Patents by Inventor Pieter L. Swart

Pieter L. Swart has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5289259
    Abstract: Apparatus 200 for extracting a variable from two quadrature signals which are functions of the variable is disclosed and claimed. The apparatus is particularly suitable for use with a minimum configuration open-loop fiber optic gyroscope 100 to provide a signal (V.sub.out) proportional to the Sagnac phase shift, which is proportional to the rotation rate .OMEGA. of fiber loop 20. The apparatus comprises a trigonometric transformation circuit 30, a dynamic control circuit 32, a feedback loop 33, an adder and a feedforward loop 32.1. The adder, in use, adding an output signal of the dynamic control circuit and a signal in the feedforward loop to provide the signal (V.sub.out), with improved dynamic response. The apparatus also comprises a reset circuit 34 for extending the angular range of the apparatus. An adaptive reset circuit for improving the dynamic range of the apparatus is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1994
    Assignee: Rand Afrikaans University
    Inventors: Stephanus J. Spammer, Pieter L. Swart