Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090309668 | Reversible Alkali Beam Cell - One embodiment of the invention includes an alkali beam cell system that comprises a reversible alkali beam cell. The reversible alkali beam cell includes a first chamber configured as a reservoir chamber that is configured to evaporate an alkali metal during a first time period and as a detection chamber that is configured to collect the evaporated alkali metal during a second time period. The reversible alkali beam cell also includes a second chamber configured as the detection chamber during the first time period and as the reservoir chamber during the second time period. The reversible alkali beam cell further includes an aperture interconnecting the first and second chambers and through which the alkali metal is allowed to diffuse. | 12-17-2009 |
20090316753 | TEMPERATURE SYSTEM WITH MAGNETIC FIELD SUPPRESSION - A temperature system is provided with magnetic field suppression. In one embodiment, the temperature system comprises a plurality of conductors patterned to conduct current in directions that generate 2 | 12-24-2009 |
20100194506 | Magnetic Solenoid for Generating a Substantially Uniform Magnetic Field - One embodiment of the invention includes a magnetic solenoid. The magnetic solenoid includes an elongated sidewall that extends between spaced apart ends. The elongated sidewall can surround a central axis that extends longitudinally along the sidewall. The elongated sidewall can have a radius that is defined by a compound equation that varies the radius as a function of position along the central axis. | 08-05-2010 |
20110025330 | NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE GYROSCOPE MECHANIZATION - One embodiment of the invention includes a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) gyroscope system. The system includes a gyro cell that is sealed to enclose an alkali metal vapor, a first gyromagnetic isotope, a second gyromagnetic isotope, and a third gyromagnetic isotope. The system also includes a magnetic field generator configured to generate a substantially uniform magnetic field that is provided through the gyro cell to cause the first, second, and third gyromagnetic isotopes to precess. The system further includes an angular rotation sensor configured to measure a rotation angle about a sensitive axis of the NMR gyroscope system based on measured precession angles of the first, second, and third gyromagnetic isotopes. | 02-03-2011 |
20110247414 | MAGNETIC SOLENOID FOR GENERATING A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM MAGNETIC FIELD - One embodiment of the invention includes a magnetic solenoid. The magnetic solenoid includes an elongated sidewall that extends along and surrounds a central axis between spaced apart ends. The central axis can include a center point that is approximately equidistant from the spaced apart ends. The magnetic solenoid also includes a conductive coil that extends along and conforms to the elongated sidewall and comprises a plurality of consecutive loops centered on the central axis. The plurality of consecutive loops can have a consecutive loop-spacing that is non-uniform along the central axis and having a substantial maximum spacing value at approximately the center point. | 10-13-2011 |
20120182011 | PHASE DETECTION IN AN ATOMIC SENSING SYSTEM - One embodiment of the invention includes an atomic sensing system. The system includes an atomic sensing device configured to generate an output signal along an output axis in response to a plurality of control parameters. The system also includes a signal generator configured to apply a reference signal to a cross-axis that is approximately orthogonal to the output axis. The system also includes a phase measurement system configured to demodulate the output signal relative to the reference signal to measure a relative phase alignment between the output axis and a physical axis of the atomic sensing device based on the reference signal. | 07-19-2012 |
20120191396 | GYROSCOPE SYSTEM MAGNETIC FIELD ERROR COMPENSATION - One embodiment of the invention includes a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) gyroscope system. The system includes a gyro cell that is sealed to enclose an alkali metal vapor, a first gyromagnetic isotope, and a second gyromagnetic isotope. A magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field that is provided through the gyro cell to cause the first and the second gyromagnetic isotopes to precess. A magnetic field error controller configured to measure an error associated with a magnitude of the magnetic field and to generate an error signal that is fed back to the magnetic field generator to maintain the magnetic field at a desired magnitude. The system further includes a mechanization processor configured to calculate a rotation angle about a sensitive axis of the NMR gyroscope system based on a measured precession angle of at least one of the first and second gyromagnetic isotopes and the error signal. | 07-26-2012 |
