Motor drive operation at light load conditions

A method comprising:

• changing a switching frequency of each of one or more complementary stages of a motor drive circuit configured to operate the motor-driven component from a first switching frequency to a second switching frequency, wherein the first switching frequency is about 16 kHz and the second switching frequency is in a range from about 6 kHz to less than 16 kHz, wherein:
• the switching frequency is associated with the rate at which a first transistor and a second transistor of each complementary stage are switched between an on and off state;
• and
• during operation of the motor drive circuit, for each complementary stage, the first transistor of stage is switched on when the second transistor is switched off;
• and
• in response to changing the switching frequency of each of the one or more complementary stages, reducing the number of transition periods by increasing a period of time between being switched from the on and off states for each of the first transistors and the second transistors.

A controller communicatively coupled to a motor-drive circuit associated with a motor-driven component, the controller configured to:

• cause the motor-drive circuit to transmit a light-load signal to a motor of the motor-driven component;
• wherein the motor drive circuit comprises at least one complementary stage, each complementary stage of the at least one complementary stage comprising a first transistor and second transistor, wherein, during operation of the motor drive circuit, the first transistor is switched on when the second transistor is switched off;
• and
• wherein the motor-drive circuit is configured to change a switching frequency of each of the one or more complementary stages from a first switching frequency to a second switching frequency, wherein the first switching frequency is about 16 kHz and the second switching frequency is in a range from about 6 kHz to less than 16 kHz, wherein the switching frequency is associated with the rate at which the first and second transistors of each complementary stage are switched between an on and off state;
• and
• in response to changing the switching frequency of each of the one or more complementary stages, reduce the number of transition periods by increasing a period of time between being switched from the on and off states for each of the first transistors and the second transistors.