Interconnected resonant gyros for improved performance

Abstract

A brief review of the operation of vibratory gyroscopes and the status of commercial micromachined gyroscopes is presented in the introduction. Following the introduction, an alternative design approach employing multiple, coupled gyroscopes per angular axis is examined as a method to improve performance and redundancy in angular rate sensors. The results are from simulations and explore the effects of non-identical gyroscopes, variations in the driving frequency, and coupling on synchronization in the array. A novel operating approach is presented that requires the array of gyroscopes to be synchronized in phase and frequency to improve the detection of sense axis displacement and to utilize one amplitude demodulator for the entire array of gyroscopes.