Dielectric breakdown detector for hev battery application

A circuit that indicates an impedance of a battery dielectric, comprising:

• a bias circuit that establishes a bias current through first and second terminals of a battery;
• a sensor circuit that generates a signal based on the bias current and a leakage current that flows through an impedance presented by a dielectric housing of the battery;
• and
• a signal conversion module that generates an output signal based on the signal wherein the output signal represents the impedance presented by the dielectric housing.

A method of indicating an impedance of a battery dielectric comprising:

• establishing a bias current through first and second terminals of a battery;
• generating a signal based on the bias current and a leakage current that flows through an impedance presented by a dielectric housing of the battery;
• and
• generating an output signal based on the signal wherein the output signal represents the impedance presented by the dielectric housing.

A circuit that indicates an impedance of a battery dielectric, comprising:

• bias circuit means for establishing a bias current through first and second terminals of a battery;
• sensor circuit means for generating a signal based on the bias current and a leakage current that flows through an impedance presented by a dielectric housing of the battery;
• and
• signal conversion means for generating an output signal based on the signal wherein the output signal represents the impedance presented by the dielectric housing.