PHASE MODULATION METHOD AND DEVICE FOR A ROTATION SENSOR

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for closed-­ loop phase modulation to measure rate and control phase modulator gain errors in an electrical signal representing the phase difference between first and second light signals from lightwaves counterpropagating in an interferometric rotation sensor including a closed light path with a phase modulator (10) in the path. In the method a serrodyne signal is summed along with a gain bias signal and a rate bias signal, the result of which is multiplied with a gain signal derived from the difference between the first and second light signals. This resulting signal is then applied to the phase modulator.

Description: The invention relates generally to fiberoptic rotation sensors, and in particular, but not exclusively, to apparatus and methods for measuring the rotation-induced phase shift between light waves counterpropagating in the fiberoptic coil of a Sagnac interferometer to determine the angular rate of rotation of the coil. A fiberoptic interferometer used for rotation sensing and measurement generally comprises a coherent source of light, a multiturn optical fiber coil, means for coupling light from the source into and out of the coil, and means for detecting and processing an interference light signal coming from the coil. The interferometer "proper" frequency is defined as 1/2τ, where τ is the time required for light to travel around the gyro coil. There are two types of disturbances in an optical path that can give rise to phase shifts in light waves traveling in opposite directions around a closed optical path: reciprocal and nonreciprocal. A reciprocal disturbance is one that affects either light wave in a similar manner despite the fact that the two waves are traveling in different directions and may be subjected to the disturbance at different times. A nonreciprocal disturbance affects the two waves differently, either because it occurs over a time interval comparable to the time it takes a wave to travel around the closed path, or because the effect it has on a wave depends on the direction of propagation of the wave around the closed path. The Sagnac effect, a relativistic phenomenon, is a nonreciprocal effect in which the rotation of a closed optical path causes light waves propagating in opposite directions along the path to take different amounts of time to complete a transit of the closed path. This difference in transit time results in a phase difference between the two light waves proportional to rotation rate. When the beams are recombined on a photodetector, they give rise to an interference pattern which is a function of the nonreciprocal phase difference or shift. Measurement of the phase difference provides a measure of the rate of rotation of the optical path. If Δ denotes the Sagnac phase difference between two recombined counterpropagating light beams, the intensity of light due to the interfering beams varies as cos(Δ). When the phase difference is close to zero, the cosine function varies only slightly with changes in phase difference. In order to increase the sensitivity of detection, it is advantageous to introduce artificially an added fixed phase shift or "bias" to shift to a point of operation on the cosine curve where the rate of change of output intensity with respect to Δ is greater. In particular, maximum sensitivity and linearity of response are achieved by shifting to a point such as π/2. At this point, the light intensity is proportional to cos(Δ + π/2) = sin(Δ). The periodic nature of the cosine function results in an equivalent maximum sensitivity and linearity of response (apart from algebraic sign) at any odd integral multiple of plus or minus π/2. It has proven difficult to a construct a sufficiently stable device for introducing a nonreciprocal bias. In order to obviate stability problems, various methods have been proposed for modulating the phase of the light waves propagating within the closed optical path of a Sagnac interferometer. A phase modulator device can be based, for example, on the change in refractive index with applied voltage in an electro-optic crystal forming part of the closed optical path of the interferometer. If the phase modulator is placed near one end of the fiber coil, application of a voltage to the modulator produces a phase shift in one of the counterpropagating waves that is not experienced by the other until it has traveled all the way around the coil. There the second wave experiences a phase shift which