Patent ID: 6864649

Claim:
A method for supplying current to an electronically commutated electric motor, especially a three-phase direct current motor, by a semiconductor power end stage, with means for measuring the current delivered to said motor and with an electronic controller for controlling branch currents of said motor, said method comprising the steps of: a) supplying to said electronic controller a signal from a current sensor ( 24 ) in a common conductor ( 26 ) of semiconductor switches of said semiconductor power end stage, winding terminal voltages (U 1 ,U 2 , U 3 ) of respective branch windings ( 16 , 18 , 20 ) of said motor and a total supply voltage (U) applied to said semiconductor power end stage; and b) determining respective conducting state D.C. resistances of the semiconductor switches and said branch currents (I 1 , I 2 , I 3 ) with said electronic controller from said signals and voltages supplied to said electronic controller with logical incorporation of control signals (G 1 -G 6 ) produced by said electronic controller.