Patent Application
20130261772
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for parameterizing a device, i.e., a safety-critical device, which is located, for example, in an industrial installation in a power station or in a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Devices are in many cases to be configured, where, in many applications, device parameters are input into the device for its configuration. For the parameterizing of devices, particularly safety-critical devices that are used for the measuring and monitoring of safety-critical installations, systems or processes, special safety requirements apply. With such devices, the parameters that are input must be checked in a validation phase by an operator or user. The parameters that are input are in this situation displayed, for example, on a display of the safety-critical device that is to be parameterized. An operator or user can then go through a parameter list in his possession item by item, where the parameter list contains the parameter ID's and parameter values that correspond to the parameters, and compare them with the parameters being displayed. If the parameters being displayed match the parameters shown on the parameter list, then the operator or user can confirm, for example, by his signature on an inspection record, that the parameter values displayed and validated by him correspond to the specified parameter values, and that, in addition, the correct safety-critical device has been parameterized in the appropriate manner.
This conventional procedure does, however, present a number of disadvantages. A parameter list for a complex device can comprise a plurality of device parameters, such that it is in part extremely laborious for an operator or user to work through the corresponding parameter list parameter by parameter, and to validate every parameter value individually. In addition to this, account must be taken of the fact that an operator or user who is performing the necessary validation of the parameter list will in many cases be in an environment that is dangerous or damaging to health to perform the parameterization. In addition, safety-critical devices that are to be parameterized, such as in industrial installations, are often only accessible by an operator or user with difficulty.
A further disadvantage lies in the fact that a parameterization or re-parameterization of a device with this conventional procedure requires a long period of time, especially if the parameter list comprises a plurality of parameters with corresponding parameter values. In many cases, it is also necessary for a parameterization and/or reparameterization of a device to be concluded within a specified period of time, in particular with regard to safety-critical applications. In these cases, the conventional procedure for parameterizing may, under certain circumstances, take too long.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for the parameterizing of a device with parameters of a parameter list which avoids the above disadvantages, and which, in particular, guarantees a fast and reliable parameterizing of the device.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved in accordance with the invention by a method for parameterizing a device with parameters from a parameter list, where, in the event of a match between an external parameter token, calculated externally based on the parameter list, and an internal parameter token calculated internally by the device to be parameterized based on the parameter list, a device token input into the device is compared with an internal device token that is calculated internally by the device to be parameterized based on a device ID for the device and the internal parameter token, in order to validate the parameter list.
The method according to the invention offers the advantage that the parameter validation is simplified, and only one single check sum or, respectively, one single calculated token needs to be validated, instead of all the parameter values of the parameters listed in the parameter list.
In an embodiment of the method according to the invention, the external device token is calculated externally based on a device ID contained in the parameter list and the external parameter token.
In a further possible embodiment of the method according to the invention, both the parameter tokens are calculated via a predetermined calculation function based on parameter ID's and parameter values of the parameters contained in the parameter list.
In a further possible embodiment of the method according to the invention, the external parameter token is calculated via the predetermined calculation function by a calculation unit of an external parameterizing apparatus based on the parameter ID's and the parameter values of the parameters contained in the parameter list.
In a further possible embodiment of the method according to the invention, the internal parameter token is calculated via the predetermined calculation function by a calculation unit integrated in the device which is to be parameterized, on the basis of the parameter ID's and the parameter values of the parameters contained in the parameter list.
In a possible embodiment of the method according to the invention, the parameter list stored in an external data memory is read out from the data memory by the calculation unit of the parameterizing apparatus for the calculation of the external parameter token.
In a further possible embodiment of the method according to the invention, the parameter list stored in the data memory is read out, via an interface of the device which is to be parameterized, by the calculation unit integrated in the device which is to be parameterized for the calculation of the internal parameter token, and is temporarily stored in an internal memory of the device which is to be parameterized.
In a further possible embodiment of the method according to the invention, the external parameter token calculated by the calculation unit of the external parameterizing apparatus is displayed on a display of the parameterizing apparatus.
In a further possible embodiment of the method according to the invention, the internal parameter token calculated by the calculation unit integrated in the device which is to be parameterized is displayed on a display of the device which is to be parameterized.
In a further possible embodiment of the method according to the invention, both the parameter tokens displayed are compared by a user, who, if both the parameter tokens displayed match, inputs the device token calculated by the parameterizing apparatus into the device which is to be parameterized, which then compares the input device token with the internal device token to validate the parameter list.
In a further possible embodiment of the method according to the invention, the specified calculation function, which is used by the calculation units for the calculation of the parameter token, is a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) function.
