Method and apparatus for selective data control

• US 20050091393A1
• Filed: 10/13/2003
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Grant, Milton Lewiston, Williams, George Edward, Gleeson, Eamon Patrick, Mattison, Scott Campbell
• Granted Patent: US 8,332,910 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/30 Control parameters, e.g. input parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/504 electronic means, e.g. electronic tubes, transistors or IC's within an electronic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method of selectively controlling communication between a supervisory processor and a subscriber is provided. The method includes receiving a stream of data at the supervisory processor, controlling transmission of the stream of data from the supervisory processor to the subscriber based on an associated supervisory processor configuration, receiving an enabling configuration at the supervisory processor which alters the supervisory processor configuration, and transmitting at least a portion of the controlled stream of data from the supervisory processor to the subscriber based on the supervisory processor configuration.

Claims

1. A method of selectively controlling communication between a supervisory processor and a subscriber, said method comprising:

receiving a stream of data at the supervisory processor;

controlling transmission of the stream of data from the supervisory processor to the subscriber based on the supervisory processor configuration;

receiving an enabling configuration at the supervisory processor which alters the supervisory processor configuration; and

transmitting at least a portion of the controlled stream of data from the supervisory processor to the subscriber based on the supervisory processor configuration.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising transmitting a plurality of process system data from a process control system.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein controlling transmission of the stream of data from the supervisory processor to the subscriber comprises selectively disabling a subscriber access port on the supervisory processor.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein controlling transmission of the stream of data from the supervisory processor to the subscriber comprises obfuscating data transmitted to a subscriber access port on the supervisory processor.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein obfuscating data transmitted to a subscriber access port on the supervisory processor comprises deobfuscating data at a subscriber processor using a client application.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein controlling transmission of the stream of data from the supervisory processor to the subscriber comprises transmitting data to a subscriber access port on the supervisory processor without deobfuscating the data.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein transmitting data to a subscriber access port on the supervisory processor without deobfuscating the data comprises deobfuscating data at a subscriber processor using a client application.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein receiving an enabling configuration comprises receiving an enabling configuration that expires after a predetermined time period, such that the supervisory processor configuration is altered upon expiration of the enabling configuration.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein receiving an enabling configuration that expires after a predetermined time period comprises receiving an enabling configuration that expires after a predetermined time period such that the supervisory processor configuration is altered to deny transmission of the stream of data from the supervisory processor to the subscriber.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the supervisory processor is at least one of a gas turbine engine data acquisition system and a gas turbine engine on-site monitor, and an operator interface receiving a stream of data at the supervisory processor further comprises receiving a stream of gas turbine operational data.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein receiving a stream of gas turbine operational data comprises receiving a stream of gas turbine operational data that includes combustor dynamics data.

12. A data network comprising:

a first proprietary network segment configured to receive proprietary data communication from a proprietary data source;

a supervisory processor communicatively coupled to said first proprietary network, said processor configured to execute software instructions based on a processor configuration; and

a subscriber network segment coupled to said supervisory processor, said segment configured to selectively transmit subscriber data from said supervisory processor to a subscriber.

13. A data network in accordance with claim 12 further comprising a second proprietary data network segment communicatively coupled to said supervisory processor, said second proprietary data network segment configured to transmit proprietary data from said supervisory processor to a proprietary wide area network (WAN).

14. A data network in accordance with claim 13 wherein said second proprietary data network segment transmits data that is unobfuscated.

15. A data network in accordance with claim 12 wherein said processor is further configured to:

receive proprietary data from said first proprietary network segment;

transmit proprietary data to said second proprietary data network segment;

alter the processor configuration based on commands received from said second proprietary data network segment; and

transmit subscriber data to said subscriber network segment based on the processor configuration.

16. A data network in accordance with claim 12 wherein said first proprietary network segment transmits obfuscated proprietary data.

17. A data network in accordance with claim 12 wherein said subscriber network segment is configured to receive subscriber data that is not obfuscated.

18. A data network in accordance with claim 12 wherein said supervisory processor comprises a subscriber data port, said port is configurable to transmit data in a first state, and to prevent transmission of data in a second state, wherein the second state is different than the first state.

19. A data network in accordance with claim 18 wherein said supervisory processor is further configured to alter a state of said subscriber data port based on the processor configuration.

20. A data network in accordance with claim 18 wherein said supervisory processor is further configured to alter the state of said subscriber data port based on a remotely-received processor command.

21. A data network in accordance with claim 18 wherein said supervisory processor is configured to alter the state of said port based on a locally received processor command.

22. A gas turbine control monitoring system for selectively transmitting gas turbine engine operational data from an engine supervisory processor to a subscriber, said system comprising:

a gas turbine control system communicatively coupled to at least one engine sensor;

a first proprietary data network communicatively coupled to the gas turbine control system;

a supervisory processor communicatively coupled to said first proprietary network for receiving gas turbine engine operational data;

a second proprietary data network communicatively coupled to said supervisory processor; and

a subscriber data network communicatively coupled to said supervisory processor, wherein said processor is configured to selectively transmit gas turbine engine operational data to the subscriber through said subscriber data network.

23. A gas turbine control monitoring system in accordance with claim 22 wherein said supervisory processor receives the gas turbine engine operational data including combustor dynamics data.

24. A gas turbine control monitoring system in accordance with claim 22 wherein said gas turbine control system obfuscates at least a portion of the gas turbine control system data.

25. A gas turbine control monitoring system in accordance with claim 22 wherein said supervisory processor further receives obfuscated data from said gas turbine control system through said first proprietary network.

26. A gas turbine control monitoring system in accordance with claim 22 wherein said supervisory processor is further configured to deobfuscate data received from said gas turbine control system through said first proprietary network.

27. A gas turbine control monitoring system in accordance with claim 22 wherein said supervisory processor is further configured to selectively transmit data to said second proprietary data network.

28. A gas turbine control monitoring system in accordance with claim 22 wherein said supervisory processor is further configured to selectively transmit data to said second proprietary data network based on a supervisory processor configuration.

29. A gas turbine control monitoring system in accordance with claim 22 wherein said supervisory processor comprises a subscriber port having a first transmitting state, and a second non-transmitting state, said supervisory processor is further configured to selectively alter the state of said port based on a supervisory processor configuration.

30. A gas turbine control monitoring system in accordance with claim 22 wherein said supervisory processor is further configured to receive a proprietary command from said second proprietary data network wherein the command instructs said processor to alter the processor configuration.

31. A gas turbine control monitoring system in accordance with claim 22 wherein said supervisory processor is further configured to receive a proprietary command from a local input device wherein the command instructs said processor to alter the processor configuration.