is delayed by the length of time required for light to propagate around the coil, a time given by τ o = nL/c, where n is the index of refraction of the fiber material, L is the length of the fiber coil, and c is the speed of light in vacuum. If V(t) is a time-varying signal applied to the phase modulator, the phase difference  m (t) -  m (t-τ) between the counterpropagating light waves is proportional to V(t)-V(t-τ o ). In this way a phase bias can be produced which sets the operating point of the interferometer. If there is a rotation of the fiber coil, a phase shift Δ will be added to the phase bias due to the nonreciprocal nature of the Sagnac effect. Although it is possible to use the output signal of the photodetector to measure the rotation directly, it is preferable to use a "nulling" or "zeroing" method to measure the rotation indirectly, in order to avoid errors resulting from drifts in the light level dependence and to produce a linear scale factor. The idea is to generate electrically a negative feedback signal which is equal in magnitude but opposite in sign to the rotationally-induced signal, and to use the feedback signal to "null" or "zero" the rotation signal. Application of the feedback modulation signal to the phase modulator produces a phase difference between the counterpropagating waves which is continuously equal and opposite in sign compared to the phase shift induced by the rotation of the closed optical path. A method such as this in which there is a closed feedback loop is often referred to as a "closed-loop" method. One method of phase modulation used in closed-loop methods, generally known as the "serrodyne method," generates a feedback modulation signal which is a voltage ramp signal having a slope proportional to Δ o /τ o , where  o is a constant rotationally-induced phase shift and τ o is the time taken for a light wave to travel around the closed light path of the interferometer in the absence of any rotation. Since the phase ramp signal cannot increase indefinitely, the serrodyne method actually generates a sawtooth waveform with a peak-to-peak amplitude of 2π radians, with the 2π phase transition effectively resetting the operating point of the interferometer to an equivalent position on the curve relating output signal to input phase difference. A bias modulation signal consists of a voltage square-wave having an amplitude which induces a phase shift of plus or minus π/2 radians and a frequency equal to 1/2τ o . U.S Patent Number 4,705,399 to Graindorge et al. , entitled "Device for Measuring a Nonreciprocal Phase Shift Produced in a Closed-Loop Interferometer," discloses a serrodyne phase modulation method in which a digital phase ramp in the form of a staircase-shaped voltage feedback signal is combined with a bias modulation signal consisting of a voltage square-wave having an amplitude which induces a phase shift of plus or minus π/2 radians and a frequency equal to 1/2τ o . The digital staircase signal consists of a sequence of voltage steps, each of duration τ o . In general, the amplitude of each step change is calculated to provide a nonreciprocal phase shift of plus or minus π/2 radians minus the Sagnac phase shift. The step sequence is generally n steps of positive voltage levels followed by n steps of negative voltage levels. The light intensity output of the interferometer fiber loop is demodulated at the bias modulation frequency or some multiple thereof, namely 1/2nτ o , where n is a nonzero integer. The resulting signal is proportional to the Sagnac phase shift. This signal is used in a closed-loop type of operation to continuously null the Sagnac phase shift. To avoid problems with voltage saturation, the modulation steps are occasionally required to "roll over" or start over again by the application of a step voltage signal. The step voltage applied to the phase modulator is adjusted to provide an additional phase shift of 2πm radians (where m is an integer) to keep the voltage to the phase modulator in a reasonable operating range. Additional demodulation logic may be employed during these roll-overs to determine the error in estimated phase modulator gain. Through subsequent roll-overs, the scale factor error or gain error may be nulled. The scale factor or gain is the proportionality constant relating the phase induced by the phase modulator in response to a given value of input voltage. Another phase modulation method which can be used is direct digital feedback, which is also a closed-loop method. Such a method is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Serial