Safety Control Variable Gating for Secure Remote Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to ensure the security of operation commands exchanged between a safety control device and an external device, particularly in remote operation scenarios, while maintaining functional safety standards.
Innovation Solution
A safety control system is designed with a computation processing unit that executes a safety program and an access management unit that updates stored variables via secure communication from an external device, ensuring that the safety program is started only when specific security conditions are met.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If remote operation commands are exchanged between external devices and safety control devices, then labor savings and wiring savings are achieved, but security of operation commands is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates standard control variables from safety control variables into distinct variable groups. The access management unit selectively manages access to each group, allowing remote operation for standard control while maintaining security for safety control variables. This segmentation enables remote operation capability while protecting critical safety functions from unauthorized access.
2Device complexity
If safety control and standard control are integrated in one device, then device complexity is reduced, but security of safety control may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Within the integrated control device, the system divides variables into separate groups: standard control variables and safety control variables. The access management unit implements different access control policies for each group, allowing the device to be physically integrated while maintaining logical separation and security boundaries between standard and safety control functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The access management unit applies different security attributes and access control mechanisms to different variable groups based on their functional requirements. Safety control variables receive stricter access control and security validation compared to standard control variables, ensuring that each part of the system has the appropriate security level for its function.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides a safety control system that makes it possible to ensure the security of an operation command issued from an external device. The safety control system includes a computation processing unit that executes a safety program, and an access management unit that updates a stored variable in response to an access from an external device. The computation processing unit starts the execution of the safety program when a specific variable is updated to a predefined value by the access management unit. The access management unit receives a variable-updating command from the external device via secure communication.