Angular velocity detection circuit and angular velocity detection apparatus

• US 8,327,703 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2009
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Sato, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwok, Helen C.
• Application Number:
  US12/504,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20100011858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 735/041.2, 735/041.4, 735/041.6, 735/040.4, 73/13.7, 73/13.8, 73/17.7, 73/17.8
• US Class Current: 73/504.12
• 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: G01C 19/5649 Signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5719 using planar vibrating masses driven in a translation vibration along an axis

Abstract

An angular velocity detection circuit is connected to a resonator for making excited vibration on the basis of a drive signal and detects an angular velocity. The angular velocity detection circuit includes: a self-vibration component extraction unit that receives, from the resonator, a detection signal including an angular velocity component based on a Coriolis force and a self-vibration component based on the excited vibration of the resonator and extracts the self-vibration component from the detection signal; a direct-current conversion unit including an integration unit that integrates an output signal of the self-vibration component extraction unit; and an offset addition unit that adds an offset value to an output signal of the direct-current conversion unit.

Claims

1. An angular velocity detection circuit that is connected to a resonator for making excited vibration on the basis of a drive signal and detects an angular velocity, the circuit comprising:

a self-vibration component extraction unit that receives, from the resonator, a detection signal including an angular velocity component based on a Coriolis force and a self-vibration component based on the excited vibration of the resonator and extracts the self-vibration component from the detection signal;

a direct-current conversion unit including an integration unit that integrates an output signal of the self-vibration component extraction unit; and

an offset addition unit that adds an offset value to an output signal of the direct-current conversion unit.

2. The angular velocity detection circuit according to claim 1, further comprising

a storage unit that stores the offset value, wherein

the offset addition unit adds the offset value stored in the storage unit to the output signal of the direct-current conversion unit.

5. The angular velocity detection circuit according to claim 1, further comprising

an own failure determination unit that determines whether there is a failure in an angular velocity detection apparatus, on the basis of an output signal of one of the offset addition unit and the direct-current conversion unit.

6. The angular velocity detection circuit according to claim 1, further comprising

an output terminal for outputting an output signal of one of the offset addition unit and the direct-current conversion unit.

3. An angular velocity detection circuit that is connected to a resonator for making excited vibration on the basis of a drive signal and detects an angular velocity, the angular velocity detection circuit comprising:

a self-vibration component extraction unit that receives, from the resonator, a detection signal including an angular velocity component based on a Coriolis force and a self-vibration component based on the excited vibration of the resonator and extracts the self-vibration component from the detection signal;

a direct-current conversion unit including an integration unit that integrates an output signal of the self-vibration component extraction unit; and

an offset input unit that adds an offset value to an output signal of the self-vibration component extraction unit.

4. The angular velocity detection circuit according to claim 3, wherein

the self-vibration component extraction unit includes:

an inverting unit that inverts a synchronized signal and outputs a resultant inverted signal; and

a switch for alternately selecting and outputting the synchronized signal and the inverted signal, and

the offset value is added to one of the synchronized signal and the inverted signal.

7. An angular velocity detection apparatus, comprising:

a resonator, wherein the resonator makes excited vibration on the basis of a drive signal, obtains a Coriolis force caused by a rotation movement and the excited vibration, and outputs a detection signal including an angular velocity component based on the Coriolis force and a self-vibration component based on the excited vibration; and

an angular velocity detection circuit that is connected to the resonator and detects an angular velocity, the angular velocity detection circuit including;

a self-vibration component extraction unit that receives the detection signal and extracts the self-vibration component from the detection signal;

a direct-current conversion unit including an integration unit that integrates an output signal of the self-vibration component extraction unit; and

an offset addition unit that adds an offset value to an output signal of the direct-current conversion unit.

8. An angular velocity detection apparatus, comprising:

a resonator wherein the resonator makes excited vibration on the basis of a drive signal, obtains a Coriolis force caused by a rotation movement and the excited vibration, and outputs a detection signal including an angular velocity component based on the Coriolis force and a self-vibration component based on the excited vibration; and

an angular velocity detection circuit that is connected to the resonator and detects an angular velocity, the angular velocity detection circuit including;

a self-vibration component extraction unit that receives the detection signal and extracts the self-vibration component from the detection signal;

a direct-current conversion unit including an integration unit that integrates an output signal of the self-vibration component extraction unit; and

an offset input unit that adds an offset value to an output signal of the self-vibration component extraction unit.