Patent ID: 7886598
Filing Date: 2011-02-15
Classification: G01C

Abstract:
1. An apparatus, comprising: an oscillator having a vibrating beam containing two principal elastic axes and two principal damping axes; and drive and sense components operatively coupled to the vibrating beam, the drive components driving the vibrating beam to oscillate across corners of the vibrating beam at approximately 45 degrees to sides of the vibrating beam, the beam having a substantially square cross-section such that the principal elastic axes are nominally at 45 degrees to the sides of the beam, whereby DC voltages applied to the drive components introduce negative electrostatic springs to effect a change in fundamental natural frequencies in the two principal axes of the beam, making them substantially the same to maximize Coriolis coupling between the drive and sense axes and to effect minimized quadrature error for the gyro; wherein the drive components comprise electrostatic drive components and capacitive pickoff components, and wherein during first and second time periods the vibrating beam is in an active angular rate sensing state, and wherein between the first and second time periods the vibrating beam is in a transition state to achieve full amplitude oscillation; and wherein the apparatus further comprises first and second drive components that periodically switch the vibrating beam between the active angular rate sensing state and the transition state.