In a further possible embodiment of the method according to the invention, the specified calculation function, which is used by the calculation units for the calculation of the parameter tokens, is a hash function.
In a further possible embodiment of the method according to the invention, the calculation function can be adjusted or, respectively, configured.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a parameterizable device which, based on a parameter list that is read out from an external data memory, internally calculates an internal parameter token, which is output, where the parameterizable device compares a device token input into the device with an internal device token, which is calculated based on the previously calculated internal parameter token and a device ID of the device, in order to validate the parameter list.
The parameterizable device is, in particular, a safety-critical device of an installation, in particular an industrial installation, or of a vehicle, in particular of an aircraft or a railway locomotive.
The invention further provides for a parameterizing apparatus with the features specified in claim 13.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a parameterizing apparatus for the parameterizing of a device, where the parameterizing apparatus calculates, based on a stored parameter list, an external parameter token and a device token of the device which is to be parameterized, where the device token calculated by the parameterizing apparatus is input into the device which is to be parameterized if the external parameter token matches an internal parameter token, calculated internally by the parameterizing device based on the parameter list, in order to validate the parameter list.
In a possible embodiment of the paramaterizing apparatus according to the invention, this apparatus includes a calculation unit for the calculation of the external parameter token via a specified calculation function, based on the parameter ID's and parameter values of the parameters contained in the parameter list.
In a possible embodiment of the paramaterizing apparatus according to the invention, this calculation unit further serves to calculate a device token of the device which is to be parameterized, based on the external parameter token and a device ID of the device to be parameterized, contained in the parameter list.
In a possible embodiment of the paramaterizing apparatus according to the invention, this further includes a display, which is provided to display the calculated external parameter token and the calculated device token.
In a possible embodiment of the paramaterizing apparatus according to the invention, this includes a reader device, for reading out the parameter list stored on a data memory.
In a further possible embodiment of the paramaterizing apparatus according to the invention, this further includes a transfer facility for transferring the calculated device token to the device which is to be parameterized.
In a further possible embodiment of the paramaterizing apparatus according to the invention, the paramaterizing apparatus is a portable mobile paramaterizing device.
In a possible embodiment of the paramaterizing apparatus, this exhibits an interface for reading out the parameter list from a data carrier or data memory which can be connected to the interface.
In a possible embodiment, the paramaterizing apparatus further comprises a display for displaying the parameter token calculated based on the parameter list, as well as the device token calculated from this, for a user, where the user, if the parameter token displayed matches with a parameter token output by the device which is to be parameterized, manually enters the device token displayed into the device which is to be parameterized, in order to validate the parameter list.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein.
Hereinafter, possible embodiments of the method according to the invention and of the apparatus according to the invention for the parameterizing of a device are described in greater detail, making reference to the appended figures, in which:
As can be seen from
To do this, the user 2 is provided with the parameter list PL, which can be located on a data carrier 3. This parameter list PL can, for example, be printed out and referred to by the user for the validation. The parameter list PL comprises the parameter ID's of all the parameters of the device 1 which are to be parameterized, as well as the specified parameter values pertaining to it. The parameters can be any desired device parameters. For example, the parameters provide physical limit values or setting values for an earth current, a volume, density, and the like. Further examples are setting values for controlled variables such as current or voltage.
In addition to the parameter ID's and the parameter values pertaining to them, the parameter list PL also includes an unambiguous device ID, G-ID, of the device 1 which is to be parameterized. The parameter list PL can, in one possible embodiment, be located on a data memory 3, which can be read out by the safety-critical device 1 via an interface. In one possible embodiment, this stored parameter list PL is read out and initially stored in the data memory 1C of the device 1 as an embedded parameter list PL′. After the parameter list PL′ has been written into the memory 1C, for security reasons the user 2 must validate the parameter list PL′ which has been transferred. It is additionally possible for the user 2 to print out the parameter list PL stored in the data memory 3.
