A gyroscope system comprises a MEMS gyroscope coupled to a drive system and a sense system. The drive system maintains the MEMS gyroscope in a state of oscillation and the sense system for receiving, amplifying, and demodulating an output signal of the MEMS gyroscope that is indicative of the rate of rotation. The gyroscope system further includes a phase-locked look (PLL) which receives a reference clock (REFCLK) from the drive system and produces a system clock (CLK). Finally, the gyroscope system includes a controller operating on the system clock sets an operating state of the drive system and the sense system and also controls a state of the PLL. One or more system state variables are maintained in a substantially fixed state during a protect mode thereby enabling rapid transitions between a low-power mode and a normal operating mode of the gyroscope system.

System for stabilizing an offshore horizontal axis wind turbine having a tower, the system comprising sensors for generating signals representing detected movements of the tower, and gyroscopes. Each gyroscope has a spinning axis, an input axis and an output axis, and a flywheel rotatable about the spinning axis. The system further comprises an actuator for each gyroscope, said actuator being arranged with its related gyroscope in such a way that this actuator can apply a torque about the input axis of the gyroscope. The system also comprises a control unit for receiving the signals representing detected movements of the tower, and for providing the actuator with suitable control signals for said actuator to apply a torque about the related gyroscope input axis, said torque about the input axis producing a torque about the output axis of the same gyroscope that at least partly dampens the detected movements of the tower.

A method is described for avoiding gyroscopic singularities during attitude correction to a system, such as a spacecraft having a CMG array. The method receives a corrective torque vector and gimbal angle values for each of at least three gimbals within the CMG array. The method generates a Jacobian matrix A as a function of gimbal angle values . The method calculates a determinant D of Jacobian matrix A. If the determinant is not equal to zero, it is not singular, and the method calculates a gimbal rate {dot over ()} using a pseudo-inverse steering law equation. If the determinant is equal to zero, it is singular, and the method calculates a gimbal rate {dot over ()} using a singularity avoidance steering law equation. The gimbal rate {dot over ()} is output and can be applied to a CMG array resulting in applied torque to a spacecraft and attitude correction.

A method is described for avoiding gyroscopic singularities during attitude correction to a system, such as a spacecraft having a CMG array. The method receives a corrective torque vector and gimbal angle values for each of at least three gimbals within the CMG array. The method generates a Jacobian matrix A as a function of gimbal angle values . The method calculates a determinant D of Jacobian matrix A. If the determinant is not equal to zero, it is not singular, and the method calculates a gimbal rate {dot over ()} using a pseudo-inverse steering law equation. If the determinant is equal to zero, it is singular, and the method calculates a gimbal rate {dot over ()} using a singularity avoidance steering law equation. The gimbal rate {dot over ()} is output and can be applied to a CMG array resulting in applied torque to a spacecraft and attitude correction.

A system and method for preventing a gimbal from exceeding a predetermined gimbal rate limit includes receiving a gimbal rate command and a gimbal rate feedback signal representative of sensed gimbal rate. The gimbal rate command and the gimbal rate feedback signal are compared, in a control circuit, to determine a gimbal rate error. A predetermined gain scaling factor is applied, in the control circuit, to the gimbal rate command to generate a scaled gimbal rate command. The gimbal is disabled when the gimbal rate error is greater than or equal to the scaled gimbal rate.

A gyroscope system comprises a MEMS gyroscope coupled to a drive system and a sense system. The drive system maintains the MEMS gyroscope in a state of oscillation and the sense system for receiving, amplifying, and demodulating an output signal of the MEMS gyroscope that is indicative of the rate of rotation. The gyroscope system further includes a phase-locked look (PLL) which receives a reference clock (REFCLK) from the drive system and produces a system clock (CLK). Finally, the gyroscope system includes a controller operating on the system clock sets an operating state of the drive system and the sense system and also controls a state of the PLL. One or more system state variables are maintained in a substantially fixed state during a protect mode thereby enabling rapid transitions between a low-power mode and a normal operating mode of the gyroscope system.