This device has a V/F ratio drop rate setting part 13 that reduces V/F ratio until changeover conditions to the position detecting operation is met, and that supplies a V/F ratio decrement command to a V/Fpattern setting part 14 to change the decrement of the V/F ratio in accordance with voltage range that holds the changeover conditions. 位置検出運転への切替条件が成立するまでV/F比を減少させるとともに、切替条件が成立する電圧幅に応じてV/F比の減少幅を変化させるべく、V/F比減少幅指令をV/Fパターン設定部14に供給するV/F比ダウン量設定部13を有する。 - 特許庁