Number 031,323, entitled "Rotation Rate Nulling Servo and Method for Fiberoptic Rotation Sensor," by Jim Steele, filed March 27, 1987, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The Steele application discloses a direct digital feedback circuit which operates by alternately presetting the voltage drive on the phase modulator to zero and waiting for at least one transit time τ o , then switching the phase modulator voltage to a level corresponding to a nonreciprocal phase shift which is the difference between a reference (-3π/2, -π/2, +π/2, +3π/2 radians) and the Sagnac phase signal. The resulting light intensity signal is gated and observed for one transit time τ o immediately following the setting of the reference voltage. The process is repeated in a predetermined sequence of reference levels and the results are processed to continuously develop a Sagnac phase estimate and a phase modulator scale factor or gain error (secondary control) with which to adjust the amplitudes of the voltages to the phase modulator. The overall scale factor or gain for an open-loop interferometer is the product of the Sagnac scale factor or gain and the phase modulation scale factor or gain. The Sagnac scale factor is the constant of proportionality between rate of rotation of the closed light path and the Sagnac phase difference. The phase modulation scale factor is the constant of proportionality between the phase shift effected by the phase modulator and the input voltage to the phase modulator. The modulation signal applied to the phase modulator in a Sagnac interferometer must provide for rate and scale factor correction signals that are derived from the detected light signal from the interferometer. Voltage signal waveforms previously utilized in phase modulation methods have detected rate at other than the proper frequency, which has led to measurement errors. According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for measuring angular rate and comprising an interferometric rotation sensor including a light path, means operable to produce in the light path counter-propagating lightwaves, means for detecting the phase difference between the waves, phase modulation means in the light path and means providing a closed-loop control of the phase modulation means in dependence upon the output of the detecting means, the closed-loop control means comprising means for producing a periodic rate bias signal, means for producing from the output of the detecting means a gain signal and means for combining the rate bias signal and the gain signal to produce therefrom a signal to control the phase modulation means, characterised in that there are means for producing a serrodyne signal in response to the output component of the detecting means at a first frequency, the means for producing the rate bias signal being operable to produce said rate bias signal as a periodic square wave at said first frequency, means for producing a gain bias signal comprising a sequence of amplitude step transitions at the ends of successive equal intervals of time equal to a quarter of the period at the first frequency and means for summing said serrodyne signal, said rate bias signal and said gain bias signal to produce a summed phase modulation signal, said combining means being means for multiplying the summed phase modulation signal by said gain signal, the means for producing the gain signal being operable to produce the gain signal from a component, at a second frequency which is twice the first frequency, of the output of the detecting means, the arrangement and said first frequency being such that the sum of the rate bias and gain bias signals gives a sequence of step transitions arranged to produce a change of ± nπ /2 radians (where n is an odd integer) in the phase shift at the modulation means over intervals equal to the travel time τ of the light through the light path. According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method for measuring angular rate in an interferometric rotation sensor having a light path, comprising the steps of producing in the light path counter-propagating lightwaves, detecting the phase difference between the waves, modulating the phase of the waves in the lightpath and providing closed-loop control of the modulation in dependence upon the detected phase difference, the closed-loop control comprising the steps of producing a periodic rate bias signal, producing from the output of the detecting means a gain signal and combining the rate bias signal and the