Patent attributes
A motor control system for a two-phase brushless DC motor uses measured EMF voltage from the passive set of stator coils to control commutation. A microcontroller receives the EMF voltage measurement and compares it to a threshold voltage value, which may be speed-dependent for advance commutation at high motor speeds. A match of the EMF voltage measurement with the threshold value triggers commutation of the drive to the opposite set of stator coils. The microcontroller also has an up-down counter timer whose count value is compared to an external speed reference. Each match of the count value triggers a transition in a pulse-width modulated (PWM) drive signal. The duty cycle of the PWM signal establishes an average drive voltage that controls motor speed.