Patent ID: 7049776

Claim:
A method for operating an electric motor, which motor comprises a stator ( 39 ); an external rotor ( 40 ), which external rotor ( 40 ) comprises a sensor magnet ( 54 ) having a plurality of sensor poles ( 55 ); at least one rotor position sensor ( 42 , 44 ), connected to the stator; and a rotor position evaluation arrangement ( 100 ); which method comprises the following steps: A) generating, with the at least one rotor position sensor ( 100 ), at least one rotor position signal dependent on the rotational position of the sensor magnet ( 54 ); B) delivering the at least one rotor position signal to the rotor position evaluation arrangement ( 100 ); and C) converting the at least one rotor position signal, in the rotor position evaluation arrangement ( 100 ), into at least one digital value having a resolution of at least two bits, with the result that the at least one rotor position signal can be converted into different digital values even at rotational positions within the angle range of one sensor pole.