Patent ID: 11946774
Assignee: AMS AG
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 0:
1. A position sensor comprising:
at least one magneto-sensitive element;
a current source that is coupled to the at least one magneto-sensitive element and is configured to supply a source current to the at least one magneto-sensitive element;
an analog-to-digital converter having an input coupled to the at least one magneto-sensitive element;
a position calculation unit that is coupled to an output of the analog-to-digital converter and comprises a first output for providing a position signal; and
a diagnostic unit that comprises an output coupled to the current source and is configured to provide a stimulus signal as a function of a stimulus pattern at the output of the diagnostic unit,
wherein the stimulus pattern is a predetermined pattern and wherein the diagnostic unit is configured to control the source current during a diagnostic phase, the diagnostic phase being a test phase,
a gain control unit that is coupled at a first input to the position calculation unit and at an output to the current source and is configured to generate a gain control signal at the output of the gain control unit as a function of a comparison of a magnitude signal provided at a second output of the position calculation unit and/or the position signal with a target signal, wherein the gain control unit is configured to set the source current during an operating phase for position sensing.