Microchip Technology Intros PS501 Battery Manager
Microchip Technology Inc. (Chandler, AZ), a provider of microcontroller (MCU) and analog semiconductors, announced an integrated, field-reprogrammable fuel gauge for two-cell, three-cell and four-cell lithium-ion (Li-Ion) and lithium-polymer (Li-P), or 6-cell to 12-cell nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) and nickel cadmium (NiCD) batteries. The new smart battery system (SBS)-compliant device provides precise predictions of battery capacity. It offers cell monitoring for safety conditions along with end of discharge (EOD) control, maximizing battery life and run time.
The PS501 battery manager IC combines Microchip's low-power PIC18 MCU core with its Accuron® proprietary algorithm stored in 16 KB of on-chip flash memory. The battery manager offers a low-operating current of 150 µA. When the application is not in use, the device enters a low-power sleep mode using less than 1 µA, which optimizes the capacity and minimizes over discharge of the battery.
Development system availability for the PS501 battery manager includes the PS5164EV for the four-series cell, the PS5163EV for the three-series cell and the PS5162EV for the two-series cell battery pack for Li-Ion or Li-P. For NiMH and NiCD, the PS5200EV is available, which can be configured for 6 to 12 cells in series. Available in a lead-free, 28-pin, SSOP package, the PS501 battery manager is $4.74 each in 1,000-unit quantities. Samples and volume production are now available.
