Patent ID: 11913808
Assignee: SILICON MICROGRAVITY LIMITED
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 6:
7. An inertial sensor comprising:
a frame,
a resonator assembly comprising a first axisymmetric resonator fixed to the frame,
a drive means coupled to the resonator assembly for driving the first resonator to vibrate, wherein the first resonator is configured to vibrate in a first mode of vibration with a first resonant frequency when the input measurand has a first value and a second mode of vibration with a second resonant frequency when the input measurand has a first value, and wherein energy is transferred between the first and second modes of vibration, an amount of energy transferred between the modes being dependent on the value of an input measurand,
electrical circuitry to control a pumping means coupled to the resonator assembly for applying a pumping signal to the resonator assembly and
a sensor assembly configured to detect an amplitude of oscillation of the first mode of vibration and an amplitude of oscillation of the second mode of vibration;
wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to control the pumping means to apply a pumping signal that has a frequency substantially equal to a difference between the first resonant frequency and the second resonant frequency;
wherein the signal from the pumping means reduces an amplitude ratio of the amplitudes of oscillation of the first and second mode of vibration detected by the sensor assembly so that the amplitude ratio is within a predetermined amplitude ratio range over an expected range of input measurand values; and
wherein an output of the inertial sensor is based on the amplitude ratio.