Front-end Application Specific Integrated Circuit for Navigation-Grade MEMS Gyroscope

A universal Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) is developed to interface with best-in-class symmetric resonator/transducer assemblies and provide a navigation grade digital or analog gyroscope output. It supports conventional Coriolis Vibratory Gyro (CVG) operation including Rate Gyro and Rate Integrating Gyro as well as recent advanced CVG approaches including dual mode-reversed RGs and single RIGs with operational self-precession (Patent Pending). Direct output form its very high resolution, high dynamic range analog interface is provided to support Software Defined Gyros. This ASIC will replace current bulky and costly discrete electronics in current DoD and other navigation systems. It would also offer the potential to achieve wide-bandwidth, self-calibrated zero bias performance and, notably, reduce the quantity of resonators required for reduced costs. This could have further significant impact by replacing IMUs based on other gyro technology, e.g. optical, for precision pointing and navigation applications. The high front-end resolution of their design <10zF/rt-Hz and improved RIG performance would also increase the applicability of several CVG MEMS under development by extending bandwidth, rate range or scale factor accuracy