Passive ring resonator angular rate sensor

Claim 1

A passive ring resonator angular rate sensor comprising: a passive ring resonator waveguide structure for providing a closed-loop path capable of propagating first and second counter-propagating waves of energy about said closed-loop path, wherein the rate of rotation of said closed-loop path establishes an effective closed-loop path length defining at least one resonant frequency of said first wave and at least one resonant frequency of said second wave; source means capable of producing broad band electromagnetic energy wave; coupling means for concurrently introducing at least a portion of said broad band electromagnetic energy in opposite directions about said closed-loop path thereby providing coexisting first and second counter-propagating waves, each at its respective resonant frequency; and combining means responsive to at least a portion of said first and second waves for combining said waves so as to produce an output signal having a difference signal component related to the difference between said resonant frequency of said first and second waves indicative of the rotation rate of said closed-loop path.