Dither system for a spring mass system

A dither motor system for oscillating a ring laser angular rate sensor suspended by a plurality of springs from a support, wherein the oscillations of the sensor are in a rotational mode having controlled clockwise and counterclockwise peak amplitudes of rotation in response to an amplitude control signal, the dither motor system comprising:

• pulsing means responsive to said amplitude control signal for providing torque command pulses synchronized to a selected condition of motion of said oscillating sensor, said torque command pulses having a magnitude of electrical energy directly related to said amplitude control signal;
• torquing means coupled to said angular rate sensor for applying a controlled torque to said sensor so as to separately control said clockwise and counterclockwise rotations of said sensor, said torquing means having input terminal means adapted to receive said torque command pulses wherefrom the magnitude of said controlled torque is substantially determined.