High stability angular sensor

• US 10,571,267 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2016
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Sorenson, Logan D., Perahia, Raviv, Chang, David T., Kubena, Randall L., Kirby, Deborah J., Nguyen, Hung, Joyce, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Judy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parco, Jr., Ruben C
• Application Number:
  US15/253,704
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5684 the devices involving a micromechanical structure
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5726 Signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5755 the devices having a single sensing mass
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/20 Automatic control H03G3/005 takes precedence; combined with volume compression or expansion H03G7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/26 using energy levels of molecules, atoms, or subatomic particles as a frequency reference

Abstract

An angular rate sensor. The sensor includes a Coriolis vibratory gyroscope (CVG) resonator, configured to oscillate in a first normal mode and in a second normal mode; a frequency reference configured to generate a reference signal; and a first phase control circuit. The first phase control circuit is configured to: measure a first phase difference between: a first phase target, and the difference between: a phase of an oscillation of the first normal mode and a phase of the reference signal. The first phase control circuit is further configured to apply a first phase correction signal to the CVG resonator, to reduce the first phase difference. A second phase control circuit is similarly configured to apply a second phase correction signal to the CVG resonator, to reduce a corresponding, second phase difference.

Claims

1. An angular sensor, comprising:

a Coriolis vibratory gyroscope (CVG) resonator, configured to oscillate in a first normal mode and in a second normal mode;

a frequency reference configured to generate a reference signal; and

a first phase control circuit configured to;

measure a first phase difference between;

a first phase target, and

the difference between;

a phase of a mechanical oscillation of the first normal mode and

a phase of the reference signal;

apply a first phase correction signal to the CVG resonator, to reduce the first phase difference; and

a second phase control circuit configured to;

measure a second phase difference between;

a second phase target, and

the difference between;

a phase of a mechanical oscillation of the second normal mode and

the phase of the reference signal; and

apply a second phase correction signal to the CVG resonator, to reduce the second phase difference,

the angular sensor further comprising a first amplitude control circuit configured to;

measure a first amplitude difference between;

a first amplitude target, and

the amplitude of the oscillation of the first normal mode, and

apply a first amplitude correction signal to the CVG resonator, to reduce the first amplitude difference,

the angular sensor further comprising a second amplitude control circuit configured to;

measure a second amplitude difference between;

a second amplitude target, and

the amplitude of the oscillation of the second normal mode, and

apply a second amplitude correction signal to the CVG resonator, to reduce the second amplitude difference,

wherein the first amplitude control circuit, and the second amplitude control circuit are configured to interchange the values of the first amplitude target and the second amplitude target during operation.

2. The angular sensor of claim 1, wherein the first amplitude control circuit, and the second amplitude control circuit are configured to interchange the values of the first amplitude target and the second amplitude target repeatedly during operation.