Abstract: A method is provided for detecting a stall condition in a stepping motor. The stepping motor has two coils and a rotor, and is micro-stepped by substantially continuously driving both of the two coils with out-of-phase time varying voltages. The method includes stepping the stepping motor to a next micro-step. It is then determined when a predetermined motor parameter of a first coil of the two coils is to be sampled. To sample the predetermined motor parameter of, for example, the first coil, the first coil is opened for a predetermined period, wherein the predetermined period is less than or equal to a micro-step. Then the first coil is sampled during the predetermined period and the result of sampling is integrated and used to increment or decrement an accumulated value. If the accumulated value is less than a preset value, then a stall condition exists.

Abstract: A method is provided for detecting a stall condition in a stepping motor. The stepping motor has two coils and a rotor, and is micro-stepped by substantially continuously driving both of the two coils with out-of-phase time varying voltages. The method includes stepping the stepping motor to a next micro-step. It is then determined when a predetermined motor parameter of a first coil of the two coils is to be sampled. To sample the predetermined motor parameter of, for example, the first coil, the first coil is opened for a predetermined period, wherein the predetermined period is less than or equal to a micro-step. Then the first coil is sampled during the predetermined period and the result of sampling is integrated and used to increment or decrement an accumulated value. If the accumulated value is less than a preset value, then a stall condition exists.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention involves a method for controlling a stepper motor. The method includes creating an information set that defines a first acceleration profile of a stepper motor and a first deceleration profile of the stepper motor; and directing the stepper motor to follow either a second acceleration profile or a second deceleration profile after the stepper motor begins to follow either the first acceleration profile or the first deceleration profile. In another embodiment, the invention is a stepper motor controller that includes a circuit configured to store an information set that defines a first acceleration profile of a stepper motor and a first deceleration profile of the stepper motor; and direct the stepper motor to follow either a second acceleration profile or a second deceleration profile after the stepper motor begins to follow either the first acceleration profile or the first deceleration profile.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention involves a method for controlling a stepper motor. The method includes creating an information set that defines a first acceleration profile of a stepper motor and a first deceleration profile of the stepper motor; and directing the stepper motor to follow either a second acceleration profile or a second deceleration profile after the stepper motor begins to follow either the first acceleration profile or the first deceleration profile. In another embodiment, the invention is a stepper motor controller that includes a circuit configured to store an information set that defines a first acceleration profile of a stepper motor and a first deceleration profile of the stepper motor; and direct the stepper motor to follow either a second acceleration profile or a second deceleration profile after the stepper motor begins to follow either the first acceleration profile or the first deceleration profile.