JP2016071792A - Monitoring controller, authentication method and information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a monitoring controller capable of reducing time and effort of operation in authentication, and further to provide an authentication method and an information processor.SOLUTION: A monitoring controller is used for monitoring and controlling states of facilities provided to a plant. The monitoring controller includes: an operation section; an event identification section; an interval measurement section; and an authentication section. The operation section receives operation of a user. The event identification section identifies an event on the basis of the operation received by the operation section. The interval measurement section detects an occurrence interval of the event identified by the event identification section. The authentication section determines whether or not the user is permitted to use the monitoring controller on the basis of a type, the occurrence interval and occurrence frequency of the event identified by the event identification section.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a monitoring control device, an authentication method, and an information processing device.

  In an operating system or application executed on a computer, authentication using a user ID and a password is used. In an apparatus having a touch panel such as a smartphone that has been widely used in recent years, authentication is performed by a combination of a touch position and an order on the touch panel instead of a password.

  By the way, in plants such as water treatment facilities, power plants, and factories, monitoring and control devices that monitor and control the state of facilities and the state of plants are always operated, so that operators are authenticated each time they are operated. In some cases, the operation is performed while maintaining the state after authentication. This is because the operator may feel annoying the authentication for each operation.

JP 2010-009544 A

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a monitoring control device, an authentication method, and an information processing device that can reduce the labor of authentication.

  The monitoring control device of the embodiment is used for monitoring and controlling the state of equipment provided in a plant. The monitoring control device includes an operation unit, an event specifying unit, an interval measuring unit, and an authentication unit. The operation unit receives a user operation. The event specifying unit specifies an event based on the operation received by the operation unit. The interval measuring unit detects an occurrence interval of the event specified by the event specifying unit. The authentication unit determines whether or not the user is permitted to use the monitoring control device based on the event type, the occurrence interval, and the number of occurrences specified by the event specifying unit.

The block diagram which shows an example of the plant monitoring control system containing the monitoring control apparatus 11 in 1st Embodiment. The block diagram which shows the structural example of the monitoring control apparatus 11 in 1st Embodiment. The flowchart which shows the registration process of the authentication information which the monitoring control apparatus 11 in 1st Embodiment performs. The flowchart which shows the authentication process which the monitoring control apparatus 11 in 1st Embodiment performs. The figure which shows the outline | summary of the comparison of the authentication information which the authentication part 108 in 1st Embodiment performs. The figure which shows an example of the partial area | regions 51, 52, and 53 defined in the display area 5 of the display part 104 in 2nd Embodiment. The block diagram which shows the structural example of 11 A of monitoring control apparatuses in 3rd Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, a monitoring control apparatus, an authentication method, and an information processing apparatus according to embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a plant monitoring control system including a monitoring control device 11 according to the first embodiment. The plant control system includes a monitoring control system 1 and various facilities 21-1 to 21 -N provided in the plant 2. The monitoring control system 1 and the facilities 21-1 to 21 -N are connected via a network 3 so that they can communicate with each other. For example, when the plant 2 is a water treatment plant, the facilities 21-1 to 21 -N provided in the plant 2 are a pump, a filter, a storage tank, a regulating valve, various sensors, and the like.

  The monitoring control system 1 includes a data server 10 and one or a plurality of monitoring control devices 11. The data server 10 receives and accumulates the operating states of the facilities 21-1 to 21 -N of the plant 2 and the states detected by the sensors via the network 3. The monitoring control device 11 acquires and displays information indicating the state of the plant 2 accumulated in the data server 10. Moreover, the supervisory control apparatus 11 receives a user's operation, and performs control with respect to each equipment 21-1 to 21-N of the plant 2.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the monitoring control device 11 according to the first embodiment. The monitoring control device 11 includes a communication interface (communication IF) 101, a control unit 102, a display control unit 103, a display unit 104, an operation unit 105, an event specifying unit 106, an event interval measurement unit 107, an authentication unit 108, and a storage unit 109. Prepare. The communication interface 101 transmits and receives data to and from the data server 10 and the facilities 21-1 to 21 -N of the plant 2 via the network 3.

  The control unit 102 performs processing on data received by the communication interface 101. Further, the control unit 102 outputs the received data and the data obtained by the processing to the display control unit 103. The control unit 102 controls each unit of the monitoring control device 11 based on the user operation information received by the operation unit 105. Based on the operation information, the control unit 102 generates information for requesting data from the data server 10 and information for controlling the facilities 21-1 to 21 -N, and transmits the information via the communication interface 101.

