Patent ID: 8378602

Claim:
A method for stopping a rotor in a motor, wherein the motor comprises the rotor and a plurality of pairs of electromagnets, the method comprising: exciting one or more pairs of electromagnets of the plurality of pairs of electromagnets at a first excitation level for a first period of time, wherein the one or more pairs of electromagnets is less than all of the plurality of pairs of electromagnets; decreasing, over a second period of time, the excitation of the one or more pairs of electromagnets to a second excitation level, wherein the second excitation level is a lower level than the first excitation level; wherein the motor is configured to induce rotation of the rotor by exciting the plurality of pairs of electromagnets according to a commutation pattern, wherein the one or more pairs of electromagnets are not commutated during the first and second periods of time; wherein said exciting and decreasing causes the rotor to stop in a known position.