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US 12,488,643 B2Granted
Systems and methods for user access control of electrical switchgear
AssigneeEaton Intelligent Power Limited
InventorRobert Judson Burns
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A user access control system comprises electrical components of electrical switchgear, and locking mechanisms that secure the components from unauthorized access. The user access control system further comprises an identification input unit to receive user input to identify a user; an authentication unit to authenticate the user input based on a security policy, determine an access level, and generate a digital access key; and an equipment control unit to selectively allow or deny access to the electrical switchgear components by using the digital access key to unlock or lock the locking mechanisms.
Claims20
A user access control system for electrical switchgear, comprising:
- an electrical switchgear comprising a plurality of electrical components and a plurality of physical locking mechanisms, wherein the plurality of physical locking mechanisms respectively secure the plurality of components of the electrical switchgear from unauthorized access;
- an identification input unit configured to receive a user input identifying a user;
- an authentication unit communicatively coupled with the identification input unit and configured to authenticate the user input based on a predetermined security policy, wherein, based on the authenticated user input, the authentication unit is further configured to determine an access level from a plurality of predetermined access levels, and generate, based on the determined access level, a digital access key configured to be used to unlock a plurality of selected physical locking mechanisms from the plurality of physical locking mechanisms;
- and
- an equipment control unit communicatively coupled with the authentication unit and the plurality of physical locking mechanisms, wherein the equipment control unit is further configured to use the digital access key received from the authentication unit to selectively unlock the plurality of selected physical locking mechanisms, thereby allowing the user access to associated ones of the plurality of components of the electrical switchgear.
2 more elements
A method for controlling user access to electrical switchgear, comprising:
- receiving, from an identification input unit, a user input identifying a user;
- authenticating, by an authentication unit that is communicatively coupled with the identification input unit and based on a predetermined security policy, the user input;
- determining, by the authentication unit and based on the authenticated user input, an access level from a plurality of predetermined access levels;
- generating, by the authentication unit and based on the determined access level, a digital access key configured to be used to unlock a plurality of selected physical locking mechanisms selected from a plurality of physical locking mechanisms;
- and
- selectively allowing or denying, by an equipment control unit that is communicatively coupled with the authentication unit, access to a plurality of electrical components of an electrical switchgear, by using the digital access key received from the authentication unit to selectively unlock the plurality of selected physical locking mechanisms, thereby allowing the user access to unlock or lock associated ones of the plurality of physical locking mechanisms of the electrical switchgear, wherein the plurality of physical locking mechanisms respectively secure the plurality of components of the electrical switchgear from unauthorized access.
3 more elements
A system comprising:
- a memory;
- and
- a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the processor, that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
- receive, from an identification input unit, a user input identifying a user;
- authenticate, using an authentication unit that is communicatively coupled with the identification input unit and based on a predetermined security policy, the user input;
- determine, using the authentication unit and based on the authenticated user input, an access level from a plurality of predetermined access levels;
- generate, using the authentication unit and based on the determined access level, a digital access key configured to be used to unlock a plurality of selected physical locking mechanisms selected from a plurality of physical locking mechanisms;
- and
- use the digital access key received from the authentication unit to selectively unlock the plurality of selected physical locking mechanisms, thereby allowing the use of an equipment control unit that is communicatively coupled with the authentication unit, access to associated ones of a plurality of electrical components of an electrical switchgear, wherein the plurality of physical locking mechanisms respectively secure the plurality of components of the electrical switchgear from unauthorized access.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.