  The display control unit 103 generates a display image to be displayed in the display area (or display screen) of the display unit 104 based on the data input from the control unit 102 and outputs the display image to the display unit 104. The display unit 104 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, and displays the state of the plant 2 and the like to the user. The operation unit 105 receives a user operation, generates a signal corresponding to the operation, and outputs the signal. The operation unit 105 is a pointing device such as a keyboard and a mouse. In addition, as the operation unit 105 and the display unit 104, a touch panel display capable of performing display and operation input with a single device may be used.

  The event specifying unit 106 detects an operation used in the authentication process in the monitoring control device 11 as an event in the user operation received by the operation unit 105. The event identification unit 106 sequentially outputs event information indicating the detected operation to the event interval measurement unit 107 and the authentication unit 108. The operations used in the authentication process in the monitoring control device 11 include, for example, pressing and releasing a mouse button, pressing and releasing a specific key on the keyboard, touching and releasing the touch panel, and the like. That is, the event detected by the event specifying unit 106 is an operation such as pressing and releasing a mouse button, pressing and releasing a specific key on the keyboard, touching and releasing the touch panel, and the like.

  The event interval measurement unit 107 measures the interval at which event information is input from the event identification unit 106, and sequentially outputs time information indicating the measured interval to the authentication unit 108. By measuring the interval at which the event information is input by the event interval measuring unit 107, for example, it is possible to measure a period in which the mouse button is pressed and released, that is, a period in which the mouse is on. The event interval measurement unit 107 outputs interval information indicating the measured period to the authentication unit 108.

  Further, the event interval measurement unit 107 determines that the input of the event information is completed when the next event information is not input within a certain time after the event information is input from the event specifying unit 106, and the input is completed. Is output to the authentication unit 108.

  The authentication unit 108 acquires event information output from the event identification unit 106 and interval information and end information output from the event interval measurement unit 107. The authentication unit 108 generates authentication information indicating a time series of events used for user authentication and an event interval from the event information, the interval information, and the end information. For example, when the operation unit 105 is a mouse or a keyboard, the authentication information includes a length of a period during which a mouse button or a specific key on the keyboard is pressed, an interval until the next pressing, and the number of pressings. Information. When the operation unit 105 is a touch panel, the authentication information is information including the length of a period during which the touch panel is touched, the interval until the next touch, and the number of touches.

  When receiving an instruction for registering authentication information from the control unit 102, the authentication unit 108 stores the generated authentication information in the storage unit 109. Further, when the authentication unit 108 receives an instruction to perform user authentication from the control unit 102, the authentication unit 108 compares the generated authentication information with the authentication information stored in the storage unit 109. The authentication unit 108 compares the two pieces of authentication information to determine whether the user operating the operation unit 105 is a user permitted to use the monitoring control device 11 and controls the determination result. Output to the unit 102. The storage unit 109 stores the authentication information of each user permitted to use the monitoring control device 11 and the user identifier in a one-to-one correspondence.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing authentication information registration processing performed by the monitoring control apparatus 11 according to the first embodiment. When the registration processing is started in the monitoring control device 11, the authentication unit 108 outputs the event information and interval output from the event specifying unit 106 and the event interval measuring unit 107 until the end information is input from the event interval measuring unit 107. Enter information. When the end information is input, the authentication unit 108 generates authentication information from the event information and the interval information (step S101). The authentication unit 108 stores the generated authentication information in association with a predetermined user identifier in the storage unit 109 (step S102), and ends the registration process. This registration process is performed for each user. In the registration process, the authentication unit 108 may repeat step S101 a plurality of times, calculate the statistical value of the corresponding interval information, and generate the authentication information from the event information and the calculated statistical value. Here, the statistical value is an average value, a median value, a mode value, or the like.

  The monitoring control device 11 may store the authentication information in advance in the storage unit 109 in association with the identifier of each user who uses the monitoring control device 11 without performing the registration process. Furthermore, the monitoring control device 11 performs registration processing to newly store the authentication information of other users in the storage unit 109 that stores the authentication information in association with the user identification information in advance. Also good. Further, the storage units 109 of the plurality of monitoring control devices 11 in the monitoring control system 1 may be made common so that each monitoring control device 11 refers to one storage unit 109.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an authentication process performed by the monitoring control device 11 according to the first embodiment. When the authentication process when the user logs in in the monitoring control device 11 is started, the authentication unit 108 outputs the event identification unit 106 and the event interval measurement unit 107 until the end information is input from the event interval measurement unit 107. Event information and interval information to be input. When the end information is input, the authentication unit 108 generates authentication information from the event information and the interval information (step S201).

