US3938256A — Quick settling gyrocompass having interaxis decou…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 324 words

A quick settling, accurate gyrocompass comprising a packaged gyroscope having a case and rotor, said rotor having a spin axis and two orthogonal input axes about which motion takes place in aligning the spin axis, said gyroscope also including error signal generators (12, 13) and torquing generators (15, 17) for sensing and causing angular motion of the rotor about each input axis with respect to the spin reference axis of the case; external plural axis gimbal supporting means (30, 31) for supporting the packaged gyroscope with rotational freedom of movement about two said axes (32, 33); gimbal servo drive means (21, 22) for moving the packaged gyroscope about each said gimbal axis (32, 33); a torquing amplifier (14, 16) operatively coupled between the error signal generator and the torquing generator for motion about each input axis of said gyroscope for amplifying the error signals and for transmitting those signals to the torquing generator (15, 17) to drive the gyroscope rotor about said input axes to maintain alignment of the rotor and the gyroscope case to null any error signal due to a difference in alignment between the rotor spin axis and the spin reference axis of the case; a signal summing means (26, 27) coupled to the output of each torquing amplifier (14, 16); said gimbal servo drive means (21, 22) including motors (25) for driving said gimbal means and circuit means coupled to the output of each summing means (26, 27) for deriving signals of suitable polarity and magnitude for driving said motors to align the gyro spin axes with the earth's axis; and compensation circuit means (28, 29) connected between the output of each summing means (26, 27) and the input of the other summing means to cause said summing means to subtract from the torquing amplifier output a signal representing that component of the rate of rotation of the packaged gyro about its input axes which is due to gimbal rotation.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 324 words

A quick settling, accurate gyrocompass comprising a packaged gyroscope having a case and rotor, said rotor having a spin axis and two orthogonal input axes about which motion takes place in aligning the spin axis, said gyroscope also including error signal generators (12, 13) and torquing generators (15, 17) for sensing and causing angular motion of the rotor about each input axis with respect to the spin reference axis of the case; external plural axis gimbal supporting means (30, 31) for supporting the packaged gyroscope with rotational freedom of movement about two said axes (32, 33); gimbal servo drive means (21, 22) for moving the packaged gyroscope about each said gimbal axis (32, 33); a torquing amplifier (14, 16) operatively coupled between the error signal generator and the torquing generator for motion about each input axis of said gyroscope for amplifying the error signals and for transmitting those signals to the torquing generator (15, 17) to drive the gyroscope rotor about said input axes to maintain alignment of the rotor and the gyroscope case to null any error signal due to a difference in alignment between the rotor spin axis and the spin reference axis of the case; a signal summing means (26, 27) coupled to the output of each torquing amplifier (14, 16); said gimbal servo drive means (21, 22) including motors (25) for driving said gimbal means and circuit means coupled to the output of each summing means (26, 27) for deriving signals of suitable polarity and magnitude for driving said motors to align the gyro spin axes with the earth's axis; and compensation circuit means (28, 29) connected between the output of each summing means (26, 27) and the input of the other summing means to cause said summing means to subtract from the torquing amplifier output a signal representing that component of the rate of rotation of the packaged gyro about its input axes which is due to gimbal rotation.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 69 words

A quick settling, accurate gyrocompass according to claim 1 wherein said compensation circuit means comprises electronic means for introducing to each summing means a signal which is the output of the other summing means modified by the transfer function between that output and the error signal already introduced, said electronic means having two channels wherein each channel has one of the two possible transfer functions as its operational characteristic.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 64 words

A quick settling, accurate gyrocompass according to claim 2 wherein the transfer function is given the expression f (s) = K 1 K 2 /S + K 1 where K 1 and K 2 are constants and K 2 ˜K 1 × 10 3 ˜ W e × 10 5 , W e is the earth's rate, and S is a LaPlace transform operator.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 59 words

A quick settling, accurate gyrocompass according to claim 1 wherein said plural axis gimbal supporting means (30, 31) comprises a two-gimbal device mounted on a stabilized platform wherein one said gimbal (31) has its axis (32) of rotation in a horizontal plane and the other said gimbal (30) has its axis (33) of rotation normal to said horizontal plane.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 69 words

A quick settling, accurate gyrocompass according to claim 4 wherein said compensation circuit means comprises electronic means for introducing to each summing means a signal which is the output of the other summing means modified by the transfer function between that output and the error signal already introduced, said electronic means having two channels wherein each channel has one of the two possible transfer functions as its operational characteristic.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 61 words

A quick settling, accurate gyrocompass according to claim 5 wherein the transfer function is given by the expression f (s) = K.sub.1 K.sub.2 /S + K.sub.1 where K 1 and K 2 are constants and K 2 ˜K 1 × 10 3 ˜W e × 10 5 , W e is the earth's rate, and S is a LaPlace transform operator.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 123 words

In a gyrocompass having a gyroscope mounted on a gimbaled structure and wherein the gyroscope has a spin axis, two orthogonal input axes and electronic means to produce error signals indicating misalignment of the spin axis of the gyroscope with the earth spin axis, the gimbaled structure has electronic means responsive to said error signals for orienting the whole gyroscope, and there are circuit means interconnecting said electronic means for transmission of said error signals; the improvement comprising an electronic compensation network added to said circuit means for receiving and processing said error signals by removing from said error signals that portion caused by movement of said gimbaled structure whereby erection of said gyroscope is facilitated and time of settlement may be reduced.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 123 words

In a gyrocompass having a gyroscope mounted on a gimbaled structure and wherein the gyroscope has a spin axis, two orthogonal input axes and electronic means to produce error signals indicating misalignment of the spin axis of the gyroscope with the earth spin axis, the gimbaled structure has electronic means responsive to said error signals for orienting the whole gyroscope, and there are circuit means interconnecting said electronic means for transmission of said error signals; the improvement comprising an electronic compensation network added to said circuit means for receiving and processing said error signals by removing from said error signals that portion caused by movement of said gimbaled structure whereby erection of said gyroscope is facilitated and time of settlement may be reduced.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 123 words

The gyroscope of claim 7 wherein said electronic means to produce error signals produces two such signals which measure the misalignment as angular rates about the two input axes of the gyroscope, said circuit means also includes a signal summing means responsive to each of said error signals and said gimbaled structure has two degrees of rotational freedom and wherein said compensation network further comprises electronic means attached to the output and an input of each said summing means and introduces to the input of each said summing means a transformed signal which is the output of the other said summing means transformed by the transfer function between said output and the error signal to which the one said summing means is responsive.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 63 words

A gyrocompass according to claim 8 wherein the transfer function of the electronic means is given by the expression f (s) = K.sub.1 K.sub.2 /S + K.sub.1 where K 1 and K 2 are constants and K 2 ˜K 1 × 10 3 ˜ W e × 10 5 , W e is the earth's rate and S is a LaPlace transform operator.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1979-02-16	1979-08-18	1980-02-17	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1983-02-16	1983-08-18	1984-02-17	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1987-02-16	1987-08-18	1988-02-17	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Quick settling gyrocompass having interaxis decoupling compensation for improved response time

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