RING LASER GYRO DETECTOR LENS SYSTEM

Abstract

A ring laser gyroscope detector lens system for mounting on a ring laser gyroscope body having a resonant cavity. The ring laser gyroscope body has CW and CCW counterpropagating light beams propagating in a plane normal to the rate input axis of the ring laser gyroscope. The ring laser gyroscope detector lens system comprises a means for extracting a component of each of the CW and a CCW light beams from the cavity and for providing extracted CW and CCW beams. A means for combining the extracted CW and CCW beams to form an interference light source receives the extracted light. A planar array of detector element receives light from an objective lens means responsive to the interference light source. The objective lens means is typically a cylindrical lens that forms an interference light source pattern on the planar array of detector elements. A bias and amplification means is provided for conditioning each of the detectors in the array to be independently responsive to incident light intensity. The amplification means is further characterized to provide a detector output signal for each respective detector in response to the incident light intensity penetrating a predetermined threshold. The phase relationship between the detector output signals and the repetition rate of the detector output signals characterize the rotational polarity and rotational rate of the ring laser gyroscope body on the input axis.

Source: Google Patents

35 USC §181 Secrecy Order

Inventor

• 1TIMOTHY L. HOWARD

Technology Domains

Click a domain to browse all patents in this category.