US 12,449,258 B2
Broadband resonator optical gyroscope with efficient optical power management for low shot noise
Tiequn Qiu, Glendale, AZ (US); Jianfeng Wu, Tucson, AZ (US); Glen A. Sanders, Scottsdale, AZ (US); Matthew Wade Puckett, Phoenix, AZ (US); Steven Tin, Edina, MN (US); and Marc Smiciklas, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Assigned to Honeywell International Inc., Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed by Honeywell International Inc., Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed on Jul. 20, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/356,186.
Prior Publication US 2025/0027771 A1, Jan. 23, 2025
Int. Cl. G01C 19/72 (2006.01); G01C 19/62 (2006.01); H01S 3/067 (2006.01)
CPC G01C 19/721 (2013.01) [G01C 19/62 (2013.01); H01S 3/067 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A resonator optical gyroscope, comprising:
a broadband light source configured to generate optical signals having a broadband frequency range;
an optical resonator;
a first optical coupler coupled to the optical resonator, wherein the first optical coupler is configured to receive the optical signals from the broadband light source and couple the optical signals into the optical resonator such that the optical signals propagate in a first direction through the optical resonator, wherein the first optical coupler is also configured to couple amplified optical signals out of the optical resonator after the amplified optical signals pass through the optical resonator in a second direction;
a second optical coupler coupled to the optical resonator, wherein the second optical coupler is configured to couple the optical signals out of the optical resonator after the optical signals pass through the optical resonator in the first direction, wherein the second optical coupler is also configured to couple the amplified optical signals into the optical resonator such that the optical signals propagate in the second direction through the optical resonator;
a gain element configured to receive the optical signals coupled out of the optical resonator by the second optical coupler and to amplify the optical signals that have been coupled out of the optical resonator by the second optical coupler and passed through the optical resonator in the first direction to generate the amplified optical signals;
a photodetector configured to convert the amplified optical signals to corresponding electrical signals based on a power level of the amplified optical signals; and
one or more circuits configured to determine a rate of rotation based on the corresponding electrical signals.