Abstract: A method or system for bringing a movable element of a stepper motor to its home position by mechanically blocking the movable element from further moving from the home position, wherein the movable element is moved in one direction by repeating an energization cycle in which windings for sequentially establishing different energization phases are energized in a predetermined sequence at a predetermined interval from one phase to another. After the movable element is mechanically blocked, a motor driver circuit energizes at least one of the windings which corresponds to at least one of the energization phases that precedes another of the energization phases which corresponds to the home position of the movable element. This energization of the winding or windings for each preceding phase continues for a time longer than the predetermined energization interval of the normal energization cycle.

Abstract: The present invention provides an N phase/N+1 phase energization type stepper motor controller for alternately energizing an N number and an N+1 number of phases where N is an integer equal to or greater than one. The controller detects which phase(s) is(are) energized at a time when the stepper motor is paused, and sets a starting pulse width for N phase energization to be made shorter than that of N+1 phase energization, in response to the detected results. When the initial energization in starting is N+1 phase, a driving pulse having a width which is longer than that N phase for energization is outputted. The N+1 phase energization has stronger magnetism for rotating a rotor than N phase energization, thereby increasing the rotational speed for starting. When the initial energization is N phase, a driving pulse having a width which is shorter than that for N+1 phase energization is outputted.