A digital signal processor for high precision non-contact speed measurement of rail-guided vehicles

The intention of this paper is to describe the principle, structure and performance of a digital signal processing system to be used for non-contact speed measurement of rail-guided vehicles. The speed and distance measurements are calculated from signals generated by optical sensors as an image of tne rail-surface. These signals are identical except for a time delay which is inversely proportional to tne translation velocity of the vehicle. The combination of a precise optical system and sophisticated digital signal processing algorithms yields a system of very high precision and reliability.