The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 18, 1979
Filed:
Nov. 02, 1977
James S Johnson, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Sperry Rand Corporation, New York, NY (US);
Abstract
An automatic rate range switching and control system adapts the full range of an analog output signal of a gyroscopic rate sensor to a range consistent with the precision conversion thereof into a digitally compatible signal. In a digital strapped down inertial reference system, for example, a plurality of strapped down, force-rebalanced rate sensors is used to sense aircraft body rates, wherein each gyro pick off signal is fed back to the gyro torquer in a manner to maintain the pick off signal essentially null, the torquer current signal thus being proportional to the sensed aricraft rate. The full range of the gyro's rate sensing capability may extend from zero to several hundred degrees per second. However, with the present invention, the switching and conversion of the analog rate signal into a digitally compatible signal is necessary only over a limited range. The current switching is accomplished by means of a rate tracing gate voltage rate switch for protecting the switching devices from destructively high switching voltages.