Vibrating Inertial Rate Sensor Utilizing Split or Skewed Operational Elements
First Claim
1. A vibratory inertial rate sensor comprising a vibratory resonator comprising a continuous body that forms a closed loop on a cross-section that is orthogonal to a centerline axis;
- a plurality of operational element pairs operatively coupled to said continuous body, the operational elements of each of said operational element pairs being positioned about said centerline axis to define a plurality of operational element axes, said plurality of operational element pairs being arranged in a non-uniform distribution about said centerline axis, said non-uniform distribution characterized by a mirrored symmetry about a plane inclusive of said centerline axis.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vibrating inertial rate sensor has operational elements that define axes that are rotationally offset or “skewed” from a node or anti-node reference axis. The skew may be relative to separate node or anti-node reference axes, or take the form of an element that is “split” about the same node axis. Both the drive signal and the sense signal may be resolved from a common set of sensing elements. The drive elements may also operate on a skewed axis angle to rotationally offset the vibration pattern to affect active torquing of the gyroscope. Skewed drive elements may be combined with skewed or split elements on the same device. The skewed sensing scheme may be applied to vibratory systems having one or more node axes. The skewed drive scheme may be applied to vibratory systems having two or more node axes to affect active torquing.
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Citations
62 Claims
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1. A vibratory inertial rate sensor comprising
a vibratory resonator comprising a continuous body that forms a closed loop on a cross-section that is orthogonal to a centerline axis; a plurality of operational element pairs operatively coupled to said continuous body, the operational elements of each of said operational element pairs being positioned about said centerline axis to define a plurality of operational element axes, said plurality of operational element pairs being arranged in a non-uniform distribution about said centerline axis, said non-uniform distribution characterized by a mirrored symmetry about a plane inclusive of said centerline axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An inertial sensor for sensing a rate of angular rotation, comprising:
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a vibratory resonator comprising a continuous body having a centerline axis;
means for generating an oscillation pattern on said vibratory resonator, said oscillation pattern defining a plurality of node pairs and anti-node pairs, each being positioned about said centerline axis, said plurality of node pairs and anti-node pairs defining a plurality of reference axes, each passing through a corresponding one of said plurality of node pairs and anti-node pairs;
a plurality of operational elements operatively coupled with said continuous body and defining a plurality of operational element axes, each of said plurality of operational element axes passing through a corresponding one of said plurality of operational elements and intersecting said centerline axis, wherein a first of said operational element axes is offset by a first rotational offset relative to one of said plurality of reference axes, said first of said operational element axes being other than coincident with any of said plurality of reference axes, and a second of said operational element axes is offset by a second rotational offset from said one of said plurality of reference axes, said second rotational offset being in a direction opposite from said first rotational offset. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of measuring the drive oscillation amplitude and the rotation rate of a vibrating gyroscope comprising:
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selecting a vibrating gyroscope having;
a first sensing element configured to sense a first vibration vector having a first drive oscillation component and a first rotational rate component, a second sensing element configured to sense a second vibration vector having a second drive oscillation component and a second rotational rate component, said second drive oscillation being of opposite oscillation phase relative to said first drive oscillation component;
obtaining a first signal from said first sensing element and a second signal from said second sensing element;
determining said magnitude of said drive oscillation by performing at least one operation selected from the group consisting of a subtraction of said first and second signals and an addition of said first and second signals; and
determining a rotation rate of said vibrating gyroscope by performing an operation selected from the group consisting of an addition of said first and second signals and a subtraction of said first and second signals. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. An inertial sensor for sensing a rate of angular rotation, comprising:
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a vibratory resonator;
at least one drive element operatively coupled with said vibratory resonator to create a vibration on at least a portion of said vibratory resonator;
a first sensing element operatively coupled with said resonator to sense a first vector of said vibration, said first vector including a first drive component; and
a second sensing element operatively coupled with said resonator to sense a second vector of said vibration, said second vector including a second drive component, said second drive component being of opposite oscillation phase relative to said first drive oscillation component. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. An inertial sensor for sensing a rate of angular rotation, comprising:
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a vibratory resonator continuous about a centerline axis;
means for generating an oscillation pattern on said vibratory resonator, said oscillation pattern defining a plurality of nodes; and
at least one pair of sensing elements operatively coupled with said vibratory resonator, each of said at least one pair of sensing elements being adjacent to one of said plurality of nodes, said one of said plurality of nodes being positioned between said at least one pair of sensing elements when said vibratory resonator is rotationally stationary. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. An intertial sensor for sensing a rate of angular rotation, comprising:
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a vibratory resonator;
means for driving an oscillation pattern on said vibratory resonator, said oscillation pattern characterized by at least one anti-node, said at least one anti-node having an oscillation amplitude; and
means for determining a rotation rate of said vibratory resonator; and
means for determining said oscillation amplitude of said at least one anti-node. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. An inertial sensor for sensing a rate of angular rotation, comprising:
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a continuous vibratory resonator;
means for generating an oscillation pattern on said continuous vibratory resonator; and
means for selectively dynamically rotationally displacing said oscillation pattern, wherein said means for generating said oscillation pattern and said means for displacing said oscillation pattern utilize the same electrodes.
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23. An inertial rate sensor having a pattern of operational elements comprising:
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a pattern length defining a pattern axis and being divisible into a first half and a second half; and
at least a first and a second pair of operational elements, said operational elements selected from the group consisting of drive elements and sense elements, each operational element having a centroid, said centroids of said first pair of operational elements being located on said first half of said pattern length and presenting a first span length parallel to said pattern axis, said centroids of said first pair and defining a first midpoint located equidistant therebetween, said centroids of said second pair of operational elements being located on said second half of said pattern length and presenting a second span length parallel to said pattern axis, said centroids of said second pair defining a second midpoint located equidistant therebetween, said first and second midpoints being separated by a distance substantially equal to one-half of said pattern length, said first span length being substantially equal to said second span length and being substantially unequal to one quarter of said pattern length. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of making an inertial rate sensor comprising:
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selecting an arrangement having an overall length divisible into a first half and a second half and including at least two pairs of like-functioning operational element patterns, said like-functioning operational element patterns being selected from the group consisting of drive element patterns and sense element patterns, one pair having a midpoint located on said first half of said pattern, another pair having a midpoint centered on said second half of said arrangement, said midpoints presenting a distance therebetween that is substantially equal to half of said overall length of said arrangement, each like-functioning operational element pattern having a centroid, said centroids of each like-functioning operational element pattern pair being located a same distance apart, said same distance being substantially unequal to one-quarter of said overall length of said pattern;
transferring said pattern to a continuous resonator; and
converting said like-functioning operational element patterns into like-functioning operational elements. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A method of electrically interfacing with an inertial sensor that includes a vibratory resonator having an axis of symmetry and a plurality of operational elements situated about said axis of symmetry, the method comprising:
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applying a first oscillation drive signal to a first set of at least one operational element and applying a second oscillation drive signal to a second set of at least one operational element that is different from said first set such that at least one of said first and second oscillation drive signals causes said vibratory resonator to vibrate in a vibration pattern about said axis of symmetry, said vibration pattern including a plurality of nodes situated in a first position in relation to said vibratory resonator; and
changing said vibration pattern such that said plurality of nodes are situated in a second position in relation to said vibratory resonator that is different from said first position by varying an amplitude of at least one of said first oscillation drive signal and said second oscillation drive signal. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A circuit that electrically interfaces with an inertial sensor that includes a vibratory resonator, the circuit comprising:
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an excitation signal generator that applies a set of at least one excitation signal to said vibratory resonator that causes said vibratory resonator to vibrate in a vibration pattern;
a vibration pattern monitor that obtains a first signal indicative of a vibration characteristic of said vibration pattern present at a corresponding first location on said vibratory resonator, and a second signal indicative of a vibration characteristic of said vibration pattern present at a corresponding second location on said vibratory resonator that is different from said first location;
wherein each of said first and said second signals includes a first amplitude component associated with a rate of said angular motion of said inertial sensor, and a second amplitude component associated with said set of at least one excitation signal; and
wherein said vibration pattern monitor obtains at least one of said first and said second amplitude components from said first and said second signals. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of electrically interfacing with an inertial sensor that includes a vibratory resonator, the method comprising:
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applying an excitation signal that causes said vibratory resonator to vibrate in a vibration pattern;
monitoring said vibration pattern with a first operational element and a second operational element, wherein said first operational element produces a first signal indicative of a vibration characteristic of said vibration pattern present at a corresponding first location on said vibratory resonator, and said second operational element produces a second signal indicative of a vibration characteristic of said vibration pattern present at a corresponding second location on said vibratory resonator that is different from said first location such that, in response to an angular motion of said inertial sensor, said first signal undergoes a change in magnitude at a first rate of change and said second signal undergoes a change in magnitude at a second rate of change that is different than said first rate of change;
using a first relationship of respective amplitudes of said first signal and said second signal to measure a rate of said angular motion of said inertial sensor; and
using a second relationship of respective amplitudes of said first signal and said second signal to measure an amplitude of said excitation signal. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A system for measuring angular motion, comprising:
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a vibratory resonator having a plurality of operational elements that include a plurality of drive elements and a plurality of sensors; and
a drive circuit that applies excitation signaling to said plurality of drive elements such that said vibratory resonator oscillates according to a vibration pattern that includes a plurality of nodes and anti-nodes, said excitation signaling including a first excitation signal applied to a first set of at least one drive element and a second excitation signal applied to a second set of at least one drive element, wherein relative amplitudes of said first and said second excitation signals control a positioning of said nodes and anti-nodes of said vibration pattern. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53)
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54. A method for repositioning a vibration pattern of an inertial sensor that includes a vibratory resonator including a centerline axis and a plurality of operational elements situated about said centerline axis, comprising:
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applying a first drive signal to a first set of at least one operational element positioned along a first drive axis that intersects with said centerline axis to define a first orientation;
applying a second drive signal to a second set of at least one operational element positioned along a second drive axis that intersects with said centerline axis to define a second orientation having a rotational offset about said centerline axis from said first orientation, wherein said applying of at least one of said first and second drive signals generates a vibration pattern that includes a plurality of anti-nodes having an angular distribution about said centerline axis, said angular distribution having an angle between adjacent ones of said plurality of anti-nodes, said angle having a magnitude that differs from said rotational offset between said first and second drive axes; and
adjusting relative amplitudes of said first and said second drive signals to rotate said anti-node pattern to an arbitrary angular orientation about said centerline axis. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A system for measuring angular motion, comprising:
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a vibratory resonator having a centerline axis;
means for generating a vibration pattern on said vibratory resonator; and
means for controlling said angular orientation of said vibration pattern about said centerline axis. - View Dependent Claims (61)
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62. A circuit that electrically interfaces with an inertial sensor that includes a vibratory resonator, the circuit comprising:
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means for causing said vibratory resonator to vibrate in an oscillation pattern;
means for obtaining signals having a drive component and an angular rate component; and
means for resolving said drive component and said angular rate component.
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Specification