PowerSmart Introduces the PS334 Battery-Management IC
PowerSmart Inc.'s (Shelton, CT) PS334 battery-management IC brings a high level of accuracy to capacity monitoring as well as charge control and safety. The PS334 provides a high level of integration and features six programmable outputs that eliminate the need for additional components normally required for charge control or safety. OEMs can now achieve the highest smart battery data accuracy in a complete battery-management solution at savings that are especially useful for applications such as PDAs, digital cameras and notebook computers.
The PS334's programmable outputs can be used as LED outputs for state of charge, direct charge control, or to provide additional levels of safety in lithium-ion packs. Up to five LEDs can be programmed to display state of charge, leaving one output available for safety or charge control using real-time accurate information: current measurement accuracy to within one percent; voltage accuracy to within +/- 50mV; and temperature accuracy to within 1 degree C. Also, any output can be programmed to support safety requirements such as disabling charge or discharge, or to blow a fuse and disable the pack.
The PS334 is part of the P3 family of ICs whose integrating, self-calibrating 14-bit ad ensure precise measurements of current, voltage and temperature to enable remaining run-time predictions to within one percent. In addition, an advanced eight-bit RISC microprocessor enables exceptionally fast data computations.
The suggested price for the new PS334 battery management ICs is $4 each in sample quantities.