  The authentication unit 108 compares the authentication information generated in step S201 with the authentication information stored in the storage unit 109 (step S202). The comparison of the two pieces of authentication information performed by the authentication unit 108 is performed by determining whether or not the timings at which the events occur match in the time series of events indicated by the respective pieces of authentication information. In addition, the authentication unit 108 performs comparison for each authentication information of each user stored in the storage unit 109.

  The authentication unit 108 determines whether authentication information that matches the authentication information generated in step S201 is stored in the storage unit 109 (step S203). If there is matching authentication information (step S203: YES), the authentication unit 108 outputs permission information indicating that the login of the user is permitted to the control unit 102 (step S204), and ends the approval process. If there is no matching authentication information (step S203: NO), the authentication unit 108 outputs rejection information indicating that the user login is rejected to the control unit 102 (step S205), and ends the authentication process.

  For example, after the monitoring control device 11 is activated, the authentication process is performed after the user who operates the monitoring control device 11 is absent for a certain period of time, and the user who operates the monitoring control device 11 operates for a certain period of time. Done after not doing. The timing at which the authentication processing is performed may be the same as the timing at which authentication such as login is requested in a general computer. A known technique using an infrared sensor or the like can be used for detecting the absence of the user.

  Further, the control unit 102 is configured such that when the user who operates the monitoring control apparatus 11 is absent for a certain period after the monitoring control apparatus 11 is activated, and the user who operates the monitoring control apparatus 11 is performed for a certain period. When the operation is not performed, the operation unit 105 may transition to a locked state in which the execution of the control on the facilities 21-1 to 21-N of the plant 2 is stopped. At this time, the control part 102 will cancel | release a locked state, if a user's login is permitted by an authentication process. Note that the control unit 102 and the display control unit 103 may continue to update the display image even in the locked state, and may continue to display the state and the like in the plant 2. Thereby, the user can continue to monitor the plant 2 even in the locked state.

  Here, comparison of authentication information in step S202 of the authentication process will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an outline of comparison of authentication information performed by the authentication unit 108 according to the first embodiment. In the example shown in FIG. 5, two pieces of authentication information indicating the time series of event occurrences due to three clicks on the button or key (the operation of releasing after pressing) are compared. At the time of comparison, the authentication unit 108 aligns the times when the first event “push” occurs in each piece of authentication information, so that the other five events (“release”, “push”, “release”, “push”). , “Release”) is determined whether or not the generation timings coincide with each other. The “authentication information of the storage unit” is the authentication information stored in the storage unit 109 by the registration process. The “acquired authentication information” is authentication information acquired in the authentication process.

For the determination of the occurrence timing, a predetermined allowable range Δt is provided, and an event in the acquired authentication information occurs within a range of ± Δt with respect to the event occurrence time in the authentication information in the storage unit 109. Is determined to match. That is, when the expression (1) is satisfied, the authentication unit 108 determines that the event occurrence timings match.
(T _1n −Δ _t ) ≦ t _2n ≦ (t _1n + Δt), n = 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (1)

In the example shown in FIG. 5, t ₂₂ , t ₂₃ , t ₂₄ , t ₂₅ , and t ₂₆ are included in the range of ± Δt with respect to t ₁₂ , t ₁₃ , t ₁₄ , t _15, and t ₁₆ , respectively. Therefore, it is determined that the two authentication information matches.

In addition, when the order and the number of events in the two pieces of authentication information to be compared match, the authentication unit 108 generates an event after performing normalization to align the period from the first event to the last event. It may be determined whether the timings match. For example, when comparing the two pieces of authentication information illustrated in FIG. 5, the authentication unit 108 uses the expressions (2) and (3) to correct the event occurrence timing included in the acquired authentication information. Then, it is determined whether or not the event occurrence timings coincide.
α = (t ₁₆ −t ₁₁ ) / (t ₂₆ −t ₂₁ ) (2)
t ′ _2n = (t _2n −t ₂₁ ) · α + t ₂₁ , n = 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (3)

  According to the monitoring control device 11 in the first embodiment, authentication can be performed based on the period during which the button, key, or touch panel is pressed, the interval until the next press, and the number of presses. The operation of the authentication process in the monitoring control device 11 is a simple operation such as clicking a mouse button, turning on / off a specific key on the keyboard, or tapping a touch panel operation, and therefore, it is possible to reduce the effort of the authentication operation. . The operation of the monitoring control device 11 in the authentication process can reduce the burden on the user compared to password authentication and the like, and therefore can promote user authentication.

