University of California

Mitchell H Kline

Bernhard Boser

Seth Robert Sanders

Igor Izyumin

Burak Eminoglu

Yu-Ching Yeh

Bernhard E Boser

A frequency readout gyroscope is provided, having 2 or 3 axes, in which the frequency of the carrier associated with the oscillation of the proof mass changes while the amplitude stays constant. The invention departs from conventional gyroscopes which rely on measuring transducer sense axis displacement (amplitude modulation) to determine angular input rate. The invention utilizes what could be termed a form of frequency modulation, such as evaluating frequency phase difference between the axes of modulation. Examples include gyroscopes having either a quadrature or Lissajous FM mode of operation, in which angle random walk contribution from the electronics is reduced by approximately two orders of magnitude.

Frequency readout gyroscope

A vibratory gyroscope system is described which utilizes a mechanical resonator having a first mode of vibration and an associated first natural frequency, and a second mode of vibration having an associated second natural frequency. The angular rate of motion input couples energy between the first and second modes of vibration. The gyroscope has driver circuits, sensors and actuators for the first and second modes. The invention utilizes a bias error shifting method which provides for shifting the bias error away from DC to a higher frequency, where it can be removed by low pass filtering. As a result of the inventive method, gyroscope systems can be produced with significantly lower bias error.

Continuous mode reversal for rejecting drift in gyroscopes

A switched-capacitor voltage converter which is particularly well-suited for receiving a line voltage from which to drive current through a series of light emitting diodes (LEDs). Input voltage is rectified in a multi-level rectifier network having switched capacitors in an ascending-bank configuration for passing voltages in uniform steps between zero volts up to full received voltage V. A regulator section, operating on V, comprises switched-capacitor stages of H-bridge switching and flying capacitors. A current controlled oscillator drives the states of the switched-capacitor stages and changes its frequency to maintain a constant current to the load. Embodiments are described for isolating the load from the mains, utilizing an LC tank circuit or a multi-primary-winding transformer.

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Oakland, CA, United States of America

Mitchell H Kline