Solid State Analog Meter Cyber Security Hacking Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Analog meters in power industries face limitations such as fragility, magnetic sensitivity, unreliability, and vulnerability to cyber security hacking due to digital componentry, necessitating a secure and reliable alternative for measuring and displaying AC and DC signals.
Innovation Solution
A hardware-only solid state analog meter design that extracts energy from current loops for displaying signal strength, alarms, and reporting instrument status, using a signal input circuit with bidirectional noise protection and a comparator and driver circuit to eliminate digital assets and reduce cyber security risks, allowing for accurate and secure measurement of AC and DC signals without external power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If digital componentry or microcontroller is used in meters, then measurement capability and signal processing are improved, but cyber security vulnerability increases due to hacking risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes digital componentry and microcontrollers from the meter system, extracting only the essential measurement functionality. The system uses a purely analog architecture with operational amplifiers, comparators, and LED displays, eliminating the cyber security vulnerability associated with digital assets while maintaining measurement capability through hardware-based signal processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the digital/electronic system with an analog hardware system. Instead of using microcontrollers and digital processing, the invention employs operational amplifiers, voltage comparators, and analog circuitry to perform measurement and display functions, substituting digital technology with analog technology to achieve cyber security compliance.
2Ease of manufacture
If analog meters are used, then simplicity and low cost are improved, but reliability and accuracy deteriorate due to stuck needles and fragility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical moving coil mechanism with a solid-state analog system using operational amplifiers, voltage comparators, and LED displays. This eliminates mechanical wear, stuck needles, and fragility while maintaining the simplicity and visual display characteristics of traditional analog meters. The system processes signals through analog circuitry and displays them using LED bar graphs, providing a reliable mechanical-free alternative.
3Productivity
If microcontroller is used to measure and transmit signals, then signal processing capability is improved, but device complexity and cyber security targets increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the microcontroller from the system, eliminating digital asset componentry entirely. The signal processing capability is maintained through analog operational amplifiers and voltage comparators that process the 4-20 mA current loop signal and generate corresponding LED display outputs without requiring any digital processing or programmable logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a hardware-based copy of digital meter functionality using purely analog components. The operational amplifiers and voltage comparators replicate the signal processing functions of a microcontroller in hardware form, providing the same measurement and display capabilities without the complexity or cyber security vulnerabilities of digital assets.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a secure, efficient, and accurate means of measuring and displaying AC and DC signals, reducing cyber security risks and operational costs, while meeting stringent industry requirements for reliability and accuracy, and is compatible with regulations like NEI 08-09, offering a cost-effective replacement for obsolete analog meters.
Implementation Method 1
a solar cell coupled to a first diode, a first supercapacitor, and a pilot light. The solar cell may be configured to drive a pilot light when the input signal is below a threshold, and wherein the solar cells may be further configured to charge the first supercapacitor through the first diode
Implementation Method 2
a comparator and driver circuit and a display for displaying the signal strength via the plurality of LEDs. The plurality of LEDs may be driven by the driver
Data Source
AI summary
A solid state analog device resistant to cyber security hacking is described herein. In one example, the device may include a signal input circuit, a comparator and driver circuit, and a display. The signal input circuit may be configured to detect loss of the input signal and the comparator and driver circuit may be configured to generate a voltage output and a reference power supply voltage from the input signal, wherein the comparator and driver circuit provides for a hardware-only design of the solid state analog device without digital assets, thus reducing cyber security hacking risks of the solid state analog device.