Interference sensor and method utilizing extracted alliasing frequency components
US5264914A · kind A · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 1, 1993 |
| Grant date | Nov 23, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 1, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01C19/72
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An interference sensor passes radiation from a source and a polariser to a loop of optical fiber so that radiation beams circulate in opposite directions around the loop and interfere. The loop contains an optical phase modulator which imposes an optical modulator on the radiation beams circulating on the loop. A converter detects the interfering and modulated beams and generates an interference signal which is then processed by an analyser. The interference in the loop is dependent on rotation of the loop and therefore analysis of the interference signal permits that rotation to be measured. In the present invention, the interference signal is (i) sampled at a frequency different from that of the optical modulation, or (ii) electronically modulated in the analyser at a frequency different from that of the optical modulation, or (iii) optically modulated in the loop at a second optical modulation frequency. The analysis in the analyser may be in the frequency domain (i.e. consideration being given to the frequency of the interference signal) or in the time domain (i.e. independent of frequency).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.