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US 12,687,394 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for adjusting elasticity of a spring-mass system
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorVed Gund
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatuses and methods are provided for compensating for an error in an inertial sensor such as a gyroscope. An error signal can be extracted and used to generate a compensation signal including a voltage applied to variable elasticity material on or over a spring-mass system or components thereof.
Claims19
An error compensated gyroscope configured to measure rotation rate around an axis, the error compensated gyroscope comprising:
- a gyroscope comprising:
- a substrate;
- a spring comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is opposite the second end, wherein the first end is attached to the substrate, and wherein the spring comprises at least one spring surface;
- a movable mass comprising at least one surface including a first electrically conductive surface, and wherein the movable mass is attached only to the second end, wherein the second end is only attached to the movable mass;
- a variable elasticity material structure (VEMS) on or over at least one of a surface of the spring and a surface of the movable mass;
- wherein the variable elasticity material structure comprises variable elasticity material, and first and second VEMS electrically conductive electrodes;
- a fixed electrically conductive electrode attached to the substrate comprising a second electrically conductive surface, wherein the first electrically conductive surface is adjacent and opposite the second electrically conductive surface and is separated from the second electrically conductive surface by a variable distance, wherein the first and the second electrically conductive surfaces form a capacitor;
- and
- a voltage source configured to provide a constant voltage across the first and the second electrically conductive surfaces;
- and
- an error correction system comprising:
- a current sensor electrically coupled in series with the voltage source and the capacitor;
- and
- a controller comprising a variable voltage supply and configured to:
- receive a measurement signal from the current sensor, wherein the measurement signal comprises an in-phase component and a quadrature-phase component;
- extract the quadrature-phase component from the measurement signal;
- using the quadrature-phase component, determine a compensation signal voltage;
- and
- provide the compensation signal voltage to the first and the second VEMS electrically conductive electrodes.
16 more elements
A method for compensating for an error signal in a gyroscope, the method comprising:
- obtaining a quadrature-phase signal derived from a measurement signal received from a current sensor coupled in series with a capacitor and a voltage source, wherein the capacitor is formed by a first electrically conductive surface of a movable mass, comprising at least one surface, and comprising a second electrically conductive surface of a fixed electrically conductive electrode attached to a substrate, wherein the first and the second electrically conductive surfaces are opposite and adjacent to one another and separated from one another by a variable distance, wherein the movable mass is attached only to a second end of a spring, wherein the second end is only attached to the movable mass, wherein a first end of the spring is opposite the second end, wherein the first end is attached to the substrate, wherein the spring comprises at least one spring surface, and wherein a variable elasticity material structure (VEMS) comprises a variable elasticity material and first and second VEMS electrically conductive electrodes and is on or over at least one of a surface of the spring and a surface of the movable mass;
- using the quadrature-phase signal, determining a compensation signal voltage;
- and
- providing the compensation signal voltage to the first and the second VEMS electrically conductive electrodes.
1 more element
An apparatus configured to resonate at more than one frequency, the apparatus comprising:
- a substrate;
- a beam comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is opposite the second end, wherein the first end is attached to the substrate, wherein the beam comprises at least one beam surface;
- a movable mass only attached to the second end and comprising at least one mass surface, wherein the second end is only attached to the movable mass;
- a variable elasticity material structure comprising:
- at least one of phase change material and ferroelectric material on or over at least one of a surface of the beam and a surface of the movable mass;
- and
- two electrically conductive electrodes, on at least one surface of the at least one phase change material and ferroelectric material and configured to receive an electrical voltage that is constant or variable;
- a fixed electrically conductive electrode attached to the substrate comprising a second electrically conductive surface, wherein a first electrically conductive surface of the movable mass is adjacent and opposite the second electrically conductive surface and is separated from the second electrically conductive surface by a variable distance, wherein the first and the second electrically conductive surfaces form a capacitor;
- a voltage source configured to provide a constant voltage across the first and the second electrically conductive surfaces;
- and
- an error correction system comprising:
- a current sensor electrically coupled in series with the voltage source and the capacitor;
- and
- a controller comprising a variable voltage supply and configured to:
- receive a measurement signal from the current sensor, wherein the measurement signal comprises an in-phase component and a quadrature-phase component;
- extract the quadrature-phase component from the measurement signal;
- using the quadrature-phase component, determine a compensation signal voltage;
- and
- provide the compensation signal voltage to the two electrically conductive electrodes of the variable elasticity material structure.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.