Site Risk Calculation Using Zone Device Sensitivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional security risk calculation methods inaccurately consider security devices as vulnerabilities, failing to account for system redundancy and properly assess site-specific risks, leading to inefficient resource allocation and maintenance in security systems.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that divide a site into zones, associate device and zone sensitivities, and calculate an aggregate risk based on device status, zone impact, and redundancy, using an algorithm that weights risks proportionally to devices in error status and inversely proportional to the total number of devices, providing a more accurate risk assessment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If traditional algorithms consider each security item as a vulnerability, then the risk calculation is simplified, but the accuracy of risk assessment deteriorates because the mere presence of a security item is not a vulnerability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the assessment of security items based on their specific operational status and location. Instead of uniformly treating all security items as vulnerabilities, the system evaluates each item's actual condition (functioning vs. malfunctioning) and its specific zone context, assigning different risk weights accordingly. This localized assessment approach resolves the contradiction by maintaining algorithmic simplicity while improving assessment accuracy through differentiated evaluation criteria.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters used in risk calculation from a binary vulnerability presence/absence model to a multi-state model that considers device operational status (online, offline, malfunctioning), zone sensitivity levels, and device criticality. By transforming the risk calculation parameters to reflect actual system state rather than mere presence, the patent achieves both computational feasibility and assessment accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If the system monitors all devices and calculates individual risks, then the accuracy of risk identification improves, but the computational complexity and resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the security system into discrete zones with assigned sensitivity levels and individual devices with specific operational statuses. By dividing the overall risk assessment into zone-level and device-level calculations, the system can process risks hierarchically - first assessing zone risks based on contained devices, then aggregating to site-level risk. This segmentation reduces computational complexity compared to evaluating all device interactions simultaneously while maintaining comprehensive risk identification accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges individual device risks into zone-level risk assessments and then combines zone risks into an overall site risk metric. This hierarchical merging approach consolidates computational efforts by aggregating data at multiple levels, reducing the total computational burden compared to evaluating each device independently against all other system elements, while preserving the accuracy benefits of comprehensive monitoring.
3Measurement precision
If the system considers device redundancy in risk calculation, then the accuracy of aggregate risk assessment improves, but the complexity of the risk model increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a standardized risk calculation template that is copied and applied across multiple zones and devices. The same risk assessment methodology is replicated at different hierarchical levels (device, zone, site), allowing the system to account for redundancy relationships without creating a fundamentally new complex model. This template-based approach maintains model simplicity while improving accuracy through consistent application of redundancy considerations across the entire system.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for assessing risk of a site, wherein the site is divided into multiple zones and monitored by a plurality of devices disposed within the multiple zones, the computer-implemented method comprising associating a respective device sensitivity to each of the plurality of devices and a respective zone sensitivity to each of the multiple zones; monitoring the plurality of devices to get status information; and determining an aggregate risk for the site based on the zone sensitivities, the device sensitivities, and the device status information, wherein the aggregate risk is proportional to a number of devices in an error status and inversely proportional to a total number of the plurality of devices.