Patent ID: 8446119

Claim:
An apparatus for controlling an electric motor, comprising: a plurality of switches for controlling a direction of current through motor coils of the electric motor, each switch comprising a first position and a second position; and a brushless motor control circuit connected to each of the plurality of switches, wherein: responsive to a request to adjust one of an angular velocity and an angular acceleration of the electric motor, the plurality of switches are dynamically activated to place the motor coils in a first predetermined configuration to maximize torque when the plurality of switches are in the first position or in a second predetermined configuration to reduce a total back electromotive force (BEMF) from the motor coils when the plurality of switches are in a second position, dynamically activating the plurality of switches comprises switching ON/OFF at least a portion of the plurality of switches to place the motor coils in the first predetermined configuration or the second predetermined configuration without stopping the electric motor, in the first predetermined configuration the plurality of motor coils are in a serial configuration, and in the second predetermined configuration the plurality of motor coils are in a parallel configuration.