  In general, since a monitoring control device such as a plant is installed in a room or a section where access is restricted, it is recognized that there is a low possibility of an unauthorized operation on the monitoring control device. May not be used. However, even in a room or compartment where access is restricted, there is a possibility that an unauthorized operation by an intruder or an unauthorized operation by an internal operator may be performed. By using the monitoring control device 11 in the first embodiment to prompt the user to use authentication and recording the operator who performed the operation, it is possible to suppress an unauthorized operation.

  Note that the authentication unit 108 may store the time at which the authentication process is executed, whether or not the authentication is successful, and the user identifier when the authentication is successful, in the storage unit 109. . The authentication unit 108 stores the history in the storage unit 109 every time the authentication process is executed, so that information for grasping the situation when an unauthorized operation is performed should an unauthorized operation be performed. Can be obtained.

(Second Embodiment)
The monitoring control device in the second embodiment includes the same components as the monitoring control device 11 in the first embodiment. A description of the configuration of the monitoring control device in the second embodiment is omitted. In the monitoring and control apparatus according to the second embodiment, partial areas corresponding to each of a plurality of users in the display area of the display unit 104 are determined in advance, and the type of event, the occurrence interval, the number of occurrences, Authentication processing is performed based on the combination with the partial area where the operation is performed.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of partial areas 51, 52, and 53 defined in the display area 5 of the display unit 104 according to the second embodiment. The display area 5 shown in FIG. 6 is an example of the display area 5 by the display unit 104 of the monitoring control device when the plant 2 is a water treatment plant. In the display area 5, three partial areas 51, 52 and 53 are defined. The partial areas 51, 52, and 53 are defined without overlapping areas in order to uniquely identify the user.

  For example, when a user operation is performed in the partial area 51 in step S201 of the authentication process, the authentication unit 108 includes user authentication information corresponding to the partial area 51 among the authentication information stored in the storage unit 109, and The authentication information generated in step S201 is compared. Here, when the user performs an operation in the partial area 51, when using a mouse or a keyboard, the button is clicked with the cursor positioned in the partial area 51. When using the touch panel, This is tapping the partial area 51 with a finger or the like.

  In addition, the partial area | region corresponding to each user in the display area of the display part 104 may be displayed so that a user can recognize in a display area, and does not need to be displayed. When the partial area is not explicitly displayed, it is necessary to notify the user in advance which area on the display area is the assigned partial area. When the partial area is not explicitly displayed, the color and shape when the partial area is designated with the cursor are the same as the color and shape of the cursor displayed before the authentication process is performed. By configuring the display area so that only the user can grasp the partial area, the use of the monitoring control device by an unauthorized user who is not registered in advance can be suppressed.

  According to the monitoring and control apparatus according to the second embodiment, in addition to the combination of the event type, the occurrence interval, and the number of occurrences by the user's operation, it is a simple operation by using the partial area to be operated for authentication. However, the security of authentication can be improved.

(Third embodiment)
FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the monitoring control apparatus 11A according to the third embodiment. The monitoring control apparatus 11A includes a communication interface (communication IF) 101, a control unit 102, a display control unit 103, a display unit 104, an operation unit 105, an event specifying unit 106, an event interval measurement unit 107, an authentication unit 108, a storage unit 109, and A sound output unit 110 is provided. In the monitoring control apparatus 11A, the same components as those in the monitoring control apparatus 11 (FIG. 2) in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

  The sound output unit 110 outputs an audible sound with a predetermined rhythm from the start to the end of the authentication process (FIG. 4). Thereby, the timing at which the user operates a mouse button, a specific key on the keyboard, or the touch panel can be assisted. By assisting, when the user needs to input the control for the plant 2 in a hurry, it is possible to suppress the login rejection in the authentication process by performing the operation in a hurry. You may make it change the audible sound of the fixed rhythm which the sound output part 110 outputs for every user. In this case, the sound output unit 110 may output the sound in a rhythm based on the common divisor or the greatest common divisor with respect to the event generation timing interval in the authentication information.

  It should be noted that the sound output unit 110 outputs a noise sound of a certain volume or higher so that a sound generated by the operation is not heard by anyone other than the user subject to the authentication process until the authentication process (FIG. 4) is started and ended. You may make it output. Thereby, it is possible to suppress leakage of authentication information due to a sound other than the user being heard when operating the mouse, keyboard, or touch panel.

  According to the monitoring control apparatus 11A in the third embodiment, it is possible to assist the user's operation with sound, or to suppress the leakage of authentication information based on the sound. Note that the sound output unit 110 included in the monitoring control apparatus 11A may be included in the monitoring control apparatus in the second embodiment.

  In the monitoring control device in each of the above embodiments, when the cursor moves to a predetermined area in the display area, or when a predetermined button is pressed, the event interval measurement unit 107 or the event identification unit 106 may determine that the input of event information has ended.

