Patent ID: 6792792
Filing Date: 2004-09-21
Classification: G01C

Abstract:
A device for measuring angular rate comprising:a resonant sensor element; a first feedback control device connected to said resonant sensor element, said first feedback control device operative to resonate said resonant sensor element; a second feedback control device connected to said resonant sensor element, said second feedback control device operative to sense the presence of a secondary mode signal generated by said resonant sensor element in response to a Coriolis force, said second feedback control device being responsive to said secondary mode signal to generate a null signal that cancels said secondary mode signal and to generate a first output signal that is proportional to said null signal; and a test device connected to said second feedback control device, said test device operative to inject a test signal to said second feedback loop that is passed through said resonant sense element, said test signal causing a second output signal that is proportional to said test signal, said test device further operative to compare said first and second output signals and to set an error flag if there is no difference between said first and second output signals resulting from said test signal.