Abstract: Angular position of a polyphase brushless DC motor rotor is determined by the steps of generating a sequence of pulses with a programmed digital microcontroller, sequentially applying the pulses to selected ones of the plural windings or winding pairs, and sequentially measuring differential inductive coupling between the selected ones of the windings and selected others of the windings without rotating the rotor. Once angular position is determined, a multi-mode startup sequence is carried out to spin up the motor to a desired rotational velocity without any counter-rotation at startup.