New Sd, Inc.

Piyush K Gupta

Bert David Egley

David F Macy

Harold D Morris

G Richard Newell

Alvin V Florida

Craig E Jenson

A rotation rate sensor which employs a built-in (i.e. internal) test circuit. The rotation rate sensor includes a piezoelectric structure. Deposited on the piezoelectric structure are at least two pickup high and two pickup low electrodes. A pickup circuit is coupled to the pickup high and pickup low electrodes. During a normal mode of operation, the piezoelectric structure is subject to a rotation about one of its axis. In response, the pickup circuit generates a rate signal which corresponds to the rotation rate of the piezoelectric structure. The test circuit is coupled to the pickup low electrodes. During a test mode of operation, the piezoelectric structure is also subject to a rotation about the axis. But, the test circuit generates at the same time a test signal which is provided to the pickup low electrodes and which corresponds to a pseudo rate of rotation. In response, the pickup circuit generates a rate signal which corresponds to the sum of the actual rate of rotation of the piezoelectric material plus the pseudo rate of rotation.

Rotation rate sensor with built in test circuit

A rotation rate sensor which uses a double ended tuning fork having a mounting base with only a single exclusive mounting surface. The mounting base is surrounded and centrally disposed within the body of the tuning fork. The mounting base is joined to the body by a suspension system which is also disposed within the body of the tuning fork. The tuning fork is mounted in the housing only at the single exclusive mounting surface.

Rotation rate sensor with center mounted tuning fork

Mechanical resonator and method in which electrodes or other driving and sensing elements are energized with an AC voltage to produce oscillations in a tine. The electrodes or other driving and sensing elements have at least two parameters which are adjusted to selectively enhance oscillations in one mode, e.g. the fundamental mode, and/or to selectively suppress oscillations in one or more other modes, e.g. an overtone mode. The parameters which can be adjusted include the endpoints of electrodes, the width of a gap between adjacent ends of electrodes, and corresponding features of other driving and sensing elements.

Growing community of inventors

Antioch, CA, United States of America

Piyush K Gupta