Sensor fault detection system and method

A controller integrated circuit (IC) for determining fault status of a sensor operating in a high voltage, sensor voltage domain that exceeds an IC voltage domain of the IC, the controller IC comprising:

• means for converting one or more sensor return signals from the sensor voltage domain to the IC voltage domain, and for detecting one or more predetermined fault types based on a comparison of a respective sensor return signal with an IC voltage domain reference voltage representative of the predetermined fault occurring at the sensor in the sensor voltage domain, wherein the means for converting and for detecting includes:
• means for receiving a reference input signal from the sensor voltage domain and for generating a trigger signal in the IC voltage domain;
• means for receiving the one or more sensor return signals from the sensor voltage domain and for generating one or more corresponding level shifted sensor signals within the IC voltage domain;
• and
• means for comparing the one or more level shifted sensor signals to the trigger signal to determine whether to generate a first fault status signal representing a detected sensor fault of the predetermined fault type.

A controller integrated circuit (IC), comprising:

• a driver to drive a first domain sensor source voltage to a sensor supply terminal of the IC;
• a receiver to capture sensor return signals at a sensor input terminal of the IC;
• a fault detection system to convert the sensor return signals from a sensor voltage domain to an IC voltage domain and detect a predetermined fault types based on comparisons of the converted signals with IC domain reference voltages representative of the predetermined fault types occurring at a sensor in the sensor voltage domain;
• a fault controller to receive fault status signals from the fault detection system and output fault status indicators representing detected fault types;
• wherein operating voltages for the sensor return signals in the sensor voltage domain exceed operating voltages for the corresponding converted signals in the IC voltage domain;
• and
• wherein the fault detection system includes a plurality of fault detection circuits, each fault detection circuit of the plurality of fault detection circuits comprising:
• a first level shifter to receive a reference input signal from the sensor voltage domain and to generate a trigger signal in the IC voltage domain;
• a second level shifter to receive the sensor return signals from the sensor voltage domain and to generate level shifted sensor signals within the IC voltage domain;
• and
• a comparator to compare the level shifted sensor signals to the trigger signal, wherein the comparator generates a first fault status signal representing a detected predetermined sensor fault.