Patent ID: 7072722

Claim:
A digital protection and control device for a power distribution network, comprising: a control unit including a microprocessor; a human-machine interface for allowing a user to access said control unit, said microprocessor exchanging data/information with said human-machine interface; and a user authentication mechanism for regulating the access of the user to said control unit, wherein said user authentication mechanism comprises an electronic authentication device associable to said human-machine interface, and wherein said electronic authentication device is configured for: storing first predefined data/information comprising at least a user identification code for establishing the identity of a user and a user access code for establishing the access mode of a user in said control unit; storing second predefined data/information for configuring one or more functions of said digital protection and control device in said electronic authentication device; and communicating with said control unit, when said electronic authentication device is associated with said human-machine interface, at least one of a portion of said first predefined data/information and a portion of said second predefined data/information being downloaded into said control unit when said electronic authentication device communicates with said control unit.