Patent ID: 7928676

Claim:
A vehicle motor control apparatus comprising: an electric-power conversion unit in which a plurality of drive arms each provided with an upper switch element and a lower switch element that are connected in series with each other is connected between the positive and negative terminals of a DC power supply unit, and the respective intermediate connection points of the upper switch elements and the lower switch elements of the drive arms are connected with corresponding terminals for respective phases of the stator windings of a motor; and a control means that on/off-controls the upper switch elements and the lower switch elements, thereby applying voltages to the stator windings of the motor and energizing the stator windings with a stator current so as to drive and control the motor, wherein the control means causes a first ON state in which, through the upper switch element group in the drive arms, one of the stator winding terminals is energized, and through the lower switch element group in the drive arms, another stator winding terminal is energized and a second ON state in which, through the upper switch element group in the drive arms, one or two of the stator winding terminals are energized, and through the lower switch element group in the drive arms, all other stator winding terminals, which are not energized by the upper switch element group, are energized, and controls the electric-power conversion unit in such a way that the first and second ON states are alternately switched in one cycle period of an electric angle that changes as the rotor of the motor rotates.