Method and system for switching between different types of operation of a sensorless permanent magnet brushless motor at low or zero speed to determine rotor position

1. A method of controlling motor switching, the method comprising:

manipulating a gate controller with a control unit to drive a multi-state pulse width modulated signal on two windings of a set of three windings within a motor;

measuring a plurality of voltage values with a voltage sense circuit on an undriven winding of the set of three windings within a motor;

demodulating the measured voltage values; and

changing which two windings are driven when the demodulated voltage values exceed a commutation threshold with the controller unit manipulating the gate controller.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multi-state pulse width modulated signal further comprises changing from a first pulse width modulated signal to a second pulse width modulated signal driving the two windings of the set of three windings, wherein the first pulse width modulated signal operates in a symmetric mode and the second pulse width modulated signal operates in an asymmetric mode.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein changing from the first pulse width modulated signal to the second pulse width modulated signal is performed when a current through the two windings surpasses a signal switching threshold.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein changing from the first pulse width modulated signal to the second pulse width modulated signal is performed when an energizing portion of the first pulse width modulated signal exceeds a timing threshold.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein changing from the first pulse width modulated signal to the second pulse width modulated signal is performed after changing which two windings are driven.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multi-state pulse width modulated signal further comprises changing from a first pulse width modulated signal to a second pulse width modulated signal driving the two windings of the set of three windings, wherein the first pulse width modulated signal operates in an asymmetric mode and the second pulse width modulated signal operates in a symmetric mode.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein changing from the first pulse width modulated signal to the second pulse width modulated signal is performed when a current through the two windings falls below a signal switching threshold.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein changing from the first pulse width modulated signal to the second pulse width modulated signal is performed when an energizing portion of the first pulse width modulated signal is below a timing threshold.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein changing from the first pulse width modulated signal to the second pulse width modulated signal is performed when the demodulated voltage values are proximate to the commutation threshold.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multi-state pulse width modulated signal further comprises a hybrid cycle that includes a positive voltage portion, a negative voltage portion, and a zero voltage portion within one cycle.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein a duration of each of the positive voltage portion, negative voltage portion, and a zero voltage portion is calculated based on operating conditions and motor characteristics.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein a period of the multi-state pulse width modulated signal is changed for a subsequent cycle.

13. A system for controlling motor switching, the system comprising:

a controller unit comprising a control signal generator, a memory device, a processing unit, a signal acquisition device, and an analog-to-digital converter;

a power stage having a plurality of switches in communication with the control signal generator, wherein the power stage receives a control signal from the control signal generator and a power signal from a power source, wherein the power stage drives two windings of the set of three stator windings with a multi-state pulse and leaves one stator of the three stator windings undriven;

wherein the processing unit device unit in communication with the signal acquisition device acquires a demodulated measured voltage on the undriven winding; and

wherein the processing unit in communication with the power stage through the control signal generator and in communication with the memory device communicates with the power stage to change which two windings of the three stator windings are driven when the demodulated measured voltage surpasses a threshold stored on the memory device.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the power stage drives the two windings with a symmetric drive signal and an asymmetric drive signal during a single commutation sequence step.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the processor determines whether the power stage drives the two windings with a symmetric drive signal or an asymmetric drive signal, wherein the processor determination is based on an output from the signal acquisition device.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein a single multi-state pulse period includes three states, that comprises a positive voltage, a negative voltage, and a ground.

17. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a clock in the controller unit, wherein the clock is programmed to measure time elapsed within a current commutation step and the multi-state pulse further comprises the power stage switching between a first pulse width modulation drive signal and a second pulse width modulation drive signal when a determined time has elapsed within the current commutation step.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the multi-state pulse further comprises the power stage switching between a first pulse width modulation drive signal and a second pulse width modulation drive signal when the demodulated measured voltage is proximate to the threshold.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the processing unit demodulates the measured voltage.