Abstract: The damping of the fiber coil of a fiber gyroscope is automatically corrected or newly determined in a microprocessor by repeating a calculation program in which a previously known damping factor of the fiber coil is replaced by a more recently determined damping factor. The calculation program is repeated until the calculated damping factor converges toward a fixed value. In this way, changes in the damping factor, e.g. due to aging of the fiber coil, due to splicings in the fiber coil, are ascertained and automatically corrected.

Abstract: A method and system for evaluating signals from a fiber optical gyro employs a 3.times.3-coupler which makes it possible to ascertain a precise Sagnac-Signal in spite of the fact that the fluctuations of the optical characteristics of the fiber coil are unknown. Thus, a high precision is assured, while simultaneously reducing the quality requirments for the optical components of the system.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement for forming the difference and the sum of two detector signals has two photodetectors connected in back-to-back fashion. The difference signal is provided by a first operational amplifier connected to the junction between the two back-to-back connected photodetectors. The sum signal is formed by two further operational amplifiers, whereby one further operational amplifier inverts the signal from one detector and supplies the inverted signal to the input of the other operational amplifier. Thus, the difference signal and the summing signal are directly formed and accessible.