Control device for stepping motor

A control device for a motor, comprising:

• a memory for storing an excitation pattern of the motor;
• a first pattern control circuit for reading an excitation pattern from said memory and supplying the excitation pattern to a first motor driver or a second motor driver for driving the motor;
• a second pattern control circuit for reading an excitation pattern from said memory and supplying the excitation pattern to the first motor driver or the second motor driver;
• and
• a timing generating circuit for generating timing signals showing the changing timing for the excitation patterns to be outputted from said first and second pattern control circuits
• wherein said timing generating circuit (1) supplies first and second timing signals to said first and second pattern control circuits respectively, in a first output mode for supplying the excitation pattern to first and second motor drivers from said first and second pattern control circuits respectively, and (2) supplies the first timing signal to the first and second pattern control circuits, in a second output mode for supplying the excitation pattern to the first motor driver from said first and second pattern control circuits respectively.

A control method for a motor, comprising:

• a storing step of storing an excitation pattern of the motor in a memory;
• a first pattern control step of reading an excitation pattern from the memory and supplying the excitation pattern to a motor driver for driving the motor;
• a second pattern control step of reading an excitation pattern from the memory and supplying the excitation pattern to the motor driver or another motor driver;
• and
• an output control step of selecting a first output mode for controlling said first pattern control step and said second pattern control step independently and for supplying the excitation pattern to first and second motor drivers from said first and second pattern control steps respectively, or a second output mode for using said first pattern control step and said second pattern control step synchronously and for supplying the excitation pattern to a single motor driver from said first and second pattern control steps.

A control method for a motor, comprising:

• a storing step of storing an excitation pattern of the motor in a memory;
• a first pattern control step of reading an excitation pattern from the memory and supplying the excitation pattern to a first motor driver or a second motor driver for driving the motor;
• a second pattern control step of reading an excitation pattern from the memory and supplying the excitation pattern to the first motor driver or the second motor driver;
• and
• a timing generating step of generating timing signals showing the changing timing for the excitation patterns to be outputted in said first and second pattern control steps,
• wherein said timing generating step (1) supplies first and second timing signals to said first and second pattern control steps respectively, in a first output mode for supplying the excitation pattern to first and second motor drivers from said first and second pattern control steps respectively, and (2) supplies the first timing signal to the first and second pattern control steps, in a second output mode for supplying the excitation pattern to the first motor driver from said first and second pattern control steps respectively.