and a second computer device that filters write access to components. This segmentation allows the first device to have unrestricted write access for cloud communication while the second device enforces safety rules for component access, resolving the contradiction between safety and write access capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The second computer device acts as an intermediary between the first computer device and the rail vehicle components. It filters and controls write access requests, allowing only those that comply with predefined safety rules to reach the components. This mediator approach enables necessary write accesses while maintaining safety requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If write access is allowed for cloud communication, then system functionality is maintained, but unauthorized manipulation risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem functionalityVSAvoidunauthorized manipulation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By separating cloud communication functions (first computer device) from component control functions (second computer device), the system maintains full cloud functionality while isolating the manipulation risk. The second device's strict filtering prevents unauthorized commands from reaching components even if the first device receives malicious input

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The second computer device continuously monitors and filters write access requests based on predefined safety rules, providing a feedback mechanism that blocks potentially harmful commands while allowing legitimate ones. This real-time filtering prevents unauthorized manipulation while maintaining necessary system functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3483033A1Method and onboard control unit for controlling and/or monitoring components of a rail vehicle

Publication Date: 2019.05.15 KNORR BREMSE SYST FUR SCHIENENFAHRZEUGE GMBH

Figure 1~2

AI summary

In the method for controlling and/or monitoring components (12, 14) of a rail vehicle (10) which communicate with a cloud architecture (20) via an onboard control unit (18) of the rail vehicle (10), write access of the onboard control unit (18) to the components (12, 14) of the rail vehicle (10) is restricted according to fixed rules that meet a predefined security requirement.