20120265481 | ACCELEROMETER SYSTEMS AND METHODS - An accelerometer system can include a sensor element comprising first and second proofmasses, the first proofmass accelerating in a first direction and the second proofmass accelerating in a second direction opposite the first direction in response to an external acceleration. A force rebalance controller applies control signals to at least one control element to provide a first force to accelerate the first proofmass toward a first null position and to at least one control element to provide a second force to accelerate the second proofmass toward a second null position. The force rebalance controller can also generate opposite polarity first and second output signals associated with respective displacements of the first and second proofmasses relative to the respective first and second null positions. An acceleration component calculates the external acceleration based on the first and second output signals. | 10-18-2012 |
20130327146 | OPTICAL ACCELEROMETER SYSTEM - One embodiment includes an accelerometer system. The system includes a laser configured to emit an optical beam at a linear polarization. The system also includes an optical cavity system. The optical cavity system includes a minor that is coupled to an accelerometer housing via a spring and is configured to reflect the optical beam. The optical cavity system also includes at least one photodetector configured to receive at least a portion of at least one of the optical beam and the reflected optical beam and to generate an acceleration signal that is indicative of motion of the mirror resulting from an external acceleration acting upon the accelerometer housing. The system further includes an acceleration processor configured to calculate a magnitude of the external acceleration based on the acceleration signal. | 12-12-2013 |
20130328557 | NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE PROBE SYSTEM - One embodiment includes a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) sensor system. The system includes a pump laser configured to generate an optical pump beam at a first wavelength and a probe laser configured to generate an optical probe beam at a second wavelength that is different from the first wavelength. The system also includes beam optics configured to direct the pump laser and the probe laser along orthogonal axes through a sensor cell comprising an alkali metal vapor. The system further includes detection optics that include a photodetector assembly configured to measure at least one characteristic associated with the optical probe beam leaving the sensor cell for measurement of a polarization vector of the alkali metal vapor. The detection optics can include at least one filter configured to filter light having the first wavelength and to pass light having the second wavelength to the photodetector assembly. | 12-12-2013 |
20140013845 | CLASS II CORIOLIS VIBRATORY ROCKING MODE GYROSCOPE WITH CENTRAL FIXED POST - A resonator gyroscope includes a central post; a resonator coupled to the central post; and a diaphragm coupled to the resonator, wherein at least one of the diaphragm and the central post accommodates rotation of the resonator in an axis in a plane of the diaphragm. | 01-16-2014 |
20140096587 | DYNAMIC SELF-CALIBRATION OF AN ACCELEROMETER SYSTEM - One embodiment includes a method for dynamic self-calibration of an accelerometer system. The method includes forcing a proof-mass associated with a sensor of the accelerometer system in a first direction to a first predetermined position and obtaining a first measurement associated with the sensor in the first predetermined position via at least one force/detection element of the sensor. The method also includes forcing the proof-mass to a second predetermined position and obtaining a second measurement associated with the sensor in the second predetermined position via the at least one force/detection element of the sensor. The method further includes calibrating the accelerometer system based on the first and second measurements. | 04-10-2014 |
20140159718 | COMBINED ELECTRON PARAMAGNETIC RESONANCE (EPR) AND NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE (NMR) MAGNETOMETER SYSTEM - One embodiment of the invention includes a magnetometer system. The system includes a sensor cell comprising alkali metal particles and a probe laser configured to provide a probe beam through the sensor cell. The system also includes a detection system configured to implement nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) detection of a vector magnitude of an external magnetic field in a first of three orthogonal axes based on characteristics of the probe beam passing through the sensor cell and to implement electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) detection of a vector magnitude of the external magnetic field in a second and a third of the three orthogonal axes based on the characteristics of the probe beam passing through the sensor cell. The system further includes a controller configured to calculate a scalar magnitude of the external magnetic field based on the magnitude of the external magnetic field in each of the three orthogonal axes. | 06-12-2014 |
