The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 08, 2001
Filed:
Feb. 08, 2000
Carlo Vertemara, San Jose, CA (US);
Paolo Menegoli, San Jose, CA (US);
Massimiliano Brambilla, Milan, IT;
STMicroelectronics, Inc., Carrollton, TX (US);
Abstract
A method for starting a polyphase DC motor having a rotor. The position of the rotor is detected by initiating current in each of the phases of the motor and measuring a time period between the initiation of current in the coil and an instant when the current exceeds a threshold current. The phase in which the current reaches the threshold in the shortest amount of time is the phase closest to the position of the rotor. A phase closest to the position of the rotor is identified in each of an odd number of trials, and a starting phase is selected as the phase identified in the majority of trials. The motor is started by providing current to the starting phase.