  Moreover, you may use the authentication process in the monitoring control apparatus in each said embodiment for the authentication in information processing apparatuses, such as a computer and a smart phone.

  In addition, the monitoring control device in each of the above embodiments may be realized by using a computer device as basic hardware. In this case, each of the control unit 102, the display control unit 103, the event specifying unit 106, the event interval measuring unit 107, the authentication unit 108, and the storage unit 109 included in the monitoring control device causes a processor mounted on the computer device to execute a program. Can be realized. At this time, the monitoring control apparatus may be realized by installing the above-described program in the computer apparatus in advance. Alternatively, the above program stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM or the above program distributed via a network may be appropriately installed in a computer device.

  According to at least one embodiment described above, authentication is performed for determining whether or not the user is permitted to use the monitoring control device using the type of event, the occurrence interval, and the number of occurrences based on the user's operation. By having a section, it is possible to reduce the labor of the authentication operation.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Supervisory control system, 2 ... Plant, 3 ... Network, 5 ... Display area, 10 ... Data server, 11, 11A ... Monitoring control apparatus, 21-1, 21-2, 21-N ... Equipment, 51, 52, 53 ... Partial area, 101 ... Communication interface, 102 ... Control unit, 103 ... Display control unit, 104 ... Display unit, 105 ... Operation unit, 106 ... Event specifying unit, 107 ... Event interval measurement unit, 108 ... Authentication unit, 109 ... Storage unit, 110 ... Sound output unit

Claims (10)

A monitoring and control device used for monitoring and controlling the state of equipment provided in a plant,
An operation unit for receiving user operations;
An event identification unit that identifies an event based on an operation received by the operation unit;
An interval measuring unit for detecting an occurrence interval of the event specified by the event specifying unit;
An authentication unit that determines whether or not the user is permitted to use the monitoring control device, based on the type of event identified by the event identifying unit, the occurrence interval, and the number of occurrences;
A monitoring control device comprising: A storage unit that stores combinations of event types, occurrence intervals, and the number of occurrences for each user;
The authentication unit
For each combination stored in the storage unit, it is determined whether the combination of the event type specified by the event specifying unit and the occurrence interval and the number of occurrences matches, and there is a matching combination Determining that the user is permitted to use the supervisory control device,
The monitoring control apparatus according to claim 1. A display unit for displaying the state of the equipment;
The event specifying unit
The monitoring control device according to claim 1, wherein an event is specified based on a user operation performed in a predetermined partial area in the display area of the display unit. A display control unit that generates a display image based on information received from the facility, and displays the generated display image on the display unit;
When the operation unit has not received a user operation for a certain period, the control unit is a process according to the operation received by the operation unit, and stops execution of processing related to monitoring and control of the facility,
Further comprising
The display control unit
4. When the control unit stops execution of processing related to monitoring and control of the facility, the display image displayed on the display unit when the execution of the processing is stopped is continuously updated. The monitoring control device according to 1. A partial area associated with each user is predetermined in the display area of the display unit,
The authentication unit
Of the combinations stored in the storage unit, a combination of an event type, an occurrence interval, and the number of occurrences associated with a user corresponding to a partial area where an operation accepted by the operation unit is performed, and the event It is determined that the user is permitted to use the monitoring control device when the combination of the type of event identified by the identifying unit, the occurrence interval, and the number of occurrences matches.
The monitoring control apparatus according to claim 4. The display control unit
For the cursor for designating the partial area, use the same cursor as before the control unit stops execution of processing related to monitoring and control of the equipment,
The monitoring control apparatus according to claim 5. A sound output unit that generates a sound at regular intervals when a user operation is performed;
The monitoring control apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1-6. A sound output unit for generating a noise sound when a user operation is performed;
The monitoring control apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1-6. An authentication method performed by a monitoring control device used for monitoring and controlling the state of equipment installed in a plant,
An operation step for accepting a user operation;
An event identification step for identifying an event based on the operation received in the operation step;
An interval detecting step for detecting an occurrence interval of the event specified in the event specifying step;
An authentication step of determining whether or not the user is permitted to use the monitoring control device based on the type of event specified in the event specifying step, the occurrence interval, and the number of occurrences;
An authentication method that includes: An operation unit for receiving user operations;
An event identification unit that identifies an event based on an operation received by the operation unit;
An interval measuring unit for detecting an occurrence interval of the event specified by the event specifying unit;
An authentication unit that determines whether or not the user is permitted to use, based on the type of event identified by the event identification unit, the occurrence interval, and the number of occurrences;
An information processing apparatus comprising:

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