Patent ID: 7730782
Filing Date: 2010-06-08
Classification: G01C,G01P

Abstract:
1. A sensor device comprising: a first driving circuit configured to output a first drive signal; a first sensing element to which the first drive signal from the first driving circuit is supplied; a first detecting circuit configured to extract a response signal from the first sensing element; a first processing circuit configured to extract a first sense signal from the response signal from the first detecting circuit; a first failure diagnosing circuit electrically coupled to a first part subjected to failure diagnosis which is at least one of the first driving circuit, the first detecting circuit, and the first processing circuit, the first failure diagnosing circuit being configured to determine whether the first part subjected to failure diagnosis is normal or abnormal, and to output a first failure detection signal based on results of the determination; and an output circuit configured to digitally output, using a time division method, the first failure detection signal from the first failure diagnosing circuit, and the first sense signal from the first processing circuit supplied at an identical time point with the first failure detection signal, so that the first sense signal is determined to be results in a normal state or results in an abnormal state.