# US 2021/0278432 A1 · High precision rotation sensor and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0278432 A1 - Document ID: US20210278432A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/810,752 - Filed: 2020-03-05 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-05 - Assignees: Quartz Seismic Sensors, Inc. - Applicants: Quartz Seismic Sensors, Inc. - Inventors: Jerome M. Paros; Krishna Venkateswara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210278432A1 ## CPC - G01P 15/032: {by measuring the displacement of a movable inertial mass} - G01C 19/56: Turn-sensitive devices using vibrating masses, e.g. vibratory angular rate sensors based on Coriolis forces - G01P 15/0802: {Details} - G01P 15/097: by vibratory elements - G01P 21/00: Testing or calibrating of apparatus or devices covered by the preceding groups - G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G}) - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) ## Abstract A high precision rotation sensor comprises an inertial mass suspended from a base wherein the mass is responsive to rotational inputs that apply loads to load-sensitive resonators whose changes in resonant frequency are related to the applied loads. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rotation sensor, comprising: a base frame; a pendulous inertial mass; a pivot connecting the pendulous inertial mass to the base frame; a load-transmitting structure connected to the pendulous inertial mass; and at least one load-sensitive resonator having a first end portion connected to the base frame and a second end portion connected to the load-transmitting structure that allows rotation-induced loads to be applied to the load-sensitive resonator. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sensor of claim 1 wherein the load-transmitting structure includes compliant elements. ### Claim 3 A rotation sensor, comprising: a base frame; a pendulous inertial mass; a pivot connecting the pendulous inertial mass to the base frame; a load-transmitting structure connected to the base frame; and at least one load-sensitive resonator having a first end portion connected to the inertial mass and a second end portion connected to the load-transmitting structure that allows rotation-induced loads to be applied to the load-sensitive resonator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The sensor of claim 3 wherein the load-transmitting structure includes compliant elements. ### Claim 5 A rotation sensor, comprising: a base frame; a pendulous inertial mass; a bending beam connecting the pendulous inertial mass to the base frame; and at least one load-sensitive resonator mounted on a first side of the bending beam such that rotation-induced loads are applied to the load-sensitive resonator. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The sensor of claim 5 further comprising at least one load-sensitive resonator mounted on a second side of the bending beam, wherein the second side is opposite the first side, such that rotation-induced loads apply tensile or compressive loads of opposite polarity to the at least one load-sensitive resonators on opposite sides of the bending beam. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A measurement system comprising the sensor of claim 6 and electronic means to excite natural resonant frequencies of the at least one load-sensitive resonators, and further comprising frequency counters that measure outputs of the at least one load-sensitive resonators and a processing unit that computes the sums and differences of the scaled outputs of the at least one load-sensitive resonators having similar or opposite tensile-compressive polarity. ### Claim 8 A rotation sensor, comprising: a base frame; a pendulous inertial mass; a crossed beams flexing pivot connecting the pendulous inertial mass to the base frame; and at least one load-sensitive resonator mounted on a first side of the crossed beams flexing pivot such that rotation-induced loads are applied to the load-sensitive resonators. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The sensor of claim 8 further comprising at least one load-sensitive resonator mounted on a second side of the crossed beams flexing pivot such that rotation-induced loads apply tensile or compressive loads of opposite polarity to the at least one load-sensitive resonators on opposite sides of the crossed beams flexing pivot. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A measurement system comprising the sensor of claim 9 and electronic means to excite natural resonant frequencies of the at least one load-sensitive resonators, and further comprising frequency counters that measure the outputs of the at least one load-sensitive resonators and a processing unit that computes sums and differences of scaled outputs of the at least one load-sensitive resonators having similar or opposite tensile-compressive polarity. ### Claim 11 A rotation and horizontal acceleration sensor, comprising: a base frame; a pendulous inertial mass; a pivot connecting the pendulous inertial mass to the base frame; a first at least one load-sensitive resonator having a first end portion connected to the base frame and a second end portion connected to the pendulous inertial mass; an inverted inertial mass; a second pivot connecting the inverted inertial mass to the base frame; and a second at least one load-sensitive resonator having a first end portion connected to the base frame and a second end portion connected to the inverted inertial mass. