Stepper Trajectory Driver With Numerical Controlled Oscillators Operated at Frequency Provided by a Synchronized Clock Signal
AssigneeMicrochip Technology Incorporated
InventorKeith Curtis
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Abstract
A stepper control circuit includes numerical controlled oscillators configured to provide step signals for multiple axes of stepper motor movement. The numerical controlled oscillators are configured to be operated at a same frequency provided by a synchronized clock signal.
Claims17
1-19. (canceled)
A stepper motor control circuit comprising:
- a first numerical controlled oscillator configured to provide step signals for a first axis of stepper motor movement;
- and
- a second numerical controlled oscillator configured to provide step signals for a second axis of stepper motor movement;
- wherein the first and second numerical controlled oscillators are configured to be operated at a same frequency provided by a synchronized clock signal and generate step signals of different frequencies from one another.
The stepper motor control circuit of claim 1, further comprising a prescaler oscillator configured to set a first constant value of the first numerical controlled oscillator, the first numerical controlled oscillator configured to repeatedly add the first constant value to a counter to set a rate of pulse generation of the first numerical controlled oscillator.
The stepper motor control circuit of claim 1, further comprising a prescaler oscillator configured to set a first constant value of the first numerical controlled oscillator, the first numerical controlled oscillator configured to repeatedly add the first constant value to a counter and generate a motor pulse upon an overflow of the counter to set a rate of pulse generation of the first numerical controlled oscillator.
The stepper motor control circuit of claim 1, further comprising a prescaler oscillator configured to accelerate movement of a motor by increasing frequency of operation of the first and second numerical controlled oscillators simultaneously.
The stepper motor control circuit of claim 1, further comprising a third numerical controlled oscillator configured to provide step signals for a third axis of stepper motor movement, wherein the first, second, and third numerical controlled oscillators are configured to be operated at the same frequency.
A method for controlling a stepper motor, comprising:
- providing step signals for a first axis of stepper motor movement by a first numerical controlled oscillator;
- and
- providing step signals for a second axis of stepper motor movement by a second numerical controlled oscillator;
- wherein:
- control of the first and second numerical controlled oscillators is performed at a same frequency by a synchronized clock signal;
- and
- the step signals provided to the first axis and the second axis are of a different frequency compared to each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.