Patent ID: 7902627

Claim:
An integrated circuit having voltage isolation capabilities, comprising: a first galvanically isolated area of the integrated circuit containing a first group of functional circuitry for processing a data stream, the first group of functional circuitry located in a substrate of the integrated circuit; capacitive isolation circuitry located in conductive layers of the integrated circuit providing a high voltage isolation link between the first group of functional circuitry and a second group of functional circuitry connected to the integrated circuit through the capacitive isolation circuitry, the capacitive isolation circuitry further comprising: a differential transmitter for transmitting data in a differential signal to the second group of functional circuitry via the capacitive isolation circuitry; a differential receiver for receiving data within the differential signal from the second group of functional circuitry via the capacitive isolation circuitry; and a detector circuit within the differential receiver for detecting the received data, the detector circuit monitoring the differential signal and generating a first logical output when a voltage generated responsive to the differential signal exceeds a programmable voltage threshold level and generating a second logical output when the voltage generated responsive to the differential signal falls below the programmable voltage threshold level.