Energy production system with intelligent intrusion detection

• US 10,522,018 B1
• Filed: 10/25/2017
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IHJ Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: IH IP Holdings Limited
• Inventors: Kemp, Jason Wayne, Luo, Lan
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Jack K
• Application Number:
  US15/793,929
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 340541
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/066 Arrangements for avoiding or indicating fraudulent use
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2836 Fault-finding or characterising G01R31/2822 - G01R31/2831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/126 for a housing, e.g. a box, a safe, or a room
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/128 the housing being an electronic circuit unit, e.g. memory or CPU chip protecting computer components in secure or tamper resistant housings G06F21/86; protecting computer input devices, e.g. keyboards G06F21/83
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2494 by interference with electro-magnetic field distribution combined with other electrical sensor means, e.g. microwave detectors combined with other sensor means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/188 Data fusion; cooperative systems, e.g. voting among different detectors

Abstract

A system includes an energy production device, a tampering detection system comprising a plurality of sensors, and a control system in communication with the plurality of sensors. The control system is configured to detect a candidate for a tampering event, determine if the candidate is a tampering or a normal operational error by comparing a first order condition to a predetermined threshold, and, when the predetermined threshold is not met, comparing the candidate to a subsequent order condition until the threshold is met, and direct an undertaking of a countermeasure when the candidate is a determined tampering or undertaking a maintenance when the candidate is a determined normal operational error.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an energy production device;

a tampering detection system comprising a plurality of sensors; and

a control system in communication with the plurality of sensors and configured to;

detect a candidate for a tampering event, wherein the candidate is a detected break or discontinuity in an electrical signal surrounding the energy production device;

determine if there is a stoppage in current to the electrical signal from a primary external power source;

determine if the primary external power source is reconnected within a predetermined period of time, and, when not reconnected during the predetermined period of time, direct the undertaking of a countermeasure;

determine if the candidate is a tampering or a normal operational error by comparing a first order condition to a predetermined threshold, and, when the predetermined threshold is not met, comparing the candidate to a subsequent order condition until a threshold is met; and

direct an undertaking of the countermeasure when the candidate is a determined tampering or undertaking a maintenance when the candidate is a determined normal operational error.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first order condition is based on data measured by a first sensor of the plurality of sensors.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein subsequent order conditions are based on data measured by additional sensors of the plurality of sensors.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to determine, based on additional data received at a subsequent time, that a determined tampering was an actual tampering or that a determined tampering was an actual normal operational error.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the control system is configured to adjust the predetermined threshold based on the determined tampering being an actual tampering.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the control system is configured to adjust the predetermined threshold based on the determined tampering being an actual normal operational error.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the control system is configured to adjust the predetermined threshold based on the determined normal operational error being an actual normal operational error.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the control system is configured to adjust the predetermined threshold based on the determined normal operational error being an actual tampering.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein undertaking a countermeasure when the candidate is a determined tampering is based on a comparison of the first order condition to another threshold that is different than the threshold.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to determine if there is a stoppage in current to the electrical signal from a secondary external power source.

11. A method comprising:

detecting a candidate for a tampering event, wherein the candidate is a detected break or discontinuity in an electrical signal surrounding an energy production device;

determining if there is a stoppage in current to the electrical signal from a primary external power source;

determining if the primary external power source is reconnected within a predetermined period of time, and, when not reconnected during the predetermined period of time, direct the undertaking of a countermeasure;

determining if the candidate is a tampering or a normal operational error by comparing a first order condition to a predetermined threshold, and, when the predetermined threshold is not met, comparing the candidate to a subsequent order condition until a threshold is met; and

directing an undertaking of the countermeasure when the candidate is a determined tampering, or undertaking a maintenance when the candidate is a determined normal operational error.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first order condition is based on data measured by a first sensor of a plurality of sensors.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein subsequent order conditions are based on data measured by additional sensors of the plurality of sensors of a tampering detection system.

14. The method of claim 11, determining, based on additional data received at a subsequent time, that a determined tampering was an actual tampering or that a determined tampering was an actual normal operational error.

15. The method of claim 14, adjusting the predetermined threshold based on the determined tampering being an actual tampering.

16. The method of claim 14, adjusting the predetermined threshold based on the determined tampering being an actual normal operational error.

17. The method of claim 14, adjusting the predetermined threshold based on the determined normal operational error being an actual normal operational error.

18. The method of claim 14, adjusting the predetermined threshold based on the determined normal operational error being an actual tampering.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein directing an undertaking of a countermeasure when the candidate is a determined tampering is based on a comparison of the first order condition to another threshold that is different than the threshold.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions to be implemented on a control system including at least one processor, the control system having communication with a plurality of sensors monitoring an energy production device, the instructions when executed by the at least one processor cause the control system to perform a method for detecting tampering of the energy production device, the method comprising:

detecting a candidate for a tampering event, wherein the candidate is a detected break or discontinuity in an electrical signal surrounding an energy production device;

determining if there is a stoppage in current to the electrical signal from a primary external power source;

determining if the primary external power source is reconnected within a predetermined period of time, and, when not reconnected during the predetermined period of time, direct the undertaking of a countermeasure;

determining if the candidate is a tampering or a normal operational error by comparing a first order condition to a predetermined threshold, and, when the predetermined threshold is not met, comparing the candidate to a subsequent order condition until a threshold is met; and

directing an undertaking of the countermeasure when the candidate is a determined tampering, or undertaking a maintenance when the candidate is a determined normal operational error.