Shuntless motor control for multi-phase motors

A processor configured to:

• output pulse modulation (PM) signals to control power switches of an inverter circuit to deliver a first phase current, a second phase current, and a third phase current to a multi-phase electric motor;
• determine at least one of the first phase current, the second phase current, and the third phase current based on a first voltage drop over one of the power switches in a conducting mode and based on a temperature measurement, wherein the temperature measurement is based on a second voltage drop over a body diode of one of the power switches in a nonconducting mode during a dead time;
• and
• regulate one or more of the first phase current, the second phase current, and the third phase current to the multi-phase electric motor based on the determination of at least one of the first phase current, the second phase current, and the third phase current.

A system comprising:

• a three-phase electric motor;
• a three-phase inverter circuit comprising power switches configured to control the three-phase electric motor, wherein the power switches comprise:
• a first high-side power switch and a first low-side power switch configured to define a first phase current,
• a second high-side power switch and a second low-side power switch configured to define a second phase current, and
• a third high-side power switch and a third low-side power switch configured to define a third phase current;
• and
• a processor configured to output pulse modulation (PM) signals to control the power switches, wherein the processor is configured to determine at least one of the first phase current, the second phase current, and the third phase current based on a first voltage drop over a first one of the power switches in a conducting mode and based on a temperature measurement, wherein the temperature measurement is based on a second voltage drop over a body diode of the first one of the power switches in a nonconducting mode during a dead time.