×

Piezoelectric rate sensor system and method

  • US 6,853,315 B2
  • Filed: 01/23/2002
  • Issued: 02/08/2005
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2002
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A gyroscopic navigation system, comprising:

  • a first sensor module, having a plurality of electrical rotational rate sensors, for providing a plurality of rotational rate signals;

    a second sensor module, having a plurality of electrical compensation sensors, for providing a plurality of compensation signals;

    a microcontroller module, coupled to the first and second sensor modules, for processing the rotational rate signals and the compensation signals and generating attitude information, directional information, and turn coordinate information;

    a display, coupled to the microcontroller module, for displaying the attitude information, the directional information, and the turn coordinate information simultaneously;

    wherein the rotational rate sensors are made of piezoelectric elements, the piezoelectric elements are made from a single sheet of piezoelectric material;

    wherein one of the rotational sensors is a directional gyro, and another rotational sensor is an attitude gyro;

    wherein each of the directional and the attitude gyros is a three-dimensional solid-state gyro which comprises;

    a substrate having a proof-mass;

    a membrane, the proof-mass being suspended on the membrane;

    a single common electrode layer being disposed on the membrane;

    the single sheet of piezoelectric material being disposed on the single common electrode layer; and

    a plurality of electrodes being disposed on the single sheet of piezoelectric material in a thin-film format, the rotational rate signals being outputted through the electrodes, wherein each of the electrodes, the piezoelectric material, and the single common electrode layer form a plurality of piezoelectric elements; and

    wherein the compensation sensors provide acceleration, magnetic field, and temperature compensation signals to reduce correlated noise caused by acceleration, magnetic field, and temperature.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×