Optical-fiber gyroscope

US5037204A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Messerschmitt Bolkow Blohm GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Hans Poisel · Leinburg, DE
• Gert Trommer · Munich, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 29, 1990
• Grant date: Aug 6, 1991
• Expiry date: Aug 29, 2010

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01C19/725
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An optical-fiber gyroscope of the Sagnac type having an optical fiber coil and a 3.times.3 coupler comprising three optically coupled fiber optic guides. A first fiber optic guide of the 3.times.3 coupler is coupled at one end to a first optical radiation source, whose radiation intensity is detected directly by a radiation detector. The two other fiber optic guides of the 3.times.3 coupler are each coupled to respective ends of an optical fiber coil and, at the other ends of each of the two other fiber optic guides, to respective radiation detectors. The first fiber optic guide of the 3.times.3 coupler features a second optical radiation source, which is modulated by a frequency which differs from the modulation frequency of the first radiation source.