For the purpose of automatically validating the transferred parameter list PL′, the user 2 is provided with a parameterizing apparatus 4, which can be a portable parameterizing device. The parameterizing apparatus 4 likewise contains a calculation unit 4A and, in the example presented, is provided with a display 4B. With the method according to the invention, for the parameterizing of the device 1 with parameters from the parameter list PL by the calculation unit 4A of the parameterizing apparatus 4, an external parameter token PTEXTERN is calculated externally, i.e., outside the safety-critical device 1, based on the parameter list PL, which can be displayed on the display 4B of the parameterizing apparatus 4 to the user 2. In addition, an internal parameter token PTINTERN is calculated by the calculation unit 1D integrated in the device 1 which is to be parameterized, based on the transferred or input parameter list PL′, which is temporarily stored in the embedded data memory 1C. This internally-calculated parameter token PTINTERN can be displayed to the user 2 via the output unit 1B of the device 1, for example, via a display of the device 1 which is to be configured. If the externally calculated parameter token PTEXTERN, which is displayed, for example, on the display 4B of the parameterizing apparatus 4, matches the internally calculated parameter token PTINTERN, which is displayed, for example, on a display 1B of the device 1 which is to be parameterized, then the user 2 can input a device token GT into the safety-critical device 1 to validate the parameter list PL′, such as via the input unit 1A. In a preferred embodiment, this input device token is calculated externally, such as by the calculation unit 4A of the parameterizing apparatus 4, based on the device ID, G-ID, contained in the parameter list PL and the previously calculated external parameter token PTEXTERN.
GT
EXTERN
=f(G-ID, PTEXTERN)
In a possible embodiment, this externally calculated device token GTEXTERN is displayed to the user 2 on the display 4B of the parameterizing apparatus 4. Provided that the two parameter tokens, i.e., the parameter token PTEXTERN calculated externally by the parameterizing apparatus 4 and the parameter token PTINTERN calculated internally by the device 1 which is to be configured, match one another, the user 2 then, in order to validate the parameter list PL′, enters the externally-calculated device token GTEXTERN displayed to him into the device 1 which is to be configured. The calculation unit in provided in the safety-critical device 1 then calculates an internal device token GTINTERN based on a device ID, G-ID, of the device 1 and of the previously calculated internal parameter token PTINTERN.
GT
INTERN
=f(G-ID, PTINTERN)
This internal device token GTINTERN is compared with the externally-calculated and input device token GTEXTERN in order to validate the parameter list PL′. Provided that the internal device token GTINTERN matches with the external device token GTEXTERN, it is ensured that the parameter list PL′, which is located in the embedded data memory 1C of the device 1, is correct, and matches entirely with the external parameter list PL stored in the data carrier 3.
The two calculation units 4A, 1D, which are located respectively in the parameterizing apparatus 4 and the safety-critical device 1, may be microprocessors. The two parameter tokens, i.e., the external parameter token PTEXTERN and the internal parameter token PTINTERN, are calculated separately by the two calculation units 4A, 1D, via the same specified calculation function BF based on the parameter ID's, P-ID, and the parameter values P-W of the parameters P contained in the parameter list PL.
PT=BF(P-ID, P-W)
In a possible embodiment, the calculation can be performed with a cryptographic algorithm with a high level of freedom from collision. In another possible embodiment, the calculation function BF, which is used by the calculation units to calculate the parameter tokens PT, is a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) function. In addition, the specified calculation function BF can also be a hash function. Further calculation functions with a high degree of freedom from collision are likewise possible. In a possible embodiment, the calculation function BF used in the calculation unit 4A and in the internal calculation unit in are each configurable or adjustable respectively, and can therefore be changed by the user 2.
The external parameter token PTEXTERN is calculated via the specified calculation function BF by the calculation unit 4A of the parameterizing apparatus 4 based the parameter ID's, P-ID, and the parameter values P-W of the parameters P contained on the parameter list PL of the data carrier 3. The internal parameter token PTINTERN is calculated via the same specified calculation function BF by the calculation unit 1D integrated in the device 1 which is to be parameterized, based on the parameter ID's, P-ID, and the parameter values P-W of the parameters P contained in the parameter list PL′, where the parameter list PL′ temporarily stored in the embedded data memory 1C is used.
The original parameter list PL can be located in an external data memory, such as a data carrier 3. The data carrier 3 can, for example, be a USB dongle or memory stick. In a possible embodiment, the parameterizing apparatus 4 is provided with an interface for reading out the external data memory 3, in which the parameter list PL is located. For example, a USB dongle is plugged into an interface of the parameterizing apparatus 4, where, in a possible embodiment, the parameter list PL stored on it is then first displayed to the user 2 on the display 4B of the parameterizing apparatus 4. By the appropriate activation of the parameterizing apparatus 4, the user 2 then transfer the parameter list PL displayed to him, which derives from the data carrier 3 which is plugged in, via a data interface in the embedded memory 1C of the safety-critical device 1. This interface between the safety-critical device 1 and the parameterizing apparatus 4 can be a wireless or wire-bound data interface.
