Battery Monitor Recovers Depleted Cells

Touting the ability to enable the recovery of deeply and completely discharged battery cells, the DS2761 Li-Ion battery monitor/protector integrates current, voltage and temperature measurement capabilities with nonvolatile data storage and protection circuitry in a 16-pin TSSOP or die-sized flip-chip package. The device provides a charge path that can be used to recover a cell by trickle charging the battery up to the point where normal charging methods would begin. Via an optional internal 25 mW sense resistor, the DS2761 battery monitor can measure continuous currents from 625 mA to ±1.9A. And external filtering will allow peak currents higher than ±1.9A to be integrated in the current-accumulation (fuel-gauging) measurement. All data is stored in on-chip EEPROM or SRAM and can be sent to the host through the device’s one-wire interface. The DS2761 has a starting price of $2.55 each/1,000. An evaluation kit is also available. For more details, contact DALLAS SEMICONDUCTOR, Dallas, TX. (800) 998-8800.