Method and apparatus for self-calibration of gyroscopes

摘要

A gyroscope having a resonant body utilizes a self-calibration mechanism that does not require physical rotation of the resonant body. Instead, interface circuitry applies a rotating electrostatic field to first and second drive electrodes simultaneously to excite both the drive and sense resonance modes of the gyroscope. When drive electrodes associated with both the drive and sense resonance modes of the gyroscope are excited by forces of equal amplitude but 90° phase difference, respectively, the phase shift in the gyroscope response, as measured by the current output of the sense electrodes for each resonance mode, is proportional to an equivalent gyroscope rotation rate.

主权项

1. A method of calibrating a gyroscope comprising:
A) providing a gyroscope having first and second resonance modes of operation; B) exciting both the first and second resonance modes simultaneously; and C) determining an equivalent rate of gyroscope rotation from a response of the gyroscope caused by the excitation of both the first and second resonance modes simultaneously.