Method and Device for Determining a Rate of Rotation

A method for determining a rotation rate, comprising the steps of:

• energizing a sensor element with a primary actuating signal to effect a primary oscillation along a first axis of the sensor element, a natural frequency of the sensor element being linearly dependent on a temperature of the sensor element;
• recording a primary measurement signal which is representative of the primary oscillation;
• recording a secondary measurement signal which is representative of a secondary oscillation of the sensor element along a second axis of the sensor element, the second axis disposed at an angle relative to the first axis that is not equal to zero;
• determining the natural frequency of the sensor element;
• determining the rotation rate of the sensor element as a function of at least one of the amplitude and phase of the secondary measurement signal;
• adapting at least one rotation rate correction value, which acts on the determined rotation rate, as a function of the determined natural frequency.

An apparatus for determining a rotation rate of a sensor element, comprising:

• a sensor element having a natural frequency linearly dependent on a temperature of the sensor element;
• a primary control loop applying a primary actuating signal to the sensor element to effect a primary oscillation of the sensor element along a first axis as a function of the primary actuating signal, the primary control loop configured to record a primary measurement signal representative of the primary oscillation;
• and
• a secondary control loop configured to record a secondary measurement signal representative of a secondary oscillation of the sensor element along a second axis of the sensor element, the second axis disposed at an angle relative to the first axis that is not equal to zero, determine the natural frequency of the sensor element, determine the rotation rate of the sensor element as a function at least one of amplitude and phase of the secondary oscillation, and adapt at least one rotation rate correction value, which acts on the determined rotation rate, as a function of the determined natural frequency.

A method for determining a rotation rate, comprising the steps of:

• energizing a sensor element with a primary actuating signal to effect a primary oscillation along a first axis of the sensor element, a natural frequency of the sensor element being linearly dependent on a temperature of the sensor element;
• recording a primary measurement signal which is representative of the primary oscillation;
• recording a secondary measurement signal which is representative of a secondary oscillation of the sensor element along a second axis of the sensor element, the second axis disposed at an angle relative to the first axis that is not equal to zero;
• determining the natural frequency of the sensor element;
• adapting at least one of a value acting on the primary actuating signal or another actuating signal as a function of the determined natural frequency;
• determining the rotation rate of the sensor element as a function of at least one of the amplitude and phase of the secondary measurement signal.

An apparatus for determining a rotation rate of a sensor element, comprising:

• a sensor element having a natural frequency linearly dependent on a temperature of the sensor element;
• a primary control loop applying a primary actuating signal to the sensor element to effect a primary oscillation of the sensor element along a first axis as a function of the primary actuating signal, the primary control loop configured to record a primary measurement signal representative of the primary oscillation;
• and
• a secondary control loop configured to record a secondary measurement signal representative of a secondary oscillation of the sensor element along a second axis of the sensor element, the second axis disposed at an angle relative to the first axis that is not equal to zero, determine the natural frequency of the sensor element, determine the rotation rate of the sensor element as a function at least one of amplitude and phase of the secondary oscillation, and adapt at least one value, which acts on one of the primary actuation signal or a further actuation signal, as a function of the determined natural frequency.