TI Debuts bqTINY III Series Battery Management ICs

Texas Instruments Inc. (TI, Dallas, TX) announced two new families of single-chip, battery charge and power management ICs that provide safe, efficient charging capabilities for single-cell, lithium-ion (Li-Ion) applications. The bqTINY™ III (bq2403x) Series of Li-Ion linear charge and system power path management devices is the latest advancement in the bqTINY line of battery management charge ICs. In addition to integrated PowerFETs, high-voltage protection, current sensor, reverse-blocking protection, thermal regulation, high accuracy current and voltage regulation, the IC offers a dynamic power-path management (DPPM) feature.

In addition to the bqTINY III family, TI’s new bq2501x integrated charge and power management devices combine a battery charge IC with a low-power, highly efficient, synchronous dc-dc conversion IC on a single chip to support space-limited, Li-Ion-powered portable applications, such as Bluetooth headsets and accessories.

The bq2501x devices provide an integrated PowerFET, current sensor, reverse blocking protection and intelligent battery management features such as an automatic sleep mode. In addition, the new devices integrate a 150 mA dc-dc converter that provides up to 95% power conversion efficiency, and can operate directly from a single-cell, Li-Ion or lithium-polymer battery. The output voltage is either adjustable (bq25010), or fixed at 3.3 V (bq25011) or at 1.8 V (bq25012).

The bqTINY III is in volume production. The bq2501x family of battery charge and power management ICs is currently sampling with volume production scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2004. All bqTINY III devices are packaged in a 3.5 mm x 4.5 mm QFN package, and are priced at $2.30 each in quantities of 1,000 units. The bq2501x devices come in a 20-pin, MLP package (3.5 mm x 4. 5 mm) and are priced at $2.05 each in quantities of 1,000.