System and method for securing energy management systems
First Claim
1. An energy management device for use in an energy management architecture for managing an energy distribution system, said energy management architecture comprising a network, said energy management device comprising:
- an energy distribution system interface operative to couple said energy management device with at least a portion of said energy distribution system;
a network interface operative to couple said energy management device with said network for transmitting outbound communications to said network and receiving inbound communications from said network, said inbound communications comprising first energy management data and said outbound communications comprising second energy management data;
a processor coupled with said network interface and said energy distribution system interface, said processor operative to perform at least one energy management function on said at least said portion of said energy distribution network via said energy distribution system interface, said processor further operative to process said first energy management data and generate said second energy management data as a function of said energy management function;
wherein at least one of said inbound communications comprises a secured inbound communications, said network interface further comprising a security module operative to secure said outbound communications and validate said at least one secured inbound communications.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A power management architecture for an electrical power distribution system, or portion thereof, is disclosed. The architecture includes multiple intelligent electronic devices (“IED'"'"'s”) distributed throughout the power distribution system to manage the flow and consumption of power from the system. The IED'"'"'s are linked via a network to back-end servers. Power management application software and/or hardware components operate on the IED'"'"'s and the back-end servers and inter-operate via the network to implement a power management application. The architecture provides a scalable and cost effective framework of hardware and software upon which such power management applications can operate to manage the distribution and consumption of electrical power by one or more utilities/suppliers and/or customers which provide and utilize the power distribution system. Security mechanisms are further provided which protect and otherwise ensure the authenticity of communications transmitted via the network in furtherance of the management of the distribution and consumption of electrical power by the architecture.
419 Citations
49 Claims
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1. An energy management device for use in an energy management architecture for managing an energy distribution system, said energy management architecture comprising a network, said energy management device comprising:
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an energy distribution system interface operative to couple said energy management device with at least a portion of said energy distribution system;
a network interface operative to couple said energy management device with said network for transmitting outbound communications to said network and receiving inbound communications from said network, said inbound communications comprising first energy management data and said outbound communications comprising second energy management data;
a processor coupled with said network interface and said energy distribution system interface, said processor operative to perform at least one energy management function on said at least said portion of said energy distribution network via said energy distribution system interface, said processor further operative to process said first energy management data and generate said second energy management data as a function of said energy management function;
wherein at least one of said inbound communications comprises a secured inbound communications, said network interface further comprising a security module operative to secure said outbound communications and validate said at least one secured inbound communications. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of communicating by an energy management device, said energy management device for use in an energy management architecture for managing an energy distribution system, said energy management architecture comprising a network, said method comprising:
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coupling said energy management device with at least a portion of said energy distribution system;
coupling said energy management device with said network wherein said energy management device is capable of transmitting outbound communications to said network and receiving inbound communications from said network, said inbound communications comprising first energy management data and said outbound communications comprising second energy management data, wherein at least one of said inbound communications comprises a secured inbound communications;
performing at least one energy management function on said at least said portion of said energy distribution network via said energy distribution system interface, processing said first energy management data and generating said second energy management data as a function of said energy management function; and
securing said outbound communications and validating said at least one secured inbound communications. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. An energy management device for use in an energy management architecture for managing an energy distribution system, said energy management architecture comprising a network, said energy management device comprising:
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an energy distribution system interface means for coupling said energy management device with at least a portion of said energy distribution system;
a network interface means for coupling said energy management device with said network for transmitting outbound communications to said network and receiving inbound communications from said network, said inbound communications comprising first energy management data and said outbound communications comprising second energy management data;
a processor means, coupled with said network interface and said energy distribution system interface, for performing at least one energy management function on said at least said portion of said energy distribution network via said energy distribution system interface, processing said first energy management data and generating said second energy management data as a function of said energy management function;
wherein at least one of said inbound communications comprises a secured inbound communications, said network interface means further comprising a security module means for securing said outbound communications and validating said at least one secured inbound communications.
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Specification