Problem of calculating time delay between pulse arrivals

Abstract

This work compares the performance of four different methods of estimating the time delay between pulse arrivals at the sensors subjected to different levels of attenuation, distortion and noise. The accuracy of the calculated time between the pulse arrivals at the sensors is determined and analysed for each of the methods based on the ideal attenuation (no change in shape), ideal attenuation with added noise to the pulse signal and ideal attenuation but with distortion. Based on the analysis carried out, it is clear the cross correlation method gives the best estimate of the delay in pulse arrival times irrespective of the signal to noise ratio and so is the preferred technique used in the remainder of this research.