gain bias signal to produce therefrom a signal to control the phase modulation, characterised by the further steps of producing a serrodyne signal in response to the detected phase difference at a first frequency, producing the rate bias signal as a periodic square wave at said first frequency, producing a gain bias signal comprising a sequence of amplitude step transitions at the ends of successive equal intervals of time equal to a quarter of the period at the first frequency, and summing said serrodyne signal, said rate bias signal and said gain bias signal to produce a summed phase modulation signal, said step of combining comprising multiplying the summed phase modulation signal by said gain signal, said gain signal being produced from a component, at a second frequency which is twice the first frequency, of the detected phase difference, the method and said first frequency being such that the sum of the rate bias and gain bias signals gives a sequence of step transitions producing a change of ± nπ/2 radians (where n is an odd integer) in the phase shift over intervals equal to the travel time τ of the light through the light path. The phase bias signal waveform may be chosen so that rotation rate is measured at the interferometer proper frequency and a scale-factor signal is maintained in the electrical phase-difference signal from the interferometer. The bias signal waveform may be chosen to give a sequence of phase shifts -π/2, -π/2 + 2π, + π/2, and + π/2 - 2π radians, so that the 2π roll-over is tested every τ seconds or at any frequency which is a higher harmonic of 1/τ. In the case of higher harmonics, testing is done at successive times separated by less than τ seconds. This is the origin of the description "sub-tau modulation". For a better understanding of the present invention and to how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a graph of a phase bias voltage waveform which is the sum of the rate bias signal and the gain bias signal; Fig. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a phase modulation apparatus operating in conjunction with a fibre-coil rotation-sensing interferometer; and Fig. 3 is a graph of an alternative phase bias voltage waveform which is the sum of the rate bias signal and the gain bias signal. Methods and apparatus are presented in accordance with the invention for closed-loop phase modulation to measure rate and control phase modulator gain errors in an electrical signal representing the phase difference between first and second light signals from lightwaves counterpropagating in an interferometric rotation sensor including a closed light path with a phase modulation means. FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an apparatus 10 operating in conjunction with a fiber-coil rotation sensing interferometer. In FIG. 2 the fiber-coil rotation sensing arrangement comprises a coherent or semicoherent light source 12 , a directional fiber coupler 14 , a fiberoptic coil 16 , a multifunction integrated optics chip (MIOC) 18 , and a detector-amplifier 20 . Near one end of MIOC 18 is a Y-beamsplitter 22 , both arms of which are subject to the influence of an electro-optic phase modulation device 24 . A polarizer 26 on multifunction integrated optics chip 18 precedes the Y-beamsplitter 22 . The light output from coherent light source 12 travels along a length of optical fiber 28 to directional fiber coupler 14 . A length of fiber 30 connects directional coupler 14 with multifunction integrated optics chip 18 . A light beam output from multiplexing coupler 14 travels along a length of fiber 32 and is coupled to detector/amplifier 20 . Directional coupler 14 has an output fiber 34 , shown as a stub, which can be connected to a source wavelength stabilization unit. Referring to FIG. 2 , the apparatus 10 comprises a first bandpass filter 36 , a second bandpass filter 38 , a clock 40 , a first digital mixer 42 , a second digital mixer 44 , a digital serrodyne signal generator 46 , a digital rate bias generator 47 , a digital gain bias generator 48 , a first digital integrator 50 , a second digital integrator 52 , an adder 54 , a multiplier 56 , and a digital-to-analog converter and amplifier 58 . The phase modulation apparatus 10 has an input 60 from detector-amplifier 20 of the fiberoptic Sagnac rotation sensor shown in FIG. 2 which supplies a common input signal to first bandpass filter 36 and to second bandpass filter 38 . The output 62 of first bandpass filter 36 is a signal representative of the relative phase difference between first and second