Patent ID: 7533568

Claim:
An angular rate sensor comprising: an oscillator including a pair of arm portions extending parallel to each other, and a stem portion continuously formed to the arm portions, wherein each arm portion includes a plate shaped piezoelectric member having a predetermined shape and each arm portion has a substantially rectangular shape in cross section; a driving member for oscillating the arm portions in directions opposite to each other, wherein the driving member includes driving electrodes which are each arranged on a respective surface of a first pair of parallel surfaces of each of the arm portions; a distortion detecting member for detecting a distortion of the arm portions, caused by a Coriolis force, in a distorted direction of the arm portions, wherein the distortion detecting member includes detection electrodes which are each arranged on a respective surface of a second pair of parallel surfaces of each of the arm portions; a correction driving member for driving the arm portions in the distorted direction of the arm portions by the Coriolis force, wherein the correction driving member includes correction driving electrodes which are each arranged on a respective surface of the second pair of parallel surfaces of each of the arm portions, and the correction driving electrodes are arranged at a position closer to the stem portion than the detection electrodes; and a correction circuit for controlling the correction driving member to drive the arm portions in a direction to cancel a false distortion of the arm portions, the false distortion being detected by the distortion detecting member without the arm portions being subjected to the Coriolis force.