Ring laser gyroscope readout for partially overlapping beams
US4514087A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 23, 1982 |
| Grant date | Apr 30, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 23, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01C19/662
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A ring laser gyroscope includes a laser ring having at least three reflective surfaces. At least one of the reflective surfaces is partially reflecting and partially transmissive for removing a portion of the laser light within the ring, and for directing the removed light onto an output detector. Optical elements are provided for displacing the light directed on the output detector in a fashion by which a portion of the light from one of the counter rotating beams only partially overlaps the light from the other beam. A detector is provided for detecting the intensity of each of the counter rotating beams from the nonoverlapping beam portions on the detector and for detecting the fringe motion of the interfacing beams produced by the overlapping portions of the beams on the detector. In another aspect, a detector is provided for detecting the intensity and frequency differences of the counter rotating beams in which two intensity producing detectors are provided spaced apart by a distance corresponding approximately to the overlapping portions of the counter rotating light beams upon the detector, whereby the overlapping portions of the beams fall generally between the two detecto…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.