Microelectromechanical gyroscope with open loop reading device and control method

A method for controlling a microelectromechanical gyroscope, comprising the steps of:

• providing a first mass, oscillatable according to a first axis;
• coupling an inertial sensor having a second mass to the first mass so that the second mass is drawn along by the first mass and oscillates according to a second axis in response to a rotation of the gyroscope;
• feedback controlling a movement of the first mass to maintain the first mass in oscillation at a resonance frequency;
• and
• open-loop detecting displacements of the second mass according to the second axis;
• wherein the step of open-loop detecting comprises supplying to the inertial sensor at least one read signal having the form of a square-wave signal of amplitude that sinusoidally varies at the resonance frequency.

A system, comprising:

• a control unit;
• and
• a microelectromechanical gyroscope comprising:
• a first mass oscillatable according to a first axis;
• an inertial sensor that includes a second mass drawn along by the first mass and constrained so as to oscillate according to a second axis in response to a rotation of the gyroscope;
• a driving device coupled to the first mass so as to form a feedback control loop and configured to maintain the first mass in oscillation at a resonance frequency;
• an open-loop reading device coupled to the inertial sensor and adapted to detect displacements of the second mass according to the second axis;
• and
• a read signal generator adapted to supply to the inertial sensor at least one read signal having the form of a square-wave signal of amplitude that sinusoidally varies with the resonance frequency.