Abstract: A control circuit controls the operation of a brushless DC (BLDC) sensorless motor having a first terminal connected to a first winding, a second terminal connected to a second winding and a third terminal connected to a third winding. A driver circuit applies drive signals to the first and second terminals and places the third terminal in a high-impedance state. The drive signals include first drive signals at a first current amplitude and second drive signals at a second current amplitude different from the first current amplitude. A differencing circuit senses a first mutual inductance voltage at the third terminal in response to the first drive signals and senses a second mutual inductance voltage at the third terminal in response to the second drive signals. The differencing circuit further determines a difference between the first and second mutual inductance voltages and produces a difference signal that is used for zero-crossing detection and rotor position sensing.

Abstract: A control circuit controls the operation of a brushless DC (BLDC) sensorless motor having a first terminal connected to a first winding, a second terminal connected to a second winding and a third terminal connected to a third winding. A driver circuit applies drive signals to the first and second terminals and places the third terminal in a high-impedance state. The drive signals include first drive signals at a first current amplitude and second drive signals at a second current amplitude different from the first current amplitude. A differencing circuit senses a first mutual inductance voltage at the third terminal in response to the first drive signals and senses a second mutual inductance voltage at the third terminal in response to the second drive signals. The differencing circuit further determines a difference between the first and second mutual inductance voltages and produces a difference signal that is used for zero-crossing detection and rotor position sensing.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a position of a rotor of a DC motor with N phases having a plurality of windings. The apparatus includes circuitry to couple at least two of the windings between a supply voltage and a reference voltage according to a first current path and allow the current stored in the two windings to be discharged through a second current path. The circuitry is configured to force the at least two windings at a short circuit condition in the second current path. The apparatus also includes a measurement circuit configured to measure the time period of discharging the current stored in the two windings and a rotor position detector for detecting the rotor position based on the measured time period.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a position of a rotor of a DC motor with N phases having a plurality of windings. The apparatus includes circuitry to couple at least two of the windings between a supply voltage and a reference voltage according to a first current path and allow the current stored in the two windings to be discharged through a second current path. The circuitry is configured to force the at least two windings at a short circuit condition in the second current path. The apparatus also includes a measurement circuit configured to measure the time period of discharging the current stored in the two windings and a rotor position detector for detecting the rotor position based on the measured time period.

Abstract: An ohmic-inductive electrical load, such as an electric motor, for example, for a hard-disk drive, is driven by supplying thereto a load current via a switching power stage supplied with a source current delivered by a supply source. The driving action may include sensing the load current; estimating the source current starting from the load current sensed; generating a feedback signal that assumes different values as a function of the result of the comparison between the source current estimated and a source-current threshold value; and driving the switching power stage via the feedback signal, increasing or decreasing, respectively, as a function of the different values assumed by the feedback signal, the load current, thereby controlling the source current.

Abstract: A device may detect the zero-cross event of a BEMF of an electric motor with first, second, and third phase windings driven by respective first, second, and third power driving stages. The device may include a control circuit configured to place at an impedance state the third power driving stage relative to the third phase winding, the third phase winding being coupled to a zero-cross detecting circuit, introduce a masking signal to mask an output signal of the zero-cross detecting circuit in correspondence with each rising edge of a first driving signal of the first power driving stage relative to the first phase winding, and determine whether a first duty-cycle of the first driving signal is such that a duration of a masking window of the masking signal is greater than an on-time period of the first driving signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a position of a rotor of a DC motor with N phases having a plurality of windings. The apparatus includes circuitry to couple at least two of the windings between a supply voltage and a reference voltage according to a first current path and allow the current stored in the two windings to be discharged through a second current path. The circuitry is configured to force the at least two windings at a short circuit condition in the second current path. The apparatus also includes a measurement circuit configured to measure the time period of discharging the current stored in the two windings and a rotor position detector for detecting the rotor position based on the measured time period.

Abstract: A method of preventing concurrent or quasi-concurrent commutations of a pair of phase shift modulation (PSM) drive signals of an output bridge stage driving an electrical load includes establishing a threshold level of a programmed current level to be transmitted though the electrical load. The method also includes, if the programmed current level is lower than the threshold level, enhancing a time offset between commutation edges of the pair of PSM drive signals by a minimum time.

Abstract: The method of synchronizing sequential phase switchings in driving stator windings of a multiphase sensorless brushless motor with a reconstructed information on the current angular position of a permanent magnet rotor, includes sampling on a currently non-conductive stator winding a voltage induced thereon by the resultant magnetic field produced by the drive current forced through currently conductive stator windings that inverts its sign when the rotor transitions across a plurality of significant angular positions, at which orthogonality between the resultant magnetic field and a magnetic axis of the non-excited winding verifies.

Abstract: A method to determine a back electromotive force induced in a coil of a voice-coil motor by its motion. The motor is driven in a discontinuous mode by commanding alternating on-phases and off-phases (tristate). A drive current flowing in the coil or a drive voltage on the coil at an end of an on-phase is sensed. An amplitude of a voltage disturbance induced in the coil by mutual induction between a permanent magnet of the voice-coil motor and the moving coil as a function of the sensed drive current or drive voltage is estimated. Voltage on the coil is sensed during a following off-phase with no current flowing in the coil. The back electromotive force induced in the moving coil is determined as a difference between the sensed voltage and the estimated amplitude of the voltage disturbance.

Abstract: The method of synchronizing sequential phase switchings in driving stator windings of a multiphase sensorless brushless motor with a reconstructed information on the current angular position of a permanent magnet rotor, includes sampling on a currently non-conductive stator winding a voltage induced thereon by the resultant magnetic field produced by the drive current forced through currently conductive stator windings that inverts its sign when the rotor transitions across a plurality of significant angular positions, at which orthogonality between the resultant magnetic field and a magnetic axis of the non-excited winding verifies.

Abstract: A method of preventing concurrent or quasi-concurrent commutations of a pair of phase shift modulation (PSM) drive signals of an output bridge stage driving an electrical load includes establishing a threshold level of a programmed current level to be transmitted though the electrical load. The method also includes, if the programmed current level is lower than the threshold level, enhancing a time offset between commutation edges of the pair of PSM drive signals by a minimum time.

Abstract: A method to determine a back electromotive force induced in a coil of a voice-coil motor by its motion. The motor is driven in a discontinuous mode by commanding alternating on-phases and off-phases (tristate). A drive current flowing in the coil or a drive voltage on the coil at an end of an on-phase is sensed. An amplitude of a voltage disturbance induced in the coil by mutual induction between a permanent magnet of the voice-coil motor and the moving coil as a function of the sensed drive current or drive voltage is estimated. Voltage on the coil is sensed during a following off-phase with no current flowing in the coil. The back electromotive force induced in the moving coil is determined as a difference between the sensed voltage and the estimated amplitude of the voltage disturbance.