Magnetic Field Sensors and Related Techniques That Can Provide Self-Test Information in a Formatted Output Signal

• US 20130335069A1
• Filed: 06/18/2012
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allegro Microsystems Incorporated (Sanken Electric Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Allegro Microsystems Incorporated (Sanken Electric Company Limited)
• Inventors: Vig, Ravi, Scheller, P. Karl, Fernandez, Devon, David, Paul, Graham, Christine
• Granted Patent: US 8,754,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/207.12
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0035 Calibration of single magnetic sensors, e.g. integrated calibration
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/072 Constructional adaptation of the sensor to specific applications

Abstract

A magnetic field sensor can provide an output signal indicative of a passing condition or a failing condition of the magnetic field sensor. The output signal has one of a variety of output signal formats.

Claims

1. A magnetic field sensor, comprising:

a substrate;

one or more magnetic field sensing elements disposed on the substrate and configured to generate a proximity signal responsive to a proximity of a ferromagnetic object;

a processing module disposed on the substrate, coupled to receive the proximity signal, and configured to convert the proximity signal to a two-state sensed-proximity signal representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object;

a self-test module disposed on the substrate and coupled to at least one of the processing module or the magnetic field sensing element, wherein the self-test module is configured to determine a passing condition or a failing condition of the magnetic field sensor, wherein the self-test module is configured to automatically make the determination without external command from outside the magnetic field sensor, and wherein the self-test module is configured to generate a self-test result signal representative of the passing condition and of the failing condition; and

a format module disposed on the substrate and configured to generate a formatted signal in response to the self-test result signal, wherein the formatted signal has first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the first and second signal characteristics comprise at least one of different respective time durations, different respective current values, or different respective voltage values.

2. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field sensor is an engine camshaft sensor, wherein the ferromagnetic object comprises one or more of a plurality of a gear teeth disposed upon a gear coupled to the engine camshaft, and wherein the one or more magnetic field sensing elements are coupled to provide the proximity signal responsive to gear teeth differently than to valleys in the gear.

3. The magnetic field sensor of claim 2, wherein the gear is a TPOS (true power on state) cam having irregularly spaced gear teeth.

4. The magnetic field sensor of claim 2, wherein the format module comprises a self-test format module configured to format the self-test result signal into a self-test signal separate from the two-state sensed-proximity signal, and wherein the self-test signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition.

5. The magnetic field sensor of claim 2, wherein the format module comprises a combined format module configured to combine the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object.

6. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the format module comprises a self-test format module configured to format the self-test result signal into a self-test signal separate from the two-state sensed-proximity signal, and wherein the self-test signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition.

7. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the format module comprises a combined format module configured to combine the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object.

8. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a power-on sensing module configured to generate a power-on signal representative of a predetermined time period following a power-on of the magnetic field sensor, wherein the first and second signal characteristics are generated only during the predetermined time period.

9. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a power-on sensing module configured to generate an signal representative of a predetermined time period following a power-on of the magnetic field sensor, wherein the first and second signal characteristics are generated only at a time proximate to a first transition of the two-state sensed-proximity signal after the predetermined time period.

10. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first current pulse with a first high-state current value and the second signal characteristics comprise a second current pulse with a second different high-state current value.

11. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of current pulses with a first high-state current value and the second signal characteristics comprise a second plurality of current pulses with a second different high-state current value.

12. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first current pulse with a first high-state current value and with a first time duration and a second current pulse with the first high-state current value and with a second different time duration, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a third current pulse with a second different high-state current value and with the first time duration and a fourth current pulse with the second high-state current value and with the second time duration.

13. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of current pulses with a first high-state current value and with a first time duration and also a second plurality of current pulses with the first high-state current value and with a second different time duration, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a third plurality of current pulses with a second different high-state current value and with the first time duration and also a fourth plurality of current pulses with the second high-state current value and with the second time duration.

14. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first current pulse with a first duration and the second signal characteristics comprise a second current pulse with a second different duration.

15. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of current pulses with a first duration and the second signal characteristics comprise a second plurality of current pulse with a second different duration.

16. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first current pulse with a first time duration and a second current pulse with a second different time duration, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a third current pulse with a third different time duration and a fourth current pulse with a fourth different time duration.

17. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of current pulses with a first time duration and a second plurality of current pulses with a second different time duration, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a third plurality of current pulses with a third different time duration and a fourth plurality of current pulses a fourth different time duration.

18. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the format module comprises a combined format module configured to combine the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object, and wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of voltage pulses with first time durations, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a second plurality of voltage pulses with second different time durations.

19. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the format module comprises a combined format module configured to combine the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of voltage pulses with first time durations and also a second plurality of voltage pulses with second different time durations, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a third plurality of voltage pulses with third different time durations and also a fourth plurality of voltage pulses with fourth different time durations.

20. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the format module comprises a combined format module configured to combine the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of voltage pulses with first high-state voltage values, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a second plurality of voltage pulses with second different high-state voltage values.

21. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the format module comprises a combined format module configured to combine the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of voltage pulses with first high-state voltage values and first time durations and also a second plurality of voltage pulses with the first high-state voltage values and with second different time durations, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a third plurality of voltage pulses with second different high-state voltage values and with the first time durations and also a fourth plurality of voltage pulses with the second high-state voltage values and with the second time durations.

22. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the format module comprises a combined format module configured to combine the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first voltage pulse with first and second three-state voltage values with first and second time durations, respectively, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a second voltage pulse with the first and second three-state voltage values with third different and fourth different time durations, respectively.

23. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the format module comprises a combined format module configured to combine the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of voltage pulses with first and second three-state voltage values with first and second time durations, respectively, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a second plurality of voltage pulses with the first and second three-state voltage values with third different and fourth different time durations, respectively.

24. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the format module comprises a combined format module configured to combine the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object, wherein the first and the second signal characteristics comprise a plurality of voltage pulses occurring during a time period between a power-up of the magnetic field sensor and a first transition of the two-state sensed-proximity signal, wherein the plurality of voltage pulses has a first duty cycle representative of the passing condition and representative of a gear tooth being proximate to the magnetic field sensor, wherein the plurality of voltage pulses has a second different duty cycle representative of the failing condition and representative of the gear tooth being proximate to the magnetic field sensor, wherein the plurality of voltage pulses has a third different duty cycle representative of the passing condition and representative of a gear tooth valley being proximate to the magnetic field sensor, and wherein the plurality of voltage pulses has a fourth different duty cycle representative of the failing condition and representative of a gear tooth valley being proximate to the magnetic field sensor.

25. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the format module comprises a self-test format module configured to format the self-test result signal into a self-test signal separate from the two-state sensed-proximity signal, wherein the self-test signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, wherein the self-test signal comprises a plurality of current pulses and the two-state sensed-proximity signal comprised a plurality of voltage pulses, wherein the first signal conditions comprise positive states of the current pulses coincident with positive states of the voltage pulses, and wherein the second signal conditions comprised negative states of the current pulses coincident with the positive states of the voltage pulses.

26. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the format module comprises a combined format module configured to combine the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object, wherein the first signal conditions comprise a first two-state voltage signal having a first state for a first period of time, a second state for a second period of time, and the first state for a third period of time, and wherein the second signal conditions comprise a second two-state voltage signal having the first state for the first period of time, the second state for a fourth period of time different than the second period of time, and the first state for a fifth period of time.

27. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the format module comprises a combined format module configured to combine the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object, wherein, when at power up of the magnetic field sensor the magnetic field sensor is proximate to a gear tooth, the first signal characteristics comprise a first voltage pulse with a first duty cycle and the second signal characteristics comprise a second voltage pulse with a second different duty cycle, and wherein, when at power up of the magnetic field sensor the magnetic field sensor is proximate to a gear valley, the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of voltage pulses having the first duty cycle, and the second signal characteristics comprise a second plurality of plurality voltage pulses having the second duty cycle.

28. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic object is comprised of a soft magnetic material, and wherein the magnetic field sensor further comprises a magnet dispose proximate to the substrate.

29. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic object is comprised of a hard magnetic material having a permanent magnetism.

30. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the format module comprises a combined format module configured to combine the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, wherein the first and the second signal characteristics comprise a plurality of voltage pulses occurring during a time period between a power-up of the magnetic field sensor and a first transition of the two-state sensed-proximity signal, wherein the plurality of voltage pulses has a first duty cycle representative of the passing condition, wherein the plurality of voltage pulses has a second different duty cycle representative of the failing condition, wherein the plurality of voltage pulses has a third different duty cycle representative of a first intermediate condition between the passing and failing conditions, and wherein the plurality of voltage pulses has a fourth different duty cycle representative of a second different intermediate condition between the passing and failing conditions.

31. A method of identifying a fault in a magnetic field sensor, comprising:

generating a proximity signal responsive to a proximity of a ferromagnetic object with a magnetic field sensing element;

converting the proximity signal to a two-state sensed-proximity signal representative of the magnetic field;

automatically determining a passing condition or a failing condition of the magnetic field sensor, wherein the determination is made without external command from outside the magnetic field sensor,

generating a self-test result signal representative of the passing condition and of the failing condition; and

generating a formatted signal in response to the self-test result signal, wherein the formatted signal has first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the magnetic field sensor is an engine camshaft sensor, wherein the ferromagnetic object comprises one or more of a plurality of a gear teeth disposed upon a gear coupled to the engine camshaft, and wherein the one or more magnetic field sensing elements are coupled to provide the proximity signal responsive to gear teeth differently than to valleys in the gear.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the gear is a TPOS (true power on state) cam having irregularly spaced gear teeth.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the generating the formatted signal comprises:

formatting the self-test result signal into a self-test signal separate from the two-state sensed-proximity signal, and wherein the self-test signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the generating the formatted signal comprises:

combining the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the generating the formatted signal comprises:

formatting the self-test result signal into a self-test signal separate from the two-state sensed-proximity signal, and wherein the self-test signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the generating the formatted signal comprises:

combining the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object.

38. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

generating a power-on signal representative of a predetermined time period following a power-on of the method, wherein the first and second signal characteristics are generated only during the predetermined time period.

39. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

generating an signal representative of a predetermined time period following a power-on of the magnetic field sensor, wherein the first and second signal characteristics are generated only at a time proximate to a first transition of the two-state sensed-proximity signal after the predetermined time period.

40. The method of claim 31, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first current pulse with a first high-state current value and the second signal characteristics comprise a second current pulse with a second different high-state current value.

41. The method of claim 31, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of current pulses with a first high-state current value and the second signal characteristics comprise a second plurality of current pulses with a second different high-state current value.

42. The method of claim 31, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first current pulse with a first high-state current value and with a first time duration and a second current pulse with the first high-state current value and with a second different time duration, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a third current pulse with a second different high-state current value and with the first time duration and a fourth current pulse with the second high-state current value and with the second time duration.

43. The method of claim 31, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of current pulses with a first high-state current value and with a first time duration and also a second plurality of current pulses with the first high-state current value and with a second different time duration, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a third plurality of current pulses with a second different high-state current value and with the first time duration and also a fourth plurality of current pulses with the second high-state current value and with the second time duration.

44. The method of claim 31, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first current pulse with a first duration and the second signal characteristics comprise a second current pulse with a second different duration.

45. The method of claim 31, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of current pulses with a first duration and the second signal characteristics comprise a second plurality of current pulse with a second different duration.

46. The method of claim 31, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first current pulse with a first time duration and a second current pulse with a second different time duration, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a third current pulse with a third different time duration and a fourth current pulse with a fourth different time duration.

47. The method of claim 31, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of current pulses with a first time duration and a second plurality of current pulses with a second different time duration, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a third plurality of current pulses with a third different time duration and a fourth plurality of current pulses a fourth different time duration.

48. The method of claim 31, wherein the generating the formatted signal comprises:

combining the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object, and wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of voltage pulses with first time durations, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a second plurality of voltage pulses with second different time durations.

49. The method of claim 31, wherein the generating the formatted signal comprises:

combining the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of voltage pulses with first time durations and also a second plurality of voltage pulses with second different time durations, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a third plurality of voltage pulses with third different time durations and also a fourth plurality of voltage pulses with fourth different time durations.

50. The method of claim 31, wherein the generating the formatted signal comprises:

combining the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of voltage pulses with first high-state voltage values, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a second plurality of voltage pulses with second different high-state voltage values.

