Patent ID: 8508174

Claim:
An electronically commutated electric motor comprising a rotor ( 28 ); a stator, associated with which is a stator winding arrangement ( 26 ) to which electrical current (i 1 ) from an external energy source ( 47 ) is applied, during operation, in order to drive the motor ( 20 ), the external energy source ( 47 ) applying a first voltage (U B ) to said winding arrangement ( 26 ); a digital computer ( 36 ) that is configured and adapted to control a normal startup process of the motor ( 20 ); a PWM generator ( 84 ) associated with the digital computer ( 36 ), the motor ( 20 ) being designed for operation in a parameter range that encompasses at least one variable parameter that can have different values upon startup of the motor ( 20 ), the at least one variable parameter being said first voltage, the digital computer ( 36 ) having associated with it an analog-to-digital converter ( 85 ) that is configured to output at least one digital value (ADmeas) which characterizes an instantaneous magnitude of said variable parameter; and the digital computer ( 36 ) being configured to carry out, during operation, the steps of: generating at least one digital value that characterizes the instantaneous magnitude of the variable parameter; after the motor ( 20 ) is switched on and before said normal startup process begins, during a first time phase (T 1 ), switching on and off the current (i 1 ) delivered to the stator winding arrangement ( 26 ) from the external energy source ( 47 ) using a pulse duty factor (pwm) derived from the at least one digital value, said pulse duty factor being a function of the first digital value, in order to produce startup of the motor ( 20 ), regardless of possibly unusual conditions; subsequent to the first time phase (T 1 ), and while the rotor ( 28 ) is rotating, initiating a normal startup process of the motor ( 20 ).