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A measurement system comprising the sensor of claim 11 and electronic means to excite natural resonant frequencies of the first at least one load-sensitive resonators and the second at least one load-sensitive resonators, and further comprising frequency counters that measure the outputs of the first at least one load-sensitive resonators and the second at least one load-sensitive resonators and a processing unit that computes sums and differences of scaled outputs of the first at least one load-sensitive resonators and the second at least one load-sensitive resonators having similar or opposite tensile-compressive polarity. ### Claim 13 A rotation sensor, comprising: a base frame; a pendulous inertial mass; a bending beam connecting the pendulous inertial mass to the base frame; at least one load-sensitive resonators mounted on one side of the bending beam such that rotation-induced loads are applied to the load-sensitive resonators; an inverted inertial mass; a second bending beam connecting the inverted inertial mass to the base frame; and at least one load-sensitive resonators mounted on one side of the second bending beam such that rotation-induced loads are applied to the load-sensitive resonators. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The sensor of claim 13 further comprising at least one load-sensitive resonators mounted on other sides of the bending beams such that rotation-induced loads apply tensile or compressive loads of opposite polarity to the at least one load-sensitive resonators on opposite sides of the bending beams. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A measurement system comprising the sensor of claim 14 and electronic means to excite natural resonant frequencies of the at least one load-sensitive resonators, and further comprising frequency counters that measure outputs of the at least one load-sensitive resonators and a processing unit that computes sums and differences of scaled outputs of the at least one load-sensitive resonators having similar or opposite tensile-compressive polarity. ### Claim 16 A rotation sensor, comprising: a base frame; a pendulous inertial mass; a first crossed beams flexing pivot connecting the pendulous inertial mass to the base frame; a first at least one load-sensitive resonator mounted on one side of the first crossed beams flexing pivot such that rotation-induced loads are applied to the load-sensitive resonators; an inverted inertial mass; a second crossed beams flexing pivot connecting the inverted inertial mass to the base frame; and a second at least one load-sensitive resonator mounted on one side of the second crossed beams flexing pivot such that rotation-induced loads are applied to the load-sensitive resonators. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The sensor of claim 16 further comprising a third at least one load-sensitive resonators mounted on the other sides of the first and second crossed beams flexing pivots such that rotation-induced loads apply tensile or compressive loads of opposite polarity to the at least one load-sensitive resonators on opposite sides of the first and second crossed beams flexing pivots. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A measurement system comprising the sensor of claim 17 and electronic means to excite natural resonant frequencies of the at least one load-sensitive resonators, and further comprising frequency counters that measure outputs of the at least one load-sensitive resonators and a processing unit that computes sums and differences of scaled outputs of the at least one load-sensitive resonators having similar or opposite tensile-compressive polarity. ### Claim 19 A rotation sensor, comprising: a base; a balanced inertial mass having its center of mass at a center of rotation; a pivot connecting the balanced inertial mass to the base; and at least one load-sensitive resonator having a first end portion connected to the balanced inertial mass and a second end portion connected to the base. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The sensor of claim 19 wherein the balanced inertial mass has symmetry about a rotation axis. ### Claim 21 A rotation sensor, comprising: a base; a balanced inertial mass having its center of mass at a center of rotation; a crossed beams flexing pivot connecting the balanced inertial mass to the base; and at least one load-sensitive resonator mounted on one side of the crossed beams flexing pivot such that rotation-induced loads are applied to the load-sensitive resonators. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The sensor of claim 21 further comprising at least one load-sensitive resonators mounted on other sides of the crossed beams flexing pivot such that rotation-induced loads apply tensile or compressive loads of opposite polarity to the load-sensitive resonators on opposite sides of the crossed beams flexing pivot ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The sensor of claim 21 wherein the balanced inertial mass has symmetry about a rotation axis. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) A measurement system comprising the sensor of claim 22 and electronic means to excite natural resonant frequencies of the at least one load-sensitive resonators, and further comprising frequency counters that measure outputs of the at least one load-sensitive resonators and a processing unit that computes scaled sums and differences between the outputs of the load-sensitive resonators having similar or opposite tensile-compressive polarity. ### Claim 25 A geophysical measurement system comprising: geophysical sensors with load-sensitive resonators; electronic means to excite natural resonant frequencies of the resonators; a reference high-frequency clock standard; a high-resolution frequency counter, a temperature probe; and a signal processing unit. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) A method of making geophysical measurements with the measurement system of claim 25 wherein the at least one load-sensitive resonators provide frequency-period outputs that are oversampled with the high-resolution frequency counter in comparison to the reference high-frequency clock standard and the oversampled outputs and an output from a temperature probe are passed to a signal processing unit that includes anti-aliasing filters, digital signal processing, temperature compensation, common mode error compensation, and linearization of signals into engineering units.