As soon as the temporary transfer of the parameter list has been concluded, the user 2 initiates the validation of the transferred parameter list PL′. The user 2 enters a command into the parameterizing apparatus 4 for the validation to be performed, where the parameterizing apparatus 4 automatically calculates, based on the parameter list PL available to it, the external parameter token PTEXTERN and the external device token GTEXTERN. Separately from this, i.e., by another means, the calculation unit 1D provided in the security-critical device 1 calculates, based on the provisional parameter list PL′ stored temporarily in the embedded data memory 1C, an internal parameter token PTINTERN and issues this to the user 2. The user 2 then compares the external parameter token PTEXTERN calculated by the parameterizing apparatus 4 with the internally-calculated parameter token PTINTERN. If the two parameter tokens are identical, the user 2 then enters, preferably manually, the external device token GTEXTERN displayed to him on the display 4B into the safety-critical device 1, for example, via the input unit 1A, in order definitively to validate the temporarily stored parameter list PL′. Provided that the external device token GTEXTERN which is input matches with an internally-calculated device token GTINTERN, that is calculated internally by the device 1 which is to be parameterized based on the device ID, G-ID of the device 1 and of the internal parameter token PTINTERN, then the temporarily-stored parameter list PL′ is correct and matches entirely with the external parameter list PL, where this can be displayed to the user 2, such as via a display 1B of the safety-critical device 1. In a further embodiment, the user 2 can input the externally-calculated device token GTEXTERN without a comparison of the parameter token PT into the safety-critical device 1 to conclude the validation of the temporarily-stored parameter list PL′. In a further possible embodiment, the successful validation is notified by the safety-critical device 2, via a wireless or wire-bound interface, to the parameterizing apparatus 4, which informs the user 2 of this by a corresponding display of the message on the display 4B. In the exemplary embodiment described above, the comparison between the two calculated parameter tokens PT and the input of the external device token GTEXTERN are performed by a user 2. This user 2, in the exemplary embodiment presented, is located in the vicinity of the safety-critical device 1 which is to be parameterized. In an alternative embodiment, with the method according to the invention, the parameterizing can be performed remotely, i.e., by an operator or user who is located at a distance.
In the exemplary embodiments presented, the device 1 exhibits a safety-critical core K, the functional capability of which is ensured by special securing mechanisms, such as SIL, for example.
With the method according to the invention, by the complete detachment of the different test routes, potential sources of error such as can occur with the methods conventionally used hitherto are completely eliminated, such that the method according to the invention provides a very high degree of security in the parameterization of a device 1. The method according to the invention also offers the advantage that the user 2 need only enter one single value, namely the calculated external device token GTEXTERN, into the safety-critical device 1 in order to validate the parameter list PL.
The device ID, G-ID, of the device 1, which is required for the calculation of the internal device token GTINTERN, is available in the safety-critical device 1, internally secure with regard to manipulation. Because, with the parameterizing method according to the invention, the device ID is used in an integrated manner, it is additionally ensured with the method that in every case the correct device 1 is parameterized, and any risk of confusion is excluded. Accordingly, with the method according to the invention, it is also possible for the parameterization to be performed in a secure manner entirely remotely. With the method according to the invention the user 2 no longer imperatively has to be at the location at which the device 1 is to be parameterized. The method according to the invention even allows for the parameterizing to be performed via the field buses used conventionally in process and automation technology.
The parameterizing apparatus 4, as represented in the exemplary embodiments according to
The connection between the network interface 5c and the network interface 1E of the safety critical device 1 can be wireless or wire-bound. In a possible embodiment, the communication occurs via satellites, in particular if the safety-critical device 1 is a mobile device, in particular a vehicle, such as an aircraft.
In a possible embodiment, for the parameterization or, respectively, re-parameterization, the device 1 which is to be parameterized is switched out of a normal operating mode into a parameterizing operating mode, before the method according to the invention for parameterizing the device 1 is performed. If the device 1 which is to be parameterized is not a safety-critical device, then, in a possible embodiment, the parameterization can also take place during normal operation of the device 1.
A device token (GTEXTERN) input into the device is then compared with an internal device token (GTINTERN) calculated internally by the device which is to be parameterized based on a device ID (G-ID) of the device and the internal parameter token (PTINTERN) to validate the parameter list (PL) in an event of a match between the external parameter token (PTEXTERN) and the internal parameter token (PTINTERN), as indicated in step 320.
While there have been shown, described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the methods described and the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2010 062 908.1 | Dec 2010 | DE | national |
This is a U.S. national stage of application No. PCT/EP2011/070244 filed 16 Nov. 2011. Priority is claimed on German Application No. 10 2010 062 908.1 filed 13 Dec. 2010, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2011/070244 | 11/16/2011 | WO | 00 | 6/7/2013 |