lightwaves counter-propagating around the closed light path of the fiberoptic coil 16 . The phase modulator 24 operates in push-pull to induce phase changes of opposite sense in the two lightwaves as they start out on their journeys in opposite directions around the fiber coil 16 . The light waves are combined to interfere at the detector of detector-amplifier 20 and an electrical signal derived from their relative phase difference represents a rotation of the closed light path they both have travelled. The output signal 62 of first bandpass filter 36 is in a frequency pass band centered on a proper frequency characteristic of the closed light path, given by 1/2τ where τ is the time required for light to transit the closed light path. An output signal 64 from second bandpass filter 38 is a signal representative of the relative phase difference caused by gain errors between first and second lightwaves counterpropagating around the closed light path of the fiberoptic coil 16 . Signal 64 is in a frequency pass band centered on a frequency equal to 1/τ, which equals twice the proper frequency. Clock 40 produces a first clock signal output 66 at the proper frequency 1/2τ and a second clock signal output 68 at twice the proper frequency, namely 1/τ. The proper frequency depends on the length of the fiber loop and the index of refraction of the fiber material. The clock 40 must be set to the proper frequency, which can be determined, for example, by measurement. First digital mixer 42 takes first bandpass-filtered signal 62 and mixes it with first clock signal 66 to produce a digital mixed output signal 70 which is indicative of the rotational rate error. Second digital mixer 44 mixes second bandpass-filtered signal 64 with second clock signal 68 to produce a dc output signal 72 which is indicative of the gain error. Digital serrodyne generator 46 generates a serrodyne signal at an output 74 . There are two inputs to serrodyne generator 46 , a first input carrying first clock signal 66 and a second input from a first digital integrator 50 . First digital integrator 50 integrates a rotation rate error signal 70 from first digital mixer 42 and sends a control signal 76 to digital serrodyne generator 46 which is used in setting the slope of the serrodyne voltage waveform at 74 . Second digital integrator 52 produces a gain error control signal 78 by integrating a gain error signal from second digital mixer 44 at output 72 .- Digital bias generator 48 produces a periodic bias signal output 80 having a predetermined shape, making use of an input 68 from clock 40 carrying the second clock signal at 2f m . Information determining the predetermined shape of the periodic bias signal can be hard-wired into the circuitry of digital rate bias generator 47 and digital gain bias generator 48 or programmed into a microprocessor forming part of 48 . As explained below, there is some freedom of choice in the shape of the periodic bias signal. Adder 54 is used to add the serrodyne signal from said output 74 of digital serrodyne generator 46 , the rate bias signal 80 from digital rate bias generator 47 , and the gain bias signal 81 from digital gain bias generator 48 and the periodic bias signal 80 to produce an added signal at an output 82 . The gain control signal from output 78 of second digital integrator 52 and the added signal at output 82 of adder 54 multiplied by a multiplier 56 to produce a multiplied signal at an output 84 . Digital-to-analog converter and amplifier 58 converts the digital input signal from output 84 of multiplier 56 into an analog signal and amplifies that signal to produce an amplified analog signal 86 for application to phase modulation device 24 to modulate the phases of the two lightwaves counterpropagating around the closed light path of the fiberoptic coil 16 . Phase modulation device 24 is preferably based on the electro-optic effect in a material such as LiNbO₃. The phase of a lightwave depends on the optical path length it has traveled, where optical path length is the product of actual path length and the index of refraction along the path. The phase of a lightwave traveling along an arm of Y-beamsplitter 22 can be altered by changing the index of refraction in response to an voltage applied to a set of spaced electrodes with a LiNbO₃ channel waveguide constituting an arm. FIG. 1 is a graph of the sum of the output waveform 80 of rate bias generator 47 and output waveform 81 of gain bias generator 48 in one possible embodiment of the invention. The vertical axis is voltage in units of