Patent ID: 6943521

Claim:
A motor drive device comprising: a plurality of driver units for driving a motor; a command generator that transmits a command to the driver units, the command generator being connected to the driver units in serial communication; and a communication section that sets up unique communication formats corresponding to the driver units having different communication formats, including data transmission speed; wherein communication formats in the communication section are set during a synchronous communication frame comprising a communication stage in which the command generator and each of the driver units communicate using a communication format that is common to every driver unit, and after the synchronous communication frame, the command generator and each of the driver units transmit and receive information to control the motor during a normal communication frame comprising another communication stage in which communication formats corresponding to each of the driver units are used for communication; and wherein in the synchronous communication frame, the command generator transmits information including occupation times during which each of the driver units performs communication, and in the normal communication frame, each of the driver units communicates with the command generator during the occupation time of the driver unit, set up in the synchronous communication frame.