Smart Meter Gateway for Secure Post-Installation Network Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing smart meter gateways (SMGWs) face challenges in activating network management functionality post-installation due to security requirements, lack of infrastructure, and certificate validity limitations, leading to additional costs and potential security vulnerabilities.
Innovation Solution
A smart meter gateway with a mobile radio module and processor that supports a network management client, featuring a certificate memory accessible only via hardware signals, allows for secure storage and activation of network management profiles and certificates, enabling post-installation configuration via secure communication channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If network management functionality is activated during initial SMGW rollout, then network operators can monitor and correct network connection configuration, but certificates have strictly limited validity period and infrastructure must be available immediately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the SMGW with network management functionality and certificates during manufacturing, but keeping the functionality inactive. The gateway is prepared in advance with all necessary security elements (certificates, configuration files) stored in secure memory, allowing immediate activation when infrastructure becomes available without requiring re-manufacturing or complex field upgrades.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the network management functionality dynamically activatable and deactivatable. The gateway can transition between active and inactive states based on infrastructure availability, with the ability to reactivate after certificate expiration by receiving new certificates through secure communication channels, thus adapting to changing operational conditions.
2Reliability
If network management functionality is activated during initial rollout, then connection quality monitoring is available, but additional costs are incurred for SMGWs that never receive network management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing network management functionality selectively - the hardware and basic software components are present in all gateways, but the actual network management operations are only activated in specific gateways where needed. This allows operators to activate the functionality individually based on local requirements, avoiding unnecessary costs for gateways that don't need it while maintaining the capability where required.
3Ease of operation
If separate communication modules are used for network management, then data forwarding is enabled, but security risks increase due to separate departments with different access rights
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the network management functionality directly into the smart meter gateway's processor and secure memory, eliminating the need for separate communication modules. The gateway administrator has unified access rights to both the metering functions and network management functions through the same secure interface, simplifying security management while maintaining data forwarding capabilities through the integrated architecture.
4Reliability
If certificates are applied during manufacturer production, then security requirements are met, but certificate validity period limits activation timeframe
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-installing certificates during manufacturing with extended validity periods or renewable configurations. The gateway is prepared with certificates that remain valid until activation occurs, and the system includes mechanisms to automatically or manually renew certificates through secure communication channels before expiration, thus extending the effective activation timeframe beyond initial production.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A smart meter gateway (1) is provided with a mobile radio module (9) which is configured to forward measurement data to an authorized recipient (15) via a mobile radio network (14), and with a processor (3) which interacts with a main memory (4) and/or a flash memory (5) to, on the one hand, run metering software (19) on an operating system (18), with which metering software the measurement data is read out and encrypted and transferred to the mobile radio module (9) for forwarding to the authorized recipient (15), and, on the other hand, to process different profiles and the functions defined therein, wherein the mobile radio module (9) further comprises an embedded system (11) which is configured or can be configured to operate a network management client (12), wherein the mobile radio module (9) additionally comprises a certificate memory (13) which is configured such that it can only be written to,if the processor processes a separate network management profile, wherein the writing is carried out via hardware signals and/or telegrams initiated by the processor (3), and a method for the subsequent activation of a network management functionality of such a smart meter gateway (1), in which the processor (3) processes a separate network management profile for setting up and/or activating the network management functionality, wherein certificates are stored in the certificate memory (13).