Patent ID: 8547044

Claim:
A method for determining the angular position of a synchronous machine having a magnetically anisotropic rotor, comprising: performing an (m) iteration stage, including: generating an (m) magnetic field of an (m) angular direction having a strength which varies as a function of time by the application of an (m) voltage pulse to the synchronous machine and acquiring an (m) peak value of the current pulse generated by the (m) voltage pulse; and providing further (m+i) peak values which are generated by magnetic fields in different (m+i) angular directions and which differ from the (m) angular direction; performing an (n) iteration stage which follows the (m) iteration stage, the (n) iteration stage including: ascertaining the angular directions in which the two highest or the two lowest peak values from a peak value group occur as an (n+1) angular direction and an (n+2) angular direction, the peak value group including the (m) peak value and the further (m+i) peak values; and one of: (i) providing an (n) angular direction, which resides between the (n+1) angular direction and the (n+2) angular direction, as an angular position output; or (ii) providing an (n) angular direction, which resides between the (n+1) angular direction and the (n+2) angular direction, wherein in the (n) angular direction an (n) magnetic field having a strength which changes as a function of time is generated by the application of an (n) voltage pulse to the synchronous machine, to acquire an (n) peak value of the current pulse generated by the (n) voltage pulse.