Devices, systems, and methods for controlling the position of electric motors

An optical position encoder system comprising:

• at least one sinusoidal gradient that is configured to be positioned on a surface of an electric motor, the at least one sinusoidal gradient having a dark to light pattern on at least one surface of the at least one sinusoidal gradient;
• and
• a control board configured to be affixed to the motor and to at least in part control the motor's movement, position or combinations thereof, the control board comprising:
• a light source and at least two light sensors position on a planar side of the control board, the at least two light sensors being spaced at a distance apart from each other and the light source, wherein the light source is configured to direct light onto the sinusoidal gradient's dark to light pattern, and the at least two light sensors are configured receive reflected light from the sinusoidal gradient and provide at least two output signals in quadrature phase;
• at least one microprocessor operatively connected to the motor, the at least one microprocessor being configured to receive the at least two output electronic signals from the at least two sensors and used those signals to determine the motor's movement, position or combinations thereof;
• and
• wherein the system is configured to allow the reflected light from the gradient's light to dark pattern to be repeated a plurality of times and use a plurality of the at least two output electronic signals in order to improve the optical position encoder's signal to noise ratio and to determine the motor's movement, position or combinations thereof;
• and wherein at least one of the at least one sinusoidal gradient's light patterns or dark patterns is not substantially the same in appearance as the gradient's other light to dark patterns.