Back to results
US 9,176,158 B2Granted
Sensor
AssigneeSilicon Sensing Systems Limited
InventorsKevin Townsend, Michael Durston, Douglas Robert Sitch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeSilicon Sensing Systems Limited
InventorsKevin Townsend, Michael Durston, Douglas Robert Sitch
Estimating the term…
An inertial sensor is described that has a commanded test function. The sensor is of a ring type driven by a driver circuit, the sensor further includes primary and secondary portions having corresponding signal pickoffs. The primary pickoff signal amplitude is controlled via an automatic gain control, the primary phase lock loop and VCO locks to the resonant frequency to provide the clocks for the synchronous detectors, the primary pickoff signals via the primary phase shift circuit is provided to the primary driver, the secondary pickoff signal being input into a detector circuit capable of detecting motion in the sensor. The commanded test function includes a signal derived from the primary portion of the circuit and input into the two inputs of a differential amplifier in the secondary pickoff detector circuit.
An angular velocity sensor comprising a ring type sensor having primary and secondary elements, the sensor further comprising primary and secondary channels connected to said primary and secondary elements, the primary channel comprising primary driver means for initiating and maintaining resonant oscillations in the primary elements, the secondary channel operating in an open loop manner, thereby requiring no feedback and the secondary channel comprising detector means for detecting signals generated by the secondary elements in response to movement of the sensor, the detector means including a secondary channel differential amplifier and synchronous detectors generating an output signal dependent upon the movement of the sensor, wherein the secondary channel further comprises selectively operable test means that, when operable, inputs signals onto both channels of the secondary channel differential amplifier, said signals being respectively out of phase such that an offset in the output signal is generated, said offset being indicative of the status of the sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.