Magnetic field sensors and related techniques that can provide a self-test using signals and related thresholds

摘要

Magnetic field sensor and related techniques can identify passing conditions, failing conditions, and marginal conditions of a sensed object. The magnetic field sensor and techniques can use one or more peak values of a proximity signal representative of proximity of the sensed object, can generate one or more difference values representative of difference between the peak values of the proximity signal and threshold values of a threshold signal proportional to the peak values, can categorize the one or more difference values into a plurality of potential categories, wherein at least one of the plurality of potential categories is representative of a respective passing self-test and wherein another at least one of the plurality of potential categories is representative of a respective marginally passing self-test, can assign category values to the plurality of potential categories, and can communicate at least one of the plurality of category values.

主权项

1. A method of performing a self-test associated with a magnetic field sensor, comprising:
generating a proximity signal responsive to a proximity of a sensed object; generating a threshold signal proportional to peak values of the proximity signal; identifying a plurality of peak values representative of peaks of the proximity signal; identifying a plurality of threshold values of the threshold signal; generating one or more difference values by differencing the identified peak values and associated identified threshold values; categorizing the one or more difference values into a plurality of potential categories, wherein the plurality of potential categories is representative of a plurality of self-test states of the proximity signal, wherein at least one of the plurality of potential categories is representative of a respective passing self-test and wherein another at least one of the plurality of potential categories is representative of a respective marginally passing self-test; assigning a respective plurality of category values to the plurality of potential categories; and communicating at least one of the plurality of category values indicative of at least one of the plurality of potential categories into which at least one of the one or more difference values was categorized.