SYSTEM, APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MIXED MODE COMMUNICATION ON A SINGLE NETWORK

• US 20080101251A1
• Filed: 10/30/2006
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Incorporated
• Inventors: LaDow, Peter, Casebolt, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,843,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them

Abstract

Provided is a system, apparatus, and method for evaluating a variety of protocols on a computer network which includes a plurality of network devices. The network devices are adapted to communicate messages on the computer network using their respective protocols. The present invention system, apparatus and method are associated with one of the network devices. The present invention system, apparatus and method are further adapted to identify the various protocols on the network and analyze each message on the network to determine the protocol associated with the message. In another aspect of the present invention, the system and apparatus are adapted to determine whether to communicate a message to the associated network device based on this identification and analysis the message. The present invention embodiments allow for mixed mode communication on a single network.

Claims

1. A system for evaluating a message on a single network, said network including a plurality of network devices communicating messages using various different protocols, wherein a portion of each message includes a specific sequence, the system comprising:

a protocol evaluation apparatus including a first protocol identifier module associated with a specific messaging protocol and a second protocol identifier module associated with another specific messaging protocol, said first protocol identifier module adapted to evaluate a sequence of a portion of a message on the network, wherein if the sequence of the portion of the message on the network is not in accordance with the specific messaging protocol of the first protocol identifier module, the second protocol identifier module evaluates the portion of the message, and

a network device coupled to the protocol evaluation apparatus, wherein said protocol evaluation apparatus is adapted to transmit the message to the network device if the sequence of a portion of the message is in accordance with the specific messaging protocol associated with either the first or second protocol identifier module.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the message is at least an octet of data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the message is a frame and the protocol identifier module evaluates the portion of the message on a frame-by-frame basis.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the protocol evaluation apparatus further includes a data buffer for storing portions of messages to be evaluated.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the protocol evaluation apparatus further includes a timer.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the portion of the message includes a time element associated with the sequence associated therewith, and wherein said protocol evaluation apparatus transmits the message to the network device if the sequence of the portion of the message including the time element is in accordance with the specific messaging protocol associated with either the first or second protocol identifier module.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the protocol evaluation apparatus is adapted to claim portions of the message and further comprises a claim control module adapted to provide select sections of the portion of the message that has been claimed.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the claim control module is adapted to provide the first section of the portion of the message that has been claimed.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the claim control module is adapted to provide the entire the portion of the message that has been claimed.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the protocol evaluation apparatus further comprises a claim control module, said claim control module adapted to provide the end of a claimed portion of the message due to a time delay during which portions of the claimed message are not received.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the specific messaging protocol is associated with a specific encryption protocol.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the specific messaging protocol is associated with a messaging protocol used in an electric power system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the specific messaging protocol is selected from the group consisting of HAYES, SMI, DNP, AGA, SEL, DDF, MODBUS, IEC-61850, IEC-60870, PROFIBUS, and unstructured messaging protocols.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the network is selected from a group consisting of a local area network, a wide area network, and a SCADA system.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the protocol evaluation apparatus is part of the network device.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the specific messaging protocol associated with the first protocol identifier is more complex than the specific messaging protocol associated with the second protocol identifier.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the specific messaging protocol associated with the first protocol identifier has higher priority than the specific messaging protocol associated with the second protocol identifier.

18. An apparatus for evaluating a message on a single network, said network including a plurality of devices communicating messages using various different protocols, wherein a portion of each message includes a specific sequence, the apparatus associated with one of the network devices and comprising:

a first protocol identifier module associated with a specific messaging protocol, said first protocol identifier module adapted to evaluate a sequence of a portion of a message on the network, and

a second protocol identifier module associated with another specific messaging protocol, wherein if the sequence of the portion of the message on the network is not in accordance with the specific messaging protocol of the first protocol identifier module, the second protocol identifier module evaluates the portion of the message.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is adapted to transmit the message to the associated network device if the sequence of the portion of the message is in accordance with either of the specific messaging protocol associated with either of the protocol identifier modules.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the specific messaging protocol associated with the first protocol identifier is more complex than the specific messaging protocol associated with the second protocol identifier.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the specific messaging protocol associated with the first protocol identifier has higher priority than the specific messaging protocol associated with the second protocol identifier.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the portion of the message is at least an octet of data.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the portion of the message is a frame and wherein each protocol identifier module evaluates the portion of the message on a frame-by-frame basis.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a data buffer for storing a number of messages to be evaluated.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a timer.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the portion of the message includes a time element associated with the sequence associated therewith.

27. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a claim control module and adapted to claim portions of the message, said claim control module adapted to provide select sections of the portion of the message that has been claimed.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the claim control module is adapted to provide the first section of the portion of the message that has been claimed.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the claim control module is adapted to provide the entire the portion of the message that has been claimed.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a claim control module, said claim control module adapted to provide the end of a claimed portion of the message due to a time delay during which portions of the claimed message are not received.

31. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein one of the specific messaging protocols is associated with a specific encryption protocol.

32. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the specific messaging protocols are associated with a messaging protocol used in an electric power system.

33. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the specific messaging protocols are selected from the group consisting of HAYES, SMI, DNP, AGA, SEL, DDF, MODBUS, IEC-60870, IEC-61850, PROFIBUS, and unstructured messaging protocols.

34. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the network is selected from a group consisting of a local area network, a wide area network, and a SCADA system.

35. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the evaluation apparatus is part of the network device.

36. A method for evaluating a message on a single network, said network including a plurality of devices communicating messages using various different protocols, wherein a portion of each message includes a specific sequence, the method including the steps of:

evaluating a sequence of a portion of a message on the network to determine whether the portion of the message is in accordance with a sequence of a specific messaging protocol, and

if the sequence of the portion of the message on the network is not in accordance with the specific messaging protocol, evaluating the portion of the message to determine whether the portion of the message is associated with a sequence of another specific messaging protocol.

37. The method of claim 36, further including the step of transmitting the message to the associated network device if the sequence of the portion of the message is in accordance with either of the specific messaging protocols.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the portion of the message is evaluated to determine whether the portion of the message is associated with a more complex messaging protocol before evaluating whether the portion of the message is associated with a less complex messaging protocol.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the portion of the message is evaluated to determine whether the portion of the message is associated with a messaging protocol having a higher priority before evaluating whether the portion of the message is associated with a messaging protocol having a lower priority.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the portion of the message is evaluated on a frame-by-frame basis.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein the portion of the message includes a time element associated with the sequence associated therewith.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein one of the specific messaging protocols is associated with a specific encryption protocol.

43. The method of claim 36, wherein the specific messaging protocols are associated with a messaging protocol used in an electric power system.

44. The method of claim 36, wherein the specific messaging protocols are selected from the group consisting of HAYES, SMI, DNP, AGA, SEL, DDF, MODBUS, IEC-60870, IEC-61850, PROFIBUS, and unstructured messaging protocols.