Vibration-type angular velocity detector having sensorless temperature compensation

An angular velocity detector comprising:

• a vibration element;
• a driving element contacting said vibration element to impart vibrational force to said vibration element;
• a reference element contacting said vibration element for generating a first signal representative of a first vibration component of said vibration element corresponding to said vibrational force;
• a detecting element contacting said vibration element for generating a second signal representative of a second vibration component of said vibration element corresponding to a rotational component of said vibration element;
• feedback control means for, responsive to said first signal, driving said driving element at a given amplitude;
• angular velocity signal generating means for generating an angular velocity signal representative of angular velocity of said vibration element responsive to said second signal;
• and
• temperature compensation means connected between said angular velocity signal generating means and said feedback control means, for correcting said angular velocity signal responsive to said first signal to compensate for temperature-induced variations in said angular velocity signal.

A vibration-type angular velocity detector comprising:

• a vibration element;
• a driving piezoelectric element for vibrating said vibration element;
• a detecting piezoelectric element for outputting a signal corresponding to a vibration component crossing at a right angle t a vibrating direction of said vibration element when said vibration element is vibrated by said driving piezoelectric element;
• a reference piezoelectric element for outputting a signal corresponding to said vibrating direction of said vibration element;
• angular velocity signal output means for outputting an angular velocity signal based on an output signal of said detecting piezoelectric element;
• feedback control means for outputting a driving voltage to said driving piezoelectric element in order to vibrate said vibration element at a fixed amplitude based on an output signal of said reference piezoelectric element;
• and
• correction means for temperature-correcting said output angular velocity signal based on said output signal of said reference piezoelectric element using a correction detection signal selected from a plurality of signals having different fluctuation directions with respect to said temperature change of said vibration element.

An angular velocity detector comprising:

• a vibration element;
• a driving element contacting said vibration element to impart vibrational force to said vibration element;
• a reference element contacting said vibration element for generating a first signal representative of a first vibration component of said vibration element corresponding to said vibrational force;
• a detecting element contacting said vibration element for generating a second signal representative of a second vibration component of said vibration element corresponding to a rotational component of said vibration element;
• feedback control means for, responsive to said first signal, driving said driving element at a given amplitude;
• angular velocity signal generating means for generating an angular velocity signal representative of angular velocity of said vibration element responsive to said second signal;
• and
• temperature compensation means for correcting said angular velocity signal responsive to said first signal to compensate for temperature-induced variations in said angular velocity signal using a correction detection signal selected from a plurality of signals having different fluctuation directions with respect to said temperature change of said vibration element.