Patent ID: 8076880

Claim:
A motor control device for controlling the operation of a motor comprising: a multi-phase bridge circuit comprised of a plurality of pairs of switching elements in which a pair of switching elements connected in series is provided for each phase of the motor, and the pairs of switching elements for multi-phases of the motor are connected in parallel, and a connection node between the switching elements in each pair being connected to the motor; and a microcomputer configured to set a dead time for the pair of switching elements connected in series for each phase of the motor in order to simultaneously turn the pair of switching elements for each phase off, and the microcomputer instructing the switching elements to turn on and off and adjusting the dead time for the pair of switching elements for each phase in order to control the operation of the motor, each switching element is equipped with a fly wheel diode, the microcomputer detects the actual dead time of the pair of switching elements for each phase of the motor based on voltages at a connection node between the pair of switching elements connected in series for each phase, and the microcomputer adjusts the dead time of the pair of switching elements for each phase of the motor on the basis of an actual dead time of the pair of switching elements for each phase of the motor which is actually detected.