Invited Paper A new train overspeed protection system based on multi-microprocessors and distributed configuration

Adoption of multi-microprocessors and distributed configuration in train overspeed protection system can increase system flexibility to be suitable for the requirements from varieties of transport modes. In order to ensure the system reliability, fault-tolerant techniques in hardware and software must be applied in the system. Communication among the microprocessors, namely, mutual communication between the subsystems, reliable and standardized models are used, and redundant method is adopted in the communication network which is the key issue to the reliability of the whole system. In the paper, the multi-microprocessors configuration is discussed in details. The configuration of the system has been applied in a new train overspeed protection system which is being developed for Chinese Railways. It has proved that the configuration is reliable, flexible and easy for system functions to be extended. In addition, it is universal.