Electronically configurable rate sensor circuit and method
AssigneeBEI Technologies, Inc.
InventorThad W. (Marc) Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Angular rate sensor and method in which the parameters of a circuit which provides drive signals and processes signals from a sensing element are configured electronically by a programmable memory. Being configured in this manner, the circuit is extremely versatile and can be used with different types of sensing elements.
Claims21
An angular rate sensor circuit which can be configured electronically for use with different sensing elements that experience a Coriolis force when vibrated along a drive axis and rotated about a sensing axis, comprising:
- means for applying drive signals to a sensing element to cause the sensing element to vibrate along the drive axis, a micro-controller, an externally programmable memory associated with the micro-controller, an amplifier having a gain controlled by the micro-controller and data in the programmable memory for increasing the level of a Coriolis induced analog rate signal from the sensing element, an analog-to-digital converter for converting the rate signal to a digital signal, and means controlled by the micro-controller and data in the programmable memory for adjusting and/or calibrating the digital signal.
A method of configuring an angular rate sensing circuit for use with different sensing elements, comprising the steps of:
- applying drive signals to a sensing element to cause the sensing element to vibrate along a drive axis, increasing the level of Coriolis induced analog rate signals produced by the sensing element with an amplifier, converting the analog rate signals to digital signals, setting the gain of the amplifier with a micro-controller having an eternally programmable memory associated therewith, adjusting and/or calibrating the digital signals with the micro-controller, and eternally programming the memory to control the gain of the amplifier and the adjustment and/or calibration of the digital signals.
An angular rate sensor, comprising;
- a sensing element which experiences a Coriolis force when vibrated along a drive axis and rotated about a sensing axis, a micro-controller, an externally programmable memory associated with the micro-controller, an oscillator for providing drive signals for the sensing element, an amplifier having a gain controlled by the programmable memory for increasing the level of a rate signal from the sensing element, an analog-to-digital converter for converting the rate signal to a digital signal, means for demodulating the digital rate signal with a reference signal derived from the oscillator, means controlled by the programmable memory for adjusting the phase of the reference signal, a filter having a bandwidth controlled by the programmable memory for filtering the digital signal, and means controlled by the micro-controller and the programmable memory for providing an output signal corresponding to the rate signal.
A method of sensing angular rate, comprising the steps of:
- applying drive signals to a sensing element with an oscillator to cause the sensing element to vibrate along a drive axis, amplifying a Coriolis induced rate signal produced by the sensing element with an amplifier having a gain controlled by the programmable memory, converting the rate signal to a digital signal, demodulating the digital rate signal with a reference signal derived from the oscillator, adjusting the phase of the reference signal in accordance with information stored in the programmable memory, filtering the digital signal in a filter having a bandwidth controlled by the programmable memory, and providing an output signal corresponding to the demodulated and filtered rate signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.