Inductive position sensor with integrated fault detection

An integrated circuit for use in a sensor system having a plurality of sensing coils arranged in a star configuration on a first side of each sensing coil, each of the sensing coils having a second side coupled to terminals of an integrated circuit, such that a first and a second terminal are connected external to the integrated circuit via a loop including a first and a second sensing coil in the plurality of sensing coils, the integrated circuit comprising:

• sensing circuitry for evaluation of sense signals received from the sensing coils via said terminals;
• a current source and a current sink coupled to respectively a first and a second of said terminals, such that upon supply of current from the current source a current is established through the loop external to the integrated circuit and a detection signal is generated;
• an evaluator for evaluating one or more detection signals to detect failure and/or weakness within said loop.

A method for detection of an open or weakened connection in an inductive sensor system having a plurality of sensing coils arranged in a star configuration on a first side of each sensing coil, each of the sensing coils having a second side coupled to terminals of an integrated circuit, such that a first and a second terminal are connected external to the integrated circuit via a first loop including a first and a second sensing coil, the second terminal is connected to a third terminal via a second loop including the second sensing coil and a third sensing coil, and the third terminal is connected to the first terminal via a third loop including the first and third sensing coils, the method comprising:

• applying a current through said first, second, and third loops to obtain first, second, and third detection signals;
• verifying that the first, second, and third detection signals match each other or a predetermined value to evaluate a status of connections in said plurality of sensing coils.