Drive gear including integrated target pattern

A transfer case comprising:

• an input shaft;
• a primary output shaft;
• a secondary output shaft;
• a gear reduction mechanism selectively operated to couple the input shaft to the primary output shaft in a high range and a low range;
• a secondary torque transfer mechanism selectively operated to couple the primary output shaft to the secondary output shaft to engage a four-wheel drive mode;
• and
• an actuation mechanism for selectively operating the gear reduction mechanism and the secondary torque transfer mechanism, the actuation mechanism including:
• a gear plate having a rotational axis with an integral target pattern formed therein, the gear plate being rotatable through a plurality of positions corresponding to states of the gear reduction mechanism and the secondary torque transfer mechanism and in which the integral target pattern differs;
• and
• a sensor adapted and positioned parallel to the rotational axis to read the target pattern in each of the positions of the gear plate, wherein the target pattern includes a plurality of windows and a plurality of solid areas wherein the windows extend through the gear plate along the rotational axis.