Systems and methods for speed estimation of contactless encoder systems

A conveying machine method, comprising:

• acquiring a reflected waveform for a period of time, by an input interface, wherein the waveform is transmitted from at least one sensor to a structure having reflectors with an inter-reflector spacing varying according to the pattern, and the acquired reflected waveform includes phases to be measured for the period of time;
• using a computer readable memory having stored thereon, a signal model relating phase measurements of the received waveform with phase parameters, and a stored state model relating the phase parameters with a state of the conveying machine, wherein the state includes one or combination of a relative velocity of the conveying machine with respect to the structure and a relative position of the conveying machine with respect to the structure, wherein the signal model includes a motion-induced polynomial phase signal (PPS) component and a sinusoidal frequency modulated (FM) component, and the PPS component is a polynomial function of the phase parameters, and the FM component is a sinusoidal function of the phase parameters;
• using a processor in communication with the input interface and the computer readable memory, configured to determine the phase parameters using non-linear mapping of the phase measurements on the signal model and to determine the state of the conveying machine by submitting the phase parameters into the state model;
• and
• outputting the state of the conveying machine via an output interface in communication with the processor.

An elevator system, comprising:

• an elevator car to move along a first direction;
• a transmitter for transmitting a signal having a waveform, to reflectors located along a structure of the elevator system, such that the reflectors include an inter-reflector spacing varying according to the pattern;
• a receiver for receiving the waveform reflected from the reflectors and to measure phases of the received waveform for a period of time, wherein the receiver and the transmitter are arranged such that motion of the elevator car effects the received waveform;
• a computer readable memory to store a signal model relating phase measurements of the received waveform with phase parameters, and to store a state model relating the phase parameters with a state of the elevator car, wherein the state includes one or combination of a relative velocity of the elevator car with respect to the structure and a relative position of the elevator car with respect to the structure, wherein the signal model includes a motion-induced polynomial phase signal (PPS) component and a sinusoidal frequency modulated (FM) component, wherein the PPS component is a polynomial function of the phase parameters, and wherein the FM component is a sinusoidal function of the phase parameters;
• a processor in communication with the transmitter, the receiver and the computer readable memory, to determine the phase parameters using non-linear mapping of the phase measurements on the signal model and to determine the state of the elevator car by submitting the phase parameters into the state model;
• and
• a controller in communication with the processor, receives the state of the elevator car from the processor, to control an operation of the elevator system using the speed and position of the elevator car and the state of the elevator car, to assist in an operational health management of the elevator system.