Output terminal fault detection circuit

A circuit, comprising:

• a gain stage having an input and an output;
• a first amplifier having an input and an output, the input of the first amplifier is coupled to the input of the gain stage;
• a second amplifier having an input and an output, the input of the second amplifier is coupled to the output of the gain stage;
• and
• a comparison circuit coupled to the outputs of the first and second amplifiers, the comparison circuit is configured to compare signals on the outputs of the first and second amplifiers and to generate a fault flag signal responsive to the output signal from the first amplifier being different than the output signal from the second amplifier.

A circuit having an output adapted to be coupled to an external device for providing one or more output signals to the external device, the circuit comprising:

• a signal conditioning circuit having an input and an output, the output of the signal conditioning device coupled to the output of the circuit;
• a first amplifier having a first input and a first output, the first input is coupled to the signal conditioning device;
• a second amplifier having a second input and a second output, the second input is coupled to the output of the signal conditioning device;
• a comparison circuit having a third input, a fourth input and a fault flag output, the third input coupled to the first output, the fourth input coupled to the second output and the fault flag output coupled to the output of the circuit;
• and
• wherein the external device is blocked from receiving the one or more output signals in response to the fault flag output being asserted.