Patent ID: 7872434

Claim:
An electronically commutated motor ( 100 , 100 ′, 100 ″, 100 ′″) that comprises a permanent-magnet rotor ( 28 ); a stator having a stator winding arrangements ( 40 ); an external power stage ( 50 ) for influencing current flow in the stator winding arrangement ( 40 ); and an integrated motor control module ( 20 ) implemented as an integrated circuit (IC), wherein said module has a control logic unit (( 27 ) and an internal power stage ( 29 ) that has at least one open collector output ( 21 , 23 ), the control logic unit ( 27 ) being configured to process at least one rotor position signal ( 24 ′, 24 ″) and to generate therefrom at least one control signal ( 27 ′) for the internal power stage ( 29 ), which at least one control signal ( 27 ′) serves to apply control to the internal power stage ( 29 ) in order to generate an output signal ( 21 ′, 23 ′) at the at least one open collector output ( 21 , 23 ) of the motor control module ( 20 ); said external power stage ( 50 ), is separate from the motor control module ( 20 ), for influencing the current flow in the stator winding arrangement ( 40 ); and further comprising an inversion logic unit ( 30 ) that is configured to reshape the output signal ( 21 ′, 23 ′) generated at the at least one open collector output ( 21 , 23 ) for the purpose of generating commutation signals ( 51 ′, 53 ′) for the external power stage ( 50 ).