Integrated circuit having insulation monitoring with frequency discrimination

1. An integrated circuit package, comprising:

a first I/O pin configured to be coupled to an insulative material;

a second I/O pin configured to output an insulation fault signal; and

a monitoring module coupled to the first I/O pin, the monitoring module comprising a filter module and a current detection module configured to detect a leakage current on the first I/O pin corresponding to an injected signal into the insulative material by a signal source, the monitoring module further comprising an output module configured to output an active state on the insulation fault signal when the leakage current is greater than a given threshold.

2. The integrated circuit package according to claim 1 , further including an impedance component coupled to the first I/O pin.

3. The integrated circuit package according to claim 2 , wherein the impedance component is formed as part of an integrated circuit in the integrated circuit package.

4. The integrated circuit package according to claim 2 , wherein the integrated circuit package includes an integrated circuit, and the impedance component is external to the integrated circuit.

5. The integrated circuit package according to claim 1 , wherein the injection signal has a selected frequency and/or frequency band.

6. The integrated circuit package according to claim 1 , further including a sense resistor coupled to the first I/O pin.

7. The integrated circuit package according to claim 1 , wherein the monitoring module further includes a rectifier coupled to the filter module.

8. The integrated circuit package according to claim 7 , wherein the rectifier comprises a synchronous rectifier.

9. The integrated circuit package according to claim 1 , further including a voltage divider component coupled to the signal source.

10. The integrated circuit package according to claim 1 , wherein the monitoring module is further configured to discriminate signals not in the same frequency and/or phase with the injected signal.

11. The integrated circuit package according to claim 1 , further including an integrated circuit die disposed between a die paddle and a first conductive plate, a dielectric plate disposed between the first conductive plate and a second conductive plate, wherein the first and second conductive plates and the dielectric plate forms a capacitor coupled to the first I/O pin.

12. The integrated circuit package according to claim 11 , further including a first bond pad disposed on the second conductive plate, wherein the first bond pad is coupled to the first I/O pin.

13. The integrated circuit package according to claim 11 , further including a connection from the second I/O pin to a second bond pad on the integrated circuit die.

14. The integrated circuit package according to claim 11 , wherein the integrated circuit die comprises at least a portion of the monitoring module.

15. The integrated circuit package according to claim 1 , wherein the monitoring module is further configured to combine multiple injected signals from multiple insulative materials.

16. A method, comprising:

employing a first I/O pin configured to be coupled to an insulative material;

employing a second I/O pin configured to output an insulation fault signal; and

employing a monitoring module coupled to the first I/O pin, the monitoring module comprising a filter module and a current detection module configured to detect a leakage current on the first I/O pin corresponding to an injected signal into the insulative material by a signal source, the monitoring module further comprising an output module configured to output an active state on the insulation fault signal when the leakage current is greater than a given threshold.

17. The method according to claim 16 , further including employing an impedance component coupled to the first I/O pin.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the impedance component is formed as part of an integrated circuit in an integrated circuit package.

19. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the injection signal has a selected frequency and/or frequency band.

20. The method according to claim 16 , further including employing a sense resistor coupled to the first I/O pin.

21. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the monitoring module further includes a rectifier coupled to the filter module.

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the rectifier comprises a synchronous rectifier.

23. The method according to claim 16 , further including employing a voltage divider component coupled to the signal source.

24. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the monitoring module is further configured to discriminate signals not in the same frequency and/or phase with the injected signal.

25. The method according to claim 16 , further including employing an integrated circuit die disposed between a die paddle and a first conductive plate, a dielectric plate disposed between the first conductive plate and a second conductive plate, wherein the first and second conductive plates and the dielectric plate forms a capacitor coupled to the first I/O pin.

26. The method according to claim 25 , further including employing a first bond pad disposed on the second conductive plate, wherein the first bond pad is coupled to the first I/O pin.

27. The method according to claim 25 , further including employing a connection from the second I/O pin to a second bond pad on the integrated circuit die.

28. An integrated circuit package, comprising:

a first I/O pin configured to be coupled to an insulative material;

a second I/O pin configured to output an insulation fault signal; and

a monitoring means coupled to the first I/O pin for detecting a leakage current on the first I/O pin corresponding to an injected signal into the insulative material by a signal source,

wherein the monitoring means comprises a filter module and a current detection for detecting a leakage current on the first I/O pin corresponding to an injected signal into the insulative material by a signal source and an output module for outputting an active state on the insulation fault signal when the leakage current is greater than a given threshold.