In one embodiment, a method includes detecting, by a stall detection sensor in a driver coupled to a stepper motor, a first set of time-off periods in a rising commutation phase of motor current during current regulation. The stall detection sensor further detects a second set of time-off periods in a falling commutation phase of motor current during current regulation. Next, the stall detection sensor compares the first set of time-off periods with the second set of time-off periods and determines whether the stepper motor is stalled based on the comparison of the first set of time-off periods with the second set of time-off periods.

In one embodiment, a method includes detecting, by a stall detection sensor in a driver coupled to a stepper motor, a first set of time-off periods in a rising commutation phase of motor current during current regulation. The stall detection sensor further detects a second set of time-off periods in a falling commutation phase of motor current during current regulation. Next, the stall detection sensor compares the first set of time-off periods with the second set of time-off periods and determines whether the stepper motor is stalled based on the comparison of the first set of time-off periods with the second set of time-off periods.

A textile machine and associated method are provided for operating the textile machine that includes a plurality of workstations, wherein each workstation includes at least one stepper motor configured to drive an element at the workstation. The method includes measuring a load variable, for example a load angle, of the stepper motor and detecting an approach of the element to an end position based on changes to the load variable.

A motor drive control device has a controller and a driver. The controller generates a control signal for controlling driving of a two-phase stepping motor so as to alternately repeat one-phase excitation in which a coil of one phase in coils of two phases of the two-phase stepping motor is excited and two-phase excitation in which the coils of two phases in the coils of the two phases are excited. The driver drives the coils of the two phases, based on the control signal. The controller determines, based on a back electromotive force generated in the coil that was not excited during the one-phase excitation, a period of performing the one-phase excitation, and determines, based on the period of the one-phase excitation performed before the two-phase excitation, a period of performing the two-phase excitation.

A motor drive control device has a controller and a driver. The controller generates a control signal for controlling driving of a two-phase stepping motor so as to alternately repeat one-phase excitation in which a coil of one phase in coils of two phases of the two-phase stepping motor is excited and two-phase excitation in which the coils of two phases in the coils of the two phases are excited. The driver drives the coils of the two phases, based on the control signal. The controller determines, based on a back electromotive force generated in the coil that was not excited during the one-phase excitation, a period of performing the one-phase excitation, and determines, based on the period of the one-phase excitation performed before the two-phase excitation, a period of performing the two-phase excitation.

According to one embodiment, there is provided a control device including a determination unit, a correction unit and a drive controller. The determination unit determines whether a phase of a rotor of a stepping motor is ahead of or behind a target phase. The correction unit selects a correction value for a control value of a drive current of the stepping motor from among a plurality of correction values based on a determination result. The drive controller corrects the control value of the drive current with the selected correction value to drive the stepping motor.

According to one embodiment, there is provided a control device including a determination unit, a correction unit and a drive controller. The determination unit determines whether a phase of a rotor of a stepping motor is ahead of or behind a target phase. The correction unit selects a correction value for a control value of a drive current of the stepping motor from among a plurality of correction values based on a determination result. The drive controller corrects the control value of the drive current with the selected correction value to drive the stepping motor.

A control unit is configured to determine a first parameter from a back EMF signal, and to determine at least one second parameter from the back EMF signal corresponding to the first parameter. The control unit verifies, based on the first parameter, at least one condition containing the at least one second parameter, and detects stall or step-loss in the stepper motor based on the verification. The control unit uses a pattern detection by identifying characteristic features of peaks of the back EMF signal, which are order, magnitude and polarity. These characteristic features are independent of RPM, backlash, load and do not require complex calculations and are very robust even at lower RPMs.

A control unit is configured to determine a first parameter from a back EMF signal, and to determine at least one second parameter from the back EMF signal corresponding to the first parameter. The control unit verifies, based on the first parameter, at least one condition containing the at least one second parameter, and detects stall or step-loss in the stepper motor based on the verification. The control unit uses a pattern detection by identifying characteristic features of peaks of the back EMF signal, which are order, magnitude and polarity. These characteristic features are independent of RPM, backlash, load and do not require complex calculations and are very robust even at lower RPMs.

A bipolar stepper motor driving device drives a stepper motor including stator coils having plural phases. The bipolar stepper motor driving device includes H-bridge circuits, a current detector, a control circuit, and a re-turning-on instruction unit. The H-bridge circuits are provided correspondingly to the phases of the respective stator coils. The current detector detects current flowing in the stator coils. The control circuit executes drive control of the H-bridge circuits. The re-turning-on instruction unit commands the control circuit to switch into a short-circuited state a stator coil which has shifted from an energized state to an off-state among the stator coils, on a condition that an absolute value of a reverse current detected by the current detector has changed from a value larger than a threshold current value to a value smaller than the threshold current value.