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:
Nov. 30, 1999
Filed:
Feb. 23, 1998
Reinhard Mueller, Puchheim, DE;
Gert Trommer, Munich, DE;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining a rate of rotation uses a fiber-optic gyro which has a 3.times.3-coupler. A first channel of the coupler is optically connected on one side with a light source and on the other side with a first photo element; and the two other channels are optically connected on one side with a fiber coil and on the other side with a second and third photo element respectively. A depolarizer is arranged at least between the light source and the 3.times.3-coupler or at one end of the fiber coil; alternatively, the fiber coil has a polarization-maintaining fiber. An electronic signal processing system is used to determine a temperature-related value, independent of the rate of rotation, for damping of the fiber coil and of the 3.times.3-coupler, based on the signals of the three photo elements and from temperature-dependent coefficients determined by calibration. Then the rate of rotation is computed based on the signals of the three photo elements, the temperature-dependent coefficients and the computed, temperature-related value for the damping.