US Patent 7589483 Motor control

A washing machine and a method of operating same is disclosed. A electronically commutated motor for using in a washing machine is also disclosed. The washing machine has an agitator operated by an electronically commutated motor. An agitate cycle of the washing machine is detected. During an agitate cycle, the motor is electronically commutating with two phase firing if the agitator is rotating at rate below a first threshold, or the motor is electronically commutating using an optimised firing angle with three phase firing if the agitator is rotating at rate above a first threshold.