Abstract: An electric machine includes a rotor portion and a stator portion. The rotor portion comprises a plurality of magnets. The stator portion comprises a plurality of electromagnetic poles located at the external perimeter of the stator. A conductive winding is wrapped around the stator poles. The stator is ideally formed in an annular shape from laminated substrates. The rotor and stator are located in a common housing. A hub retains the stator to a frame. When the conductive winding is energized with an electric current, temporary magnetic poles form around the stator poles. The rotor is located opposite the stator and separated by an air gap. The rotor rotates around the stator by electromagnetic forces. A machine controller controls the operation of the electric machine.

Abstract: A multiphase brushless permanent magnet motor has a stator provided with at least one winding for each phase, the windings permanently connected to each other at a plurality of junctions. A power source is coupled, via controlled motor energization circuitry, to a plurality of terminals connected to respective junctions, the number of which terminals is fewer than the number of motor phases. The motor energization circuitry is appropriately controlled by a central processor. A reduced number of controllable states is achieved while retaining a high degree of precision controllability. Thus, duplication of identical energization circuitry for each phase is avoided.