Systems and methods for fiber optic gyroscopes utilizing reference ring resonators

摘要

Systems and methods for fiber optic gyroscopes are provided. In one embodiment, a resonating fiber optic gyroscope comprises: first and second laser sources producing first and second optical beams; a first resonator having a hub comprising a hub material, wherein the first and second optical beams circulate within the first resonator in opposite directions; a second resonator having a hub comprising the hub material, wherein the first and second optical beams circulate within the second resonator in opposite directions; first and second servo loops; the first loop controls the first laser source based on a beam that has circulated through the first resonator and a beam that has circulated through the second resonator; the second servo loop controls the second laser source based on a beam that has circulated through the first resonator and a beam that has circulated through the second resonator; and a rotation rate detection circuit.

主权项

1. A resonating fiber optic gyroscope, the gyroscope comprising:
a first laser light source producing a first optical beam; a second laser light source producing a second optical beam; a first fiber optic ring resonator comprising a first length of a fiber optic material wound around a first hub comprising a hub material, wherein the first optical beam and the second optical beam circulate within the first fiber optic ring resonator in opposite directions; a second fiber optic ring resonator comprising a second length of the fiber optic material wound around a second hub comprising the hub material, wherein the first optical beam and the second optical beam circulate within the second fiber optic ring resonator in opposite directions; a first servo loop coupled to the first fiber optic ring resonator and the second fiber optic ring resonator, wherein the first servo loop controls the first laser light source using a first feedback signal, where the first servo loop generates the first feedback signal as a function of a first error signal derived from a first measurement of a first portion of the first optical beam, where the first portion of the first optical beam has at least in part circulated through the first fiber optic ring resonator, and as a function of a second error signal derived from a second measurement of a second portion of the first optical beam, where the second portion of the first optical beam has circulated through the second fiber optic ring resonator; a second servo loop coupled to the first fiber optic ring resonator and the second fiber optic ring resonator, wherein the second servo loop controls the second laser light source using a second feedback signal, where the second servo loop generates the second feedback signal as a function of a third error signal derived from a first measurement of a first portion of the second optical beam, where the first portion of the second optical beam has at least in part circulated through the first fiber optic ring resonator, and as a function of a fourth error signal derived from a second measurement of a second portion of the second optical beam where the second portion of the second optical beam has circulated through the second fiber optic ring resonator; and a rotation rate detection circuit that outputs a rotation rate measurement signal, wherein the rotation rate measurement signal is function of a difference between a first resonant frequency of the second fiber optic ring resonator locked-on to by the first optical beam, and a second resonant frequency of the second fiber optic ring resonator locked-on to by the second optical beam.