Two decades of KVH fiber optic gyro technology: From large, low performance FOGs to compact, precise FOGs and FOG-based inertial systems

Abstract

Fiber optic gyroscopes (FOGs) are vital components for manned, unmanned, and autonomous platforms, as well as applications requiring extremely accurate data for stabilization, pointing, orientation of payloads, and navigation and control. FOG-based inertial systems also provide highly accurate data for all types of navigation, positioning, and georeferencing systems. Substantial improvements in the performance of FOGs and FOG-based inertial systems at KVH are directly related to advancements in the design and manufacture of optical fiber, as well as in manufacturing operations and signal processing. Open-loop FOGs, such as those developed and manufactured by KVH Industries, offer tactical-grade performance in a robust, small package. The success of KVH FOGs and FOG-based inertial systems is due to a series of key innovations including the development of proprietary D-shaped fiber with an elliptical core, as well as KVH's ThinFiber. KVH continually improves its FOG manufacturing processes and its signal processing, with the goal of improving accuracies across its entire FOG product line. KVH acquired its FOG capabilities, including its patented E·Core® fiber, when the company purchased the assets of Andrew Corporation's Sensor Products Group in 1997. E·Core fiber is unique in that the light-guiding fiber core — critical to the FOG's performance — is elliptically-shaped. The elliptical core results in an optical path with low loss and high polarization-maintaining ability. In 2011, KVH developed its ThinFiber, a 170-micron diameter dual acrylate-coated fiber that retains the full performance characteristics of E·Core fiber. ThinFiber has enabled the development of compact, high-performance open-loop FOGs, which are also used in a line of FOG-based inertial measurement units (IMUs) and inertial navigation systems (INS).