Electronic self calibration design for disk resonator gyroscopes using electrode time multiplexing

• US 10,082,404 B1
• Filed: 10/29/2014
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Ge, Howard H., Liu, Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): Huls, Natalie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Young, Monica S
• Application Number:
  US14/527,524
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• Field of Search: 73 137
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5677 of essentially two-dimensional vibrators, e.g. ring-shaped vibrators
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 25/005 initial alignment, calibration or starting-up of inertial devices

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus for a disk resonator gyroscope are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed method involves sensing, by at least one first axis sensor/driver electrode associated with a first axis of a resonator, motion associated with the resonator. The method further involves driving at least one first axis sensor/driver electrode with a first axis actuation signal produced by first axis drive circuitry associated with the first axis of the resonator. Also, the method involves sensing, by at least one second axis sensor/driver electrode associated with a second axis of the resonator, the motion associated with the resonator. Further, the method involves driving at least one second axis sensor/driver electrode with a second axis actuation signal produced by second axis drive circuitry associated with the second axis of the resonator.

Claims

1. A method for determining motion with a disk resonator gyroscope, the method comprising:

sensing, by at least one first axis electrode for sensing and driving associated with a first axis of a resonator, motion associated with the resonator;

driving the at least one first axis electrode for sensing and driving with a first axis actuation signal produced by first axis drive circuitry associated with the first axis of the resonator, wherein the sensing and the driving of the at least one first axis electrode for sensing and driving are time multiplexed;

sensing, by at least one second axis electrode for sensing and driving associated with a second axis of the resonator, the motion associated with the resonator;

driving the at least one second axis electrode for sensing and driving with a second axis actuation signal produced by second axis drive circuitry associated with the second axis of the resonator, wherein the sensing and the driving of the at least one second axis electrode for sensing and driving are time multiplexed;

synchronizing, with a synchronous switch, the time multiplexing of the sensing and the driving of the at least one first axis electrode for sensing and driving with the time multiplexing of the sensing and the driving of the at least one second axis electrode for sensing and driving; and

switching, with the synchronous switch, a mode of operation for the first axis drive circuitry and a mode of operation for the second axis drive circuitry such that the first axis drive circuitry and the second axis drive circuitry operate in different modes of operation, and wherein the modes of operation are a force to rebalance (FTR) mode and an automatic gain control (AGC) mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing by the at least one first axis electrode for sensing and driving, and the driving of the at least one first axis electrode for sensing and driving are time multiplexed by use of a first axis switch associated with the first axis of the resonator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing by the at least one second axis electrode for sensing and driving, and the driving of the at least one second axis electrode for sensing and driving are time multiplexed by use of a second axis switch associated with the second axis of the resonator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining a total output signal by summing the first axis actuation signal produced when the first axis drive circuitry is operating in the force to rebalance (FTR) mode, with the second axis actuation signal produced when the second axis drive circuitry is operating in the FTR mode,

wherein the total output signal is proportional to the motion of the resonator without bias error.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first axis is an x-axis of the resonator and the second axis is a y-axis of the resonator.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first axis is a y-axis of the resonator and the second axis is an x-axis of the resonator.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises performing, by at least one of at least one unit associated with the first axis of the resonator or at least one unit associated with the second axis of the resonator, a closed-loop operation to provide at least one of signal conditioning, error estimation, or compensation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of a signal conditioning unit, a compensator, a timing synchronization unit, or an error estimator is associated with the first axis of the resonator.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of a signal conditioning unit, a compensator, a timing synchronization unit, or an error estimator is associated with the second axis of the resonator.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the resonator comprises a plurality of resonator rings.

11. A system for a disk resonator gyroscope, the system comprising:

at least one first axis electrode for sensing and driving associated with a first axis of a resonator to sense motion associated with the resonator;

a first axis drive circuitry associated with the first axis of the resonator to produce a first axis actuation signal to drive the at least one first axis electrode for sensing and driving, wherein the sensing and the driving of the at least one first axis electrode for sensing and driving are time multiplexed;

at least one second axis electrode for sensing and driving associated with a second axis of the resonator to sense the motion associated with the resonator;

a second axis drive circuitry associated with the second axis of the resonator to produce a second axis actuation signal to drive the at least one second axis electrode for sensing and driving, wherein the sensing and the driving of the at least one second axis electrode for sensing and driving are time multiplexed; and

a synchronization switch to synchronize the time multiplexing of the sensing and the driving of the at least one first axis electrode for sensing and driving with the time multiplexing of the sensing and the driving of the at least one second axis electrode for sensing and driving, and to switch a mode of operation for the first axis drive circuitry and a mode of operation for the second axis drive circuitry such that the first axis drive circuitry and the second axis drive circuitry operate in different modes of operation, and wherein the modes of operation are a force to rebalance (FTR) mode and an automatic gain control (AGC) mode.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the system further comprises a first axis switch associated with the first axis of the resonator for the time multiplexing of the sensing by the at least one first axis electrode for sensing and driving and the driving of the at least one first axis electrode for sensing and driving.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the system further comprises a second axis switch associated with the second axis of the resonator for the time multiplexing of the sensing by the at least one second axis electrode for sensing and driving and the driving of the at least one second axis electrode for sensing and driving.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the system further comprises at least one processor to determine a total output signal by summing the first axis actuation signal produced when the first axis drive circuitry is operating in the force to rebalance (FTR) mode, with the second axis actuation signal produced when the second axis drive circuitry is operating in the FTR mode,

wherein the total output signal is proportional to the motion of the resonator without bias error.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the first axis is an x-axis of the resonator and the second axis is a y-axis of the resonator.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the first axis is a y-axis of the resonator and the second axis is an x-axis of the resonator.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein a closed-loop operation is performed by at least one of at least one unit associated with the first axis of the resonator or at least one unit associated with the second axis of the resonator to provide at least one of signal conditioning, error estimation, or compensation.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of a signal conditioning unit, a compensator, a timing synchronization unit, or an error estimator is associated with the first axis of the resonator.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of a signal conditioning unit, a compensator, a timing synchronization unit, or an error estimator is associated with the second axis of the resonator.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the resonator comprises a plurality of resonator rings.