The invention relates to a method for operating an
electric motor with a primary section and a secondary section, wherein the primary section has a multi-phase
exciter winding comprising winding strands, each of the phase connections of said
exciter winding being connected to an output connection of an end stage, wherein the end stage has controllable
semiconductor switches for applying phase voltages to the phase connections, said method comprising the following steps: a) introducing an operating phase by applying the phase voltages to the output connections of the end stage such that a moving
magnetic field is induced in the
exciter winding, said moving field effecting a
relative motion between the primary section and the secondary section, b) turning off the phase
voltage at at least one of the output connections in order to introduce a measurement phase, c) measuring the electrical back emf induced in the winding strand connected to said at least one of the output connections by virtue of the
relative motion between the primary section and the secondary section in order to determine the
angular difference between the phase position of the exciter current and that of the back emf, and d) optionally, repeating steps a) through c). After turning off the phase
voltage, the winding current in the winding strand for which the phase
voltage was turned off is conducted and maintained by way of at least one free-wheeling element having a non-linear characteristic curve. A flank (13) in the winding voltage, the flank occurring upon zero-crossing of the winding current flowing in said winding strand, is detected and is used as a triggering
signal for the measurement of the back emf of the respective winding strand.