20140184216 | SYSTEMS AND METHOD TO SUBSTANTIALLY MITIGATE AC STARK SHIFT EFFECTS IN A SENSOR SYSTEM - One embodiment includes a sensor system. The system includes a cell system comprising a pump laser configured to generate a pump beam to polarize alkali metal particles enclosed within a sensor cell. The system also includes a detection system comprising a probe laser configured to generate a probe beam. The detection system can also be configured to calculate at least one measurable parameter based on characteristics of the probe beam passing through the sensor cell resulting from precession of the polarized alkali metal particles in response to an applied magnetic field. The system further includes an AC Stark shift control system configured to frequency-modulate the pump beam and to control a center frequency of a frequency-modulated pump beam based on the characteristics of the probe beam passing through the sensor cell to substantially stabilize and mitigate the effects of AC Stark shift on the at least one measurable parameter. | 07-03-2014 |
20140230520 | RANGE-DEPENDENT BIAS CALIBRATION OF AN ACCELEROMETER SENSOR SYSTEM - One embodiment of the invention includes an accelerometer sensor system. The system includes a sensor comprising a proofmass and electrodes and being configured to generate acceleration feedback signals based on control signals applied to the electrodes in response to an input acceleration. The system also includes an acceleration component configured to measure the input acceleration based on the acceleration feedback signals. The system further includes an acceleration controller configured to generate the control signals to define a first scale-factor range associated with the sensor and to define a second scale-factor range associated with the sensor. The control system includes a calibration component configured to calibrate the accelerometer sensor system with respect to range-dependent bias error based on a difference between the measured input acceleration at each of the first scale-factor range and the second scale-factor range. | 08-21-2014 |
20140236522 | RANGE-DEPENDENT BIAS CALIBRATION OF AN ACCELEROMETER SENSOR SYSTEM - One embodiment of the invention includes an accelerometer sensor system. The system includes a sensor comprising a proofmass and electrodes and being configured to generate acceleration feedback signals based on control signals applied to the electrodes in response to an input acceleration. The system also includes an acceleration component configured to measure the input acceleration based on the acceleration feedback signals. The system further includes an acceleration controller configured to generate the control signals to define a first scale-factor range associated with the sensor and to define a second scale-factor range associated with the sensor. The control system includes a calibration component configured to calibrate the accelerometer sensor system with respect to range-dependent bias error based on a difference between the measured input acceleration at each of the first scale-factor range and the second scale-factor range. | 08-21-2014 |
20150015251 | ATOM BEAM GYROSCOPE - One embodiment of the invention includes an atom beam gyroscope system. The system includes an atom beam system that generates an atom beam comprising alkali metal atoms along a length of a detection region orthogonal to a sensitive axis. The system also includes a detection system comprising a detection laser and photodetector. The detection laser can generate an optical detection beam that illuminates the detection region to pump the alkali metal atoms. The photodetector can measure an optical absorption of the optical detection beam by the alkali metal atoms in the atom beam and to generate an intensity signal associated with the measured optical absorption. The system further includes a gyroscope sensor configured to calculate rotation of the atom beam gyroscope system about the sensitive axis based on a magnitude of the intensity signal due to a Doppler-shift in energy of the alkali metal atoms in the atom beam. | 01-15-2015 |
20150042327 | PROBE BEAM FREQUENCY STABILIZATION IN AN ATOMIC SENSOR SYSTEM - An atomic sensor system includes a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field along an axis and a probe laser configured to generate an optical probe beam. Beam optics direct the optical probe beam through a sensor cell comprising an alkali metal vapor such that the optical probe beam has at least a vector component along the axis. The system also includes detection optics comprising a photodetector assembly configured to measure a Faraday rotation associated with the optical probe beam exiting the sensor cell and to generate a feedback signal based on the Faraday rotation associated with the optical probe beam exiting the sensor cell. The system further includes a laser controller configured to modulate a frequency of the optical probe beam about a center frequency and to substantially stabilize the center frequency of the optical probe beam based on the feedback signal. | 02-12-2015 |