Primary Protection Relay Integration via Configurable IO Map
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric power delivery systems face complexity and security vulnerabilities in their communication networks, requiring highly engineered and costly configurations that are prone to failures and cyber-attacks, disrupting the critical infrastructure.
Innovation Solution
The integration of primary protection relays with an integrator using an IO map simplifies communication configurations, allowing continuous transmission of critical signals without extensive engineering, thereby reducing complexity and potential attack points, and facilitating secure communication among relays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional IED communication systems are used, then communication between protection devices can be established, but the system complexity increases and security vulnerabilities arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication system into two distinct networks: a high-speed series protection network for critical protection signals and a slow-speed network for non-critical data. This segmentation isolates the critical protection communication from the complexity of the broader automation and monitoring systems, reducing the attack surface and potential failure points while maintaining reliable communication for protection functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces communication switches as intermediary devices that manage and route traffic between different networks. These switches act as mediators that simplify the communication architecture by providing centralized control and routing functions, reducing the need for complex peer-to-peer configurations between IEDs while ensuring reliable signal transmission.
2Reliability
If traditional IED configurations are implemented, then protection functions can be provided, but configuration and installation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary configuration of communication parameters and routing tables in the switches before deployment. This allows the protection relays to be pre-configured with simplified settings, knowing that the communication infrastructure is already prepared to handle the traffic flow. This preliminary setup significantly reduces on-site configuration time while ensuring reliable protection functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication switches automatically perform routing decisions and signal distribution based on pre-configured parameters, eliminating the need for manual configuration of each IED's communication settings. This self-service approach to communication management reduces installation time while maintaining reliable protection communication.
3Reliability
If extensive communication engineering is performed, then signal transmission can be achieved, but the number of attack points increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dedicated high-speed series protection network that is segmented from the broader automation and monitoring networks. This segmentation limits the exposure to cyber attacks by isolating the critical protection communication channel, reducing the number of potential attack points while ensuring reliable signal transmission for protection functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the critical protection communication functions from the complex automation and monitoring networks, placing them in a separate, simplified high-speed network. This extraction removes unnecessary complexity and potential attack vectors from the protection signal path, reducing vulnerability to cyber attacks while maintaining transmission reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for facilitating selected communications among primary protection relays using a supervisory system with a configurable input/output (IO) map. Primary protection relays may obtain signals from equipment associated with an electric power delivery system and provide primary protection without need for communication. The primary protection relays may communicate a unique identifier as well as signal values, states, and commands to the supervisory system. The supervisory system may route specifically identified communications among primary protection relays in accordance with a configurable IO map by transmitting selected portions of the communications on a port associated with the receiving primary protection relay. The primary protection relays may perform secondary protection and other operations using the communicated information.