induced phase shift. The horizontal axis is time in units of τ/2, where τ is the fiber coil light transit time. The induced phase shift  m (t) -  m (t-τ) for successive time differences and no input rate is given by The time intervals 0 to 1 and 1 to 2 compared to the intervals 2 to 3 and 3 to 4 generate a proper frequency harmonic proportional to the rotation rate. The time intervals 0 to 1 compared to the interval 1 to 2 and again the interval 2 to 3 compared to the interval 3 to 4 give a harmonic at twice the proper frequency (1/2τ) proportional to the scale factor. The waveform may be modified by an offset. In another possible embodiment of the invention, digital bias generator 48 provides an alternative sum of the output waveforms 80 and 81 as shown in FIG. 3 . The vertical axis in FIG. 3 is voltage in units of induced phase shift and the horizontal axis is time in units of τ/2, where τ is the fiber coil light transit time. The induced phase  m (t) -  m (t-τ) shift for successive time differences and no input rate is given by The time intervals 0 to 1 and 1 to 2 compared to the intervals 2 to 3 and 3 to 4 generate a proper frequency harmonic proportional to the rotation rate. The time intervals 0 to 1 compared to the interval 1 to 2 and again the interval 2 to 3 compared to the interval 3 to 4 give a harmonic at twice the proper frequency (1/2τ) proportional to the scale factor. The waveform may be modified by an offset. Theory of Operation The optical power from a Sagnac gyro at time t is given by P(t) = P b + ½P o [1 + cos( s +  m (t) +  m (t-τ))] where P b is background power, P o is phase-sensitive power,  s is rotation-induced phase shift,  m is phase modulator induced phase shift, and τ is the transit time of light through the gyro loop. "Sub-tau modulation" means that the phase modulator drive voltage is step changed every one-half τ seconds forming the time sequence t n = nτ/2, n = 0,1,2,... describing the operation of the modulation. The desired phase shift sequence from the phase modulator voltage is  m (t₂) -  m (t₀) = - f + 3π/2  m (t₃) -  m (t₁) = - f - π/2  m (t₄) -  m (t₂) = - f - 3π/2  m (t₅) -  m (t₃) = - f + π/2  m (t₆) -  m (t₄) = - f + 3π/2  m (t₇) -  m (t₅) = - f - π/2  m (t₈) -  m (t₆) = - f - 3π/2  m (t₉) -  m (t₇) = - f + π/2 where  f is the phase fed back to the gyro to cancel the rotation induced phase shift  s . The bias sequence 3π/2, -π/2, -3π/2, π/2 has two functions. The first is to generate an optical power output square wave with frequency 1/2τ whose amplitude indicates the deviation from zero of the quantity  s -  f which is used to adjust the feedback phase  f to null the gyro. The second is to generate a square wave with frequency 1/τ whose amplitude indicates the deviation of the bias from the desired values; this square wave is used to adjust the gain G of the phase modulator voltage. A voltage V applied to the phase modulator results in a phase shift of V = G m radians where the voltage is measured in radian units so that under proper closed loop operation G = 1. The feedback phase  f is expressed in terms of a feedback fraction F as  f = Fπ, -1 ≦ F < 1. The voltage sequence must be found that will induce the desired bias sequence and null the gyro. Writing the desired modulator-induced phase  m in terms of the modulator-applied voltage phase shift V n = V(t n ) produces the relations V₂ - V₀ = Gπ(-F + 3/2) V₃ - V₁ = Gπ(-F - 1/2) V₄ - V₂ = Gπ(-F - 3/2) V₅ - V₃ = Gπ(-F + 1/2) V₆ - V₄ = Gπ(-F + 3/2) V₇ - V₅ = Gπ(-F - 1/2) V₈ - V₆ = Gπ(-F - 3/2) V₉ - V₇ = Gπ(-F + 1/2) Solving for the voltage level sequence gives V₂ = Gπ(-F + 3/2) + V₀ V₃ = Gπ(-F - 1/2) + V₁ V₄ = Gπ(-F - 3/2) + V₂ = Gπ(-F -3/2) + Gπ(-F + 3/2) + V₀ = Gπ(-2F + 0) + V₀ V₅ = Gπ(-F + 1/2) + V₃ = Gπ(-F + 1/2) + Gπ(-F- 1/2) + V₁ = Gπ(-2F + 0) + V₁ V₆ = Gπ(-F + 3/2) + V₄ = Gπ(-F + 3/2) + Gπ(-2F + 0) + V₀ = Gπ(-3F + 3/2) + V0 V₇ = Gπ(-F - 1/2) + V₅ = Gπ(-F- 1/2) + Gπ(-2F + 0) + V₁ = Gπ(-3F - 1/2) + V₁ V₈ = Gπ(-F - 3/2) + V₆ = Gπ(-F - 3/2) + Gπ(-3F + 3/2) + V₀ = Gπ(-4F + 0) + V0 V₉ = Gπ(-F + 1/2) + V₇ = Gπ(-F + 1/2) + Gπ(-3F- 1/2) + V₁ = Gπ(-4F + 0) + V₁ Summarizing the sequence: V₂ = Gπ(-1F + 3/2) + V₀ V₃ = Gπ(-1F - 1/2) + V₁ V₄ = Gπ(-2F + 0) + V₀ V₅ = Gπ(-2F + 0) + V₁ V₆ = Gπ(-3F + 3/2) + V₀ V₇ = Gπ(-3F- 1/2) + V₁ V₈ = Gπ(-4F + 0) + V₀ V₉ = Gπ(-4F + 0) + V₁ Implementation of the above voltage sequence requires a serrodyne generator which will accumulate the feedback fraction F every τ and a bias generator which will add to the accumulated feedback each τ/2 the next bias in the sequence 3/2, -1/2,0,0. The