Patent ID: 8040100

Claim:
A computer implemented method for automatically calculating a control pulse duration for optimal stepper motor performance, the computer implemented method comprising: increasing a duration of control pulses to a stepper motor until stepper motor function begins; continuing to increase the duration of the control pulses to the stepper motor; determining whether an initial failure of the stepper motor is detected; responsive to determining that an initial failure of the stepper motor is detected, recording the duration of the control pulses at a time of the initial failure in a table; decreasing the duration of the control pulses after the initial failure of the stepper motor until the stepper motor function is restored; continuing to decrease the duration of the control pulses to the stepper motor; determining whether a second failure of the stepper motor is detected; responsive to determining that a second failure of the stepper motor is detected, recording the duration of the control pulses at a time of the second failure in the table; calculating a control pulse duration that optimizes performance of the stepper motor using control pulse duration data recorded in the table at the time of the initial failure and at the time of the second failure; and applying the calculated control pulse duration to the stepper motor to optimize the performance of the stepper motor.