MAX17055 ModelGauge shortens portable device development time
Maxim Integrated has released the MAX17055 ModelGauge m5 to speed time to market of portable devices, by eliminating need for battery characterisation, during development.
Developers of portable devices now have an easier way to design in the most accurate and low power host-side battery gauges, says Maxim Integrated, of the MAX17055 ModelGauge m5. Traditionally, fuel gauges require extensive characterisation of each battery type, used in specific applications, to attain good performance. The customer would have to perform complicated battery characterisation, a process which could add weeks to the design cycle. The ModelGauge m5 EZ configuration of the MAX17055, battery characterisation requirement is eliminated, shortening time to market.
A fuel gauge allows the system designer to decide when to shut down the device when the battery gets low. If the fuel gauge over-estimates the battery life, the shutdown might not happen before the voltage falls below the minimum operating point, resulting in an unexpected crash. Alternately, if the designer shuts down the system prematurely, then the run-time becomes shorter, which is undesirable for the user.
The MAX17055 offers the industry’s most accurate fuel gauge, says Maxim Integrated, within one per cent state of charge error for most cases. As a result, the MAX17055 allows the designer to plan for a shutdown that maximises the device run-time.
Maxim Integrated also claims that the MAX17055 draws the industry’s lowest quiescent current—just seven microA in the low power operating mode. It is available in a 1.4 x 1.5mm wafer level packaging (WLP) for space constrained applications. Unlike other gas gauges, the MAX17055 does not have a minimum battery size limit, making it suitable for wearables, smartwatches, smartphones, health and fitness monitors, body cameras, portable medical devices, hearables, drones, virtual reality gear, and USB Type-C portable devices.
It is easy to use, with time-to-empty and time-to-full information and is supported with an evaluation kit (MAX17055XEVKIT#).
http://www.maximintegrated.com
