(Image courtesy of Thinkstock).
(Image courtesy of Thinkstock).
(Image courtesy of Thinkstock).
(Image courtesy of Thinkstock).
(Image courtesy of Thinkstock).

Power Management System Extends Battery Life for Wearables

Sept. 7, 2015
Maxim Integrated introduced a battery management chip for wearable devices. By efficiently managing system load, the device extends the time between charges.

The MAX14676, recently introduced by