feedback accumulator must add or subtract 2 from its contents to insure that its value is greater than or equal to -1 and less than 1, which will result in a 2π rollover when the gain G is equal to 1. The even and odd voltages may be modified by their voltage offsets V₀ and V₁, respectively, which is the same as modifying the even and odd bias additions. The voltage sequence V(t n ) will generate a power sequence P(t n ) with characteristics indicating deviation from rate null condition:  s = GπF and deviation from gain null condition: G = 1. First consider the case where G = 1 and  s - GπF = ε, ε << 1. The power sequence P(t n ) = P n is which will generate a square wave with period 2τ and peak-to-peak amplitude 2ε which will be zero if the rate null condition s = GπF is met. The first harmonic of this square wave can be extracted by a bandpass filter at center frequency f m = 1/2τ and its amplitude measured by digital mixing with a square wave of frequency f m . The measured amplitude is integrated to form the feedback fraction F which is used to close the rate loop. Now consider the case where the rate is nulled:  s - GπF = 0 but the gain is different from unity: G - 1 = ε, ε << 1. The power sequence is which will generate a square wave with period τ and peak-to-peak amplitude 2πε which will be zero if the gain null condition (G = 1) is met. The first harmonic of this square wave can be extracted by a bandpass filter at center frequency 2f m = 1/τ and its amplitude measured by digital mixing with a square wave of frequency 2f m . The measured amplitude is integrated to form the gain multiplier G which is used to close the gain loop.

Claims: An apparatus for measuring angular rate and comprising an interferometric rotation sensor including a light path (16), means (12, 22) operable to produce in the light path (16) counter-propagating lightwaves, means (20) for detecting the phase difference between the waves, phase modulation means (24) in the light path and means providing a closed-loop control of the phase modulation means in dependence upon the output of the detecting means (20), the closed-loop control means comprising means (47) for producing a periodic rate bias signal (80), means (44, 52) for producing from the output of the detecting means a gain signal (78) and means (56) for combining the rate bias signal and the gain signal to produce therefrom a signal (86) to control the phase modulation means (24), characterised in that there are means (36, 42, 50, 46) for producing a serrodyne signal (74) in response to the output component of the detecting means (20) at a first frequency, the means for producing the rate bias signal being operable to produce said rate bias signal (80) as a periodic square wave at said first frequency, means (48) for producing a gain bias signal (81) comprising a sequence of amplitude step transitions at the ends of successive equal intervals of time equal to a quarter of the period at the first frequency and means (54) for summing said serrodyne signal, said rate bias signal and said gain bias signal to produce a summed phase modulation signal (82), said combining means being means for multiplying the summed phase modulation signal by said gain signal (78), the means (44, 52) for producing the gain signal being operable to produce the gain signal from a component, at a second frequency which is twice the first frequency, of the output of the detecting means, the arrangement and said first frequency being such that the sum of the rate bias and gain bias signals gives a sequence of step transitions arranged to produce a change of ± nπ/₂ radians, where n is an odd integer, in the phase shift at the modulation means (24) over intervals equal to the travel time τ of the light through the light path (16). An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said change of ± nπ radians occurs in each of successive ones of said intervals. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said first frequency is 1/(mτ) (where m is an integer greater than 1). An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein m is 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein said means (47) for producing a rate bias signal comprises means for producing a periodic phase bias of π/2 for a time τ followed by -π/2 for a time τ. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said gain bias signal (81) comprises a periodic sequence of step transitions that give rise to a sequence of induced phase shifts as follows: 2 π, 0, -2 π, and 0 radians. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims arranged so that the sum of the rate bias and gain bias signals is such as to induce a periodic phase shift sequence of -π/2, -π/2, π/2, π/2, with a period 2τ. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the means for producing a serrodyne signal comprise: bandpass filtering means (36) having its input connected to an output of the detector means (20) and having a frequency pass band substantially centered on said first frequency; mixing means (42) for mixing the signal (62) at the first frequency (66) passed by the bandpass filter (36) with a clock signal (66) at the first frequency; integrator means (50) for summing over time the mixed signal output (70) from the mixer means (42); and serrodyne signal generation means (46) for generating said serrodyne signal (74) from said clock signal (66) and from the summed, mixed output (70) from the integrator (50). An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the means for producing the gain bias signal comprises: bandpass filtering means (38) having its input connected to an output of the detector means (20) and having a frequency pass band substantially centered on said second frequency; second mixing means (44) for mixing the signal passed by the second bandpass filter (44) with a clock signal (68) at the second frequency; and second integrator means (52) for summing over time the mixed signal output from the second mixer means. An apparatus according to claim 8 or 9 wherein the arrangement is such that, from the mixing means (42, 44) to the combining means (56), the signal processing is digital and the apparatus additionally comprises digital to analogue conversion means (58) for converting the output of the combining means (56) to an analogue signal. A method for measuring angular rate in an interferometric rotation sensor having a light path (16), comprising the steps of producing in the light path counter-propagating lightwaves, detecting the phase difference between the waves, modulating the phase of the waves in the lightpath (16) and providing closed-loop control of the modulation in dependence upon the detected phase difference, the closed-loop control comprising the steps of producing a periodic rate bias signal (80), producing from the output of the detecting means a gain signal (78) and combining the rate bias signal and the gain bias signal to produce therefrom a signal (86) to control the phase modulation, characterised by the further steps of producing a serrodyne signal (74) in response to the detected phase difference at a first frequency, producing the rate bias signal as a periodic square wave at said first frequency, producing a gain bias signal (81) comprising a sequence of amplitude step transitions at the ends of successive equal intervals of time equal to a quarter of the period at the first frequency, and summing said serrodyne signal, said rate bias signal and said gain bias signal to produce a summed phase modulation signal (82), said step of combining comprising multiplying the summed phase modulation signal by said gain signal (78), said gain signal being produced from a component, at a second frequency which is twice the first frequency, of the detected phase difference, the method and said first frequency being such that the sum of the rate bias and gain bias signals gives a sequence of step transitions producing a change of + nπ/2 radians, where n is an odd integer, in the phase shift over intervals equal to the travel time τ of the light through the light path (16). A method according to claim 11 wherein said change of ± nπ/2 radians occurs in each of successive ones of said intervals. A method according to claim 11 or 12 wherein said first frequency is 1/(mτ) (where m is an integer greater than 1). A method according to claim 13 wherein m is 2. A method according to any one of claims 11 to 14 wherein said rate bias signal comprises a periodic phase bias of π/2 radians for a time τ followed by -π/2 followed by -π/2 radians for a time τ. A method according to any one of claims 11 to 15 wherein said gain bias signal comprises a periodic sequence of step transitions producing a sequence of phase shifts as follows: 2π, 0, -2π, and 0 radians. A method according to any one of claims 11 to 16 carried out such that the sum of the rate bias and gain bias signal induces a periodic phase shift sequence of -π/2, -π/2, π/2, π/2, with a period 2τ.

Inventors: CEKORICH, ALLEN CURTIS
Applicants: LITTON SYSTEMS, INC.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: G01C19
IPC codes: G01C19