Communication isolator for cyber security and communication isolation method of the communication isolator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12500689-B2
Application number	US-202217890549-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2022
Priority date	Aug 19, 2021
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

A communication isolator configured to perform network communication with a first control system and a second control system includes a first communication device configured to receive a first communication signal corresponding to a first signal with respect to an output from the first control system, obtain first data by decoding the first communication signal, and generate a second signal corresponding to the first data by using a pre-stored look-up table, and a second communication device configured to receive the second signal from the first communication device, convert the second signal into second data by using the look-up table, encode the second data into a second communication signal, and transmit the second communication signal to the second control system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A communication isolator configured to perform network communication with a first control system and a second control system, the communication isolator comprising:
a first communication device configured to receive a first communication signal corresponding to a first signal with respect to an output from the first control system, obtain first data by decoding the first communication signal, and generate a second signal corresponding to the first data by using a pre-stored look-up table; and a second communication device configured to receive the second signal from the first communication device, convert the second signal into second data by using the look-up table, encode the second data into a second communication signal, and transmit the second communication signal to the second control system, wherein the second communication device is further configured to receive a third communication signal corresponding to a first command signal from the second control system, convert the third communication signal into third data by decoding the third communication signal, generate a third signal corresponding to the third data by using the look-up table, and transmit the third signal to the first communication device, and the first communication device is further configured to convert the third signal into a fourth communication signal and transmit the fourth communication signal to the first control system, and the first control system is configured to generate a command signal corresponding to the fourth communication signal, wherein the first communication device is further configured to generate the second signal only for the predefined first data, and wherein the first communication device is further configured not to generate the second signal when there is no value in the look-up table corresponding to the first data, and wherein the second communication device is further configured to generate the third signal only for the predefined third data, and wherein the second communication device is further configured not to generate the third signal when there is no value in the look-up table corresponding to the third data.

2 . The communication isolator of claim 1 , wherein the first communication device and the second communication device are connected to each other by a hardwire cable and exchange a signal with each other.

3 . The communication isolator of claim 1 , wherein the output of the first signal corresponds to a measurement value or a control signal corresponding to the first signal.

4 . The communication isolator of claim 1 , wherein the first communication device or the second communication device is firmware.

5 . A communication isolation method of a communication isolator configured to perform network communication with a first control system and a second control system, the communication isolation method comprising:
receiving, via a first communication device of the communication isolator, a first communication signal corresponding to a first signal with respect to an output from the first control system; obtaining, via the first communication device, first data by decoding the first communication signal; generating, via the first communication device, a second signal corresponding to the first data by using a pre-stored look-up table; receiving, via a second communication device of the communication isolator, the second signal from the first communication device; converting, via the second communication device, the second signal into second data by using the look-up table and encoding, via the second communication device, the second data into a second communication signal; and transmitting, via the second communication device, the second communication signal to the second control system, receiving, via the second communication device from the second control system, a third communication signal corresponding to a first command signal; converting, via the second communication device, the third communication signal into third data by decoding the third communication signal, generating, via the second communication device, a third signal corresponding to the third data by using the look-up table, and transmitting, via the second communication device, the third signal to the first communication device; and converting, via the first communication device, the third signal into a fourth communication signal and transmitting, via the first communication device, the fourth communication signal to the first control system, and generating, via an external controller, a command signal corresponding to the fourth communication signal, wherein the first communication device is further configured to generate the second signal only for the predefined first data, and wherein the first communication device is further configured not to generate the second signal when there is no value in the look-up table corresponding to the first data, and wherein the second communication device is further configured to generate the third signal only for the predefined third data, and wherein the second communication device is further configured not to generate the third signal when there is no value in the look-up table corresponding to the third data.

6 . The communication isolation method of claim 5 , wherein the first communication device and the second communication device are connected to each other by a hardwire cable and exchange a signal with each other.

7 . The communication isolation method of claim 5 , wherein the output of the first signal corresponds to a measurement value or a control signal corresponding to the first signal.

8 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:
receiving, via a first communication device of the communication isolator, a first communication signal corresponding to a first signal with respect to an output from the first control system; obtaining, via the first communication device, first data by decoding the first communication signal; generating, via the first communication device, a second signal corresponding to the first data by using a pre-stored look-up table; receiving, via a second communication device of the communication isolator, the second signal from the first communication device; converting, via the second communication device, the second signal into second data by using the look-up table and encoding, via the second communication device, the second data into a second communication signal; and transmitting, via the second communication device, the second communication signal to the second control system, receiving, via the second communication device from the second control system, a third communication signal corresponding to a first command signal; converting, via the second communication device, the third communication signal into third data by decoding the third communication signal, generating, via the second communication device, a third signal corresponding to the third data by using the look-up table, and transmitting, via the second communication device, the third signal to the first communication device; and converting, via the first communication device, the third signal into a fourth communication signal and transmitting, via the first communication device, the fourth communication signal to the first control system, and generating, via an external controller, a command signal corresponding to the fourth communication signal, wherein the first communication device is further configured to generate the second signal only for the predefined first data, and wherein the first communication device is further configured not

Assignees

• Kepco Eng & Constr Co Inc

Inventors

• Jung Seung Ha
• Park Ji Wung
• Lee Won Young

Classifications

• H04L1/0052

  Realisations of complexity reduction techniques, e.g. pipelining or use of look-up tables · CPC title

• H04L1/0016 Primary

  involving special memory structures, e.g. look-up tables · CPC title

• H04L67/565

  Conversion or adaptation of application format or content (adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561) · CPC title

• H04L63/0209 Primary

  Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones · CPC title