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Rotation rate sensor with optical sensing device

  • US 5,796,002 A
  • Filed: 04/30/1997
  • Issued: 08/18/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A sensor comprising:

  • a piezoelectric structure;

    drive electronics to generate a drive signal;

    drive electrodes coupled to the drive electronics and disposed on the piezoelectric structure to apply the drive signal to the piezoelectric structure and cause drive mode displacement of the piezoelectric structure;

    an optical sensing device comprising;

    a laser to produce a laser beam;

    means for splitting the laser beam into a pair of beams and directing the beams to the piezoelectric structure such that each of the beams is reflected by the piezoelectric structure;

    means for recombining the reflected beams to produce a recombined beam having a modulated intensity corresponding to motion induced pickup mode and quadrature displacements of the piezoelectric structure; and

    a photodetector to sense the modulated intensity of the recombined beam and producing in response a pickup signal corresponding to the motion induced pickup mode and quadrature displacements of the piezoelectric structure; and

    pickup electronics coupled to the optical sensing device and responsive to the pickup signal to generate an output signal corresponding to the motion induced pickup mode displacement of the piezoelectric structure.

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