51. The method of claim 31, wherein the generating the formatted signal comprises:

combining the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of voltage pulses with first high-state voltage values and first time durations and also a second plurality of voltage pulses with the first high-state voltage values and with second different time durations, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a third plurality of voltage pulses with second different high-state voltage values and with the first time durations and also a fourth plurality of voltage pulses with the second high-state voltage values and with the second time durations.

52. The method of claim 31, wherein the generating the formatted signal comprises:

combining the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first voltage pulse with first and second three-state voltage values with first and second time durations, respectively, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a second voltage pulse with the first and second three-state voltage values with third different and fourth different time durations, respectively.

53. The method of claim 31, wherein the generating the formatted signal comprises:

combining the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object, wherein the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of voltage pulses with first and second three-state voltage values with first and second time durations, respectively, and wherein the second signal characteristics comprise a second plurality of voltage pulses with the first and second three-state voltage values with third different and fourth different time durations, respectively.

54. The method of claim 31, wherein the generating the formatted signal comprises:

combining the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object, wherein the first and the second signal characteristics comprise a plurality of voltage pulses occurring during a time period between a power-up of the magnetic field sensor and a first transition of the two-state sensed-proximity signal, wherein the plurality of voltage pulses has a first duty cycle representative of the passing condition and representative of a gear tooth being proximate to the magnetic field sensor, wherein the plurality of voltage pulses has a second different duty cycle representative of the failing condition and representative of the gear tooth being proximate to the magnetic field sensor, wherein the plurality of voltage pulses has a third different duty cycle representative of the passing condition and representative of a gear tooth valley being proximate to the magnetic field sensor, and wherein the plurality of voltage pulses has a fourth different duty cycle representative of the failing condition and representative of a gear tooth valley being proximate to the magnetic field sensor.

55. The method of claim 31, wherein the generating the formatted signal comprises:

formatting the self-test result signal into a self-test signal separate from the two-state sensed-proximity signal, wherein the self-test signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, wherein the self-test signal comprises a plurality of current pulses and the two-state sensed-proximity signal comprised a plurality of voltage pulses, wherein the first signal conditions comprise positive states of the current pulses coincident with positive states of the voltage pulses, and wherein the second signal conditions comprised negative states of the current pulses coincident with the positive states of the voltage pulses.

56. The method of claim 31, wherein the generating the formatted signal comprises:

combining the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object, wherein the first signal conditions comprise a first two-state voltage signal having a first state for a first period of time, a second state for a second period of time, and the first state for a third period of time, and wherein the second signal conditions comprise a second two-state voltage signal having the first state for the first period of time, the second state for a fourth period of time different than the second period of time, and the first state for a fifth period of time.

57. The method of claim 31, wherein the generating the formatted signal comprises:

combining the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, and wherein the combined signal is also representative of the proximity of the ferromagnetic object, wherein, when at power up of the magnetic field sensor the magnetic field sensor is proximate to a gear tooth, the first signal characteristics comprise a first voltage pulse with a first duty cycle and the second signal characteristics comprise a second voltage pulse with a second different duty cycle, and wherein, when at power up of the magnetic field sensor the magnetic field sensor is proximate to a gear valley, the first signal characteristics comprise a first plurality of voltage pulses having the first duty cycle, and the second signal characteristics comprise a second plurality of plurality voltage pulses having the second duty cycle.

58. The method of claim 31, wherein the generating the formatted signal comprises:

combining the self-test result signal and the two-state sensed-proximity signal to generate the formatted signal as a combined signal, wherein the combined signal has the first signal characteristics when representative of the passing condition and has the second different signal characteristics when representative of the failing condition, wherein the first and the second signal characteristics comprise a plurality of voltage pulses occurring during a time period between a power-up of the magnetic field sensor and a first transition of the two-state sensed-proximity signal, wherein the plurality of voltage pulses has a first duty cycle representative of the passing condition, wherein the plurality of voltage pulses has a second different duty cycle representative of the failing condition, wherein the plurality of voltage pulses has a third different duty cycle representative of a first intermediate condition between the passing and failing conditions, and wherein the plurality of voltage pulses has a fourth different duty cycle representative of a second different intermediate condition between the passing and failing conditions.