Vibrating-mass gyroscope systems and method

A method for calculating rotation about an input axis in a vibrating-mass gyroscope system, the method comprising:

• monitoring a drive pickoff signal associated with one of an array of drive electrodes that extend longitudinally in a periodic pattern across at least one of a first surface and a second surface of a substantially planar vibrating-mass and a substantially matching array of drive electrodes that extend longitudinally in a periodic pattern across at least one of a first surface and a second surface of a housing, wherein the first surface of the substantially planar vibrating-mass faces the first surface of the housing and the second surface of the substantially planar vibrating-mass faces the second surface of the housing;
• providing a drive signal to the one of the array of drive electrodes of the substantially planar vibrating-mass and the substantially matching array of drive electrodes of the housing based on the drive pickoff signal to provide an in-plane periodic oscillatory motion of the substantially planar vibrating-mass;
• monitoring a force-rebalance pickoff signal associated with one of an array of sense electrodes that extend longitudinally in a periodic pattern across at least one of the first and second surfaces of the substantially planar vibrating-mass and a substantially matching array of sense electrodes that extend longitudinally in a periodic pattern across at least one of the first and second surfaces of the housing;
• and
• providing a force-rebalance signal to the one of the array of sense electrodes of the substantially planar vibrating-mass and the substantially matching array of sense electrodes of the housing based on the force-rebalance pickoff signal to calculate a rotation of the vibrating-mass gyroscope system about an input axis.

A vibrating-mass gyroscope system comprising:

• a sensor system comprising a plurality of substantially planar vibrating-masses that each comprise a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a plurality of electrodes that extend longitudinally in a periodic pattern across each of the first and second surfaces, the plurality of electrodes comprising an array of drive electrodes and an array of sense electrodes that are capacitively coupled to a substantially matching array of drive electrodes and a substantially matching array of sense electrodes, respectively, associated with a housing and which are separated from and facing the respective at least one of the first and second surfaces of each of the plurality of vibrating-masses;
• and
• a gyroscope controller configured to generate a drive signal that is provided to one of the array of drive electrodes and the substantially matching array of drive electrodes associated with each of the plurality of vibrating-masses to provide for an in-plane periodic oscillatory motion of each of the plurality of substantially planar vibrating-masses, and to generate a force-rebalance signal that is provided to one of the array of sense electrodes and the substantially matching array of sense electrodes associated with each of the plurality of vibrating-masses to calculate a rotation of the vibrating-mass gyroscope system about an input axis.