Method and system for engine throttle control

A system for controlling a throttle of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle, comprising:

• a multi-phase variable reluctance motor including a shaft coupled to said throttle for positioning said throttle in response to motor phase current command signals;
• a multi-phase inductance position encoder rotatably coupled with said shaft;
• encoder excitation circuit means electrically connected with said encoder for developing position signals defining the present angular position of said shaft;
• a controller for calculating a desired motor torque based on (a) a desired angular position input command, (b) said present angular position, and (c) the error between said present angular position and said desired angular position,
• said controller controlling the current applied to appropriate phases of the motor as a function of said present angular position and said desired motor torque.

A method of controlling a multi-phase variable reluctance motor that positions the throttle of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle, comprising a sequence of the steps of:

• detecting the present angular position of the shaft of the motor with a multi-phase inductance position encoder rotatably coupled with said shaft;
• generating a desired angular position input command,
• computing a desired motor torque from said desired angular position, said present angular position, and the error between said present angular position and said desired angular position, and
• controlling the current applied to appropriate phases of said motor as a function of said present angular position and said desired motor torque.