High speed data handling for laser gyro systems

The paper describes the test and analysis methods developed by the engineers in the Army Guidance & Control Directorate. The heart of this system is a high-speed dedicated minicomputer with a specialized Fourier analyzer controller and 7 track tape storage system. Real time data from the laser gyro system are handled at a 20-kilobit per second rate from as many as 10 sources. Data rates as high as 200, 16-bit words per second from all three gyros and accelerometers are accepted in real time. Analysis of these data takes on a new dimension since drift, in terms of degrees per hour, has no real correlation in a three-minute flight time. New forms of performance analysis of laser gyros are discussed and presented with supporting data. Laser gyro noise induced drift is analyzed and discussed. Finally some proposed new standards for specifying laser gyro performance in short flight regimes are presented.