Patent ID: 7124041

Claim:
A method for detecting a circuit fault, comprising: for a measurement system comprising a sensor coupleable to an input circuit, the sensor characterized by an output signal and an output signal operating voltage range, the input circuit comprising a microcontroller: automatically causing the sensor to be electrically disconnected from the input circuit; while the sensor is electrically disconnected from the input circuit, automatically provoking an invalid sensor voltage to be applied to the input circuit, the invalid sensor voltage having a value outside the output signal operating voltage range for the sensor; after application of the invalid sensor voltage to the input circuit, automatically eliciting the invalid sensor voltage to be removed from the input circuit; after application of the invalid sensor voltage to the input circuit, automatically effecting the sensor to be electrically connected to the input circuit; and then, in the event that an input circuit voltage value is outside the output signal operating voltage range for the sensor, automatically providing notification that a circuit fault is associated with the sensor.