Method for electronic tuning of the read oscillation frequency of a coriolis gyro

• US 7,278,312 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2003
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Litef GmbH (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Litef GmbH (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Schroeder, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): KWOK, HELEN C
• Application Number:
  US10/531,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20060101910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• Field of Search: 735/040.2, 735/040.4, 735/041.2, 735/041.3, 735/041.4, 735/041.5, 735/041.6, 73/13.7, 73/13.8
• US Class Current: 73/504.12
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5776 Signal processing not specific to any of the devices covered by groups G01C19/5607 - G01C19/5719

Abstract

In a method for electronic tuning of the frequency of the read oscillation to the frequency of the stimulation oscillation in a Coriolis gyro the resonator of the Coriolis gyro has a disturbance force applied to it such that the stimulation oscillation remains essentially uninfluenced. The read oscillation is changed so that a read signal that represents the read oscillation contains a corresponding disturbance component. The disturbance force is defined as the force caused by the signal noise in the read signal. The frequency of the read oscillation is controlled so that the strength of the disturbance component contained in the read signal is a minimum.

Claims

1. A method for electronic tuning of a frequency of a read oscillation to the frequency of a stimulation oscillation in a resetting Coriolis gyro, wherein

a resonator of the Coriolis gyro has a disturbance force applied to said resonator such that

a) the stimulation oscillation remains essentially uninfluenced, and

b) the read oscillation is changed such that a read signal which represents the read oscillation, contains a corresponding disturbance component, wherein

the disturbance force is defined as that force which is caused by a signal noise in the read signal, and

the frequency of the read oscillation is controlled such that a magnitude of the disturbance component, which is contained in the read signal, is as small as possible.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the signal noise is a noise of a tapping electronics.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the disturbance component is determined from a signal which is applied to a quadrature regulator in a quadrature control loop, or is emitted from said quadrature regulator.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the disturbance component is determined from a signal which is applied to a rotation rate regulator in a rotation rate control loop, or is emitted from said rotation rate regulator.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the frequency of the read oscillation is controlled by controlling an intensity of an electrical field in which a part of the resonator of the Coriolis gyro oscillates.

6. A Coriolis gyro, characterized by a device for electronic tuning of a frequency of a read oscillation to a frequency of a stimulation oscillation, having:

a noise detection unit which determines a noise component of a read signal which represents the read oscillation, and

a control unit, which controls the frequency of the read oscillation such that a magnitude of the noise component, which is contained in the read signal, is as small as possible.

7. The Coriolis gyro as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the noise detection unit determines the noise component from a signal which is applied to a rotation rate regulator in a rotation rate control loop in the Coriolis gyro, or is emitted from said rotation rate regulator.

8. The Coriolis gyro as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the noise detection unit determines the noise component from a signal which is applied to a quadrature regulator in a quadrature control loop in the Coriolis gyro, or is emitted from said quadrature regulator.