COMBINED ACCELEROMETER AND GYROSCOPE SYSTEM

• US 20090019933A1
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konkuk University Industrial Cooperation Corp
• Original Assignee: Konkuk University Industrial Cooperation Corp
• Inventors: LEE, Young Jae, KANG, Tae Sam, SUNG, Sang Kyung
• Granted Patent: US 7,765,869 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/504.40
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/56 Turn-sensitive devices using vibrating masses, e.g. vibratory angular rate sensors based on Coriolis forces
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/097 by vibratory elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/14 by making use of gyroscopes gyroscopes per se G01C19/00

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a combined accelerometer and gyroscope system. The combined accelerometer and gyroscope system includes a combined accelerometer and gyroscope for maintaining vibration of a mass body at a constant amplitude using an applied drive voltage, and detecting vibration signals in directions of an acceleration axis and an angular velocity axis. An acceleration axis vibration signal obtainment unit obtains the vibration signal in the direction of the acceleration axis. An amplitude maintenance control unit outputs an acceleration axis vibration maintenance control signal using the vibration signal. An acceleration axis driving input unit receives a voltage signal from the amplitude maintenance control unit and applies the voltage signal to the combined accelerometer and gyroscope. An angular velocity axis vibration signal obtainment unit obtains the vibration signal in the direction of the angular velocity axis. A force balance control unit outputs an angular velocity axis vibration maintenance control signal using the vibration signal received from the angular velocity axis vibration signal obtainment unit. An angular velocity axis driving input unit receives a voltage signal received from the force balance control unit and applies the voltage signal to the combined accelerometer and gyroscope.

Claims

1. A combined accelerometer and gyroscope system, wherein:

vibration is applied to a driving axis of a gyroscope using vibration in a direction of an acceleration axis of a mass body;

input acceleration is detected using an amplitude control signal, corresponding to the vibration in the direction of the acceleration axis, at a time of inputting an acceleration; and

Coriolis force, generated in a direction of an angular velocity axis due to the vibration of the driving axis of the gyroscope, is detected at a time of inputting an angular velocity.

2. A combined accelerometer and gyroscope system, comprising:

a combined accelerometer and gyroscope for maintaining vibration of a mass body at a constant amplitude using an applied drive voltage, and detecting vibration signals in directions of an acceleration axis and an angular velocity axis;

an acceleration axis vibration signal obtainment unit for obtaining the vibration signal in the direction of the acceleration axis detected by the combined accelerometer and gyroscope;

an amplitude maintenance control unit for outputting an acceleration axis vibration maintenance control signal, required to obtain a constant vibration amplitude, using the vibration signal received from the acceleration axis vibration signal obtainment unit;

an acceleration axis driving input unit for receiving a voltage signal from the amplitude maintenance control unit and applying the voltage signal to the combined accelerometer and gyroscope;

an angular velocity axis vibration signal obtainment unit for obtaining the vibration signal in the direction of the angular velocity axis detected by the combined accelerometer and gyroscope;

a force balance control unit for outputting an angular velocity axis vibration maintenance control signal, which is required to have a constant vibration amplitude, using the vibration signal received from the angular velocity axis vibration signal obtainment unit; and

an angular velocity axis driving input unit for receiving a voltage signal from the force balance control unit and applying the voltage signal to the combined accelerometer and gyroscope.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the combined accelerometer and gyroscope comprises:

an acceleration axis driving electrode and an angular velocity axis driving electrode for receiving an acceleration axis drive voltage and an angular velocity axis drive voltage, respectively; and

an acceleration axis vibrating electrode and an angular velocity axis vibrating electrode for detecting the vibration signal in the direction of the acceleration axis and the vibration signal in the direction of the angular velocity axis, respectively.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the amplitude maintenance control unit comprises:

a buffer for outputting the vibration signal, received from the acceleration axis vibration signal obtainment unit, both to an envelope detector and to a multiplier;

an envelope detector for detecting an envelope of a signal output from the buffer and outputting an envelope signal;

a reference value input unit for generating a reference signal required to induce vibration having a constant magnitude, regardless of an applied acceleration;

a controller for outputting an acceleration axis vibration maintenance control signal, required to allow an accelerometer to vibrate at a constant amplitude, using both the envelope signal output from the envelope detector and the reference signal output from the reference value input unit; and

a multiplier for performing multiplication on the vibration signal, output from the buffer, and the control signal, output from the controller, and applying a voltage signal obtained through the multiplication to the acceleration axis driving input unit.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the controller of the amplitude maintenance control unit is a proportional-integral-differential controller.

6. The system according to claim 2, wherein the force balance control unit comprises:

a buffer for outputting the vibration signal, received from the angular velocity axis vibration signal obtainment unit, both to an envelope detector and to a multiplier;

the envelope detector for detecting an envelope of a signal output from the buffer and outputting an envelope signal;

a reference value input unit for generating a reference signal, required to induce vibration having a constant magnitude, regardless of an applied angular velocity;

a controller for outputting an angular velocity axis vibration maintenance control signal, required to allow a gyroscope to vibrate at a constant amplitude, using both the envelope signal output from the envelope detector and the reference signal output from the reference value input unit;

a unit gain reference frequency output unit for outputting a sine wave signal having a gain of 1 to the vibration signal, received from the buffer, and having a same frequency and same phase as the vibration signal, received from the buffer; and

a multiplier for performing multiplication on the sine wave signal, output from the unit gain reference frequency output unit, and the control signal, output from the controller, and applying a voltage signal obtained through the multiplication to the angular velocity axis driving input unit.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the controller of the force balance control unit is a proportional-integral-differential controller.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the unit gain reference frequency output unit comprises:

a gain unit implemented with an amplifier, which uses an operational amplifier, and configured to amplify an input signal by a high gain factor;

a limiter for outputting a square wave signal having a same phase as the input signal; and

a band pass filter having a frequency corresponding to a resonant frequency of the gyroscope as a center frequency.