Patent ID: 8213019
Filing Date: 2012-07-03
Classification: G01C

Abstract:
1. A resonator fiber-optic gyro (RFOG) comprising: a reference laser configured to produce a reference laser beam having a reference frequency; a first laser source configured to produce a first laser beam having a first frequency offset from the reference laser beam; a second laser source configured to produce a second laser beam having a second frequency offset from the reference laser beam; a sensing resonator having a first input coupled to the first laser source and a second input coupled to the second laser source such that the first laser beam propagates through the sensing resonator in a first direction and exits at a first output and the second laser beam propagates through the sensing resonator in a second direction and exits at a second output; resonance tracking electronics configured to generate a first control signal that indicates when the first laser beam is off resonance and to generate a second control signal that indicates when the second laser beam is off resonance; a first optical combiner coupled between a first output of the sensing resonator and a first input of the resonance tracking electronics, the first optical combiner configured to beat the first output of the sensing resonator with the reference laser beam creating a first beat signal; wherein the resonance tracking electronics is configured to discriminate between the first output of the resonator and at least one rotation-sensing error based on the first beat signal; and a second optical combiner coupled between a second output of the sensing resonator and a second input of the resonance tracking electronics, the second optical combiner configured to beat the second output of the sensing resonator with the reference laser beam creating a second beat signal; wherein the resonance tracking electronics is configured to discriminate between the second output of the resonator and at least one rotation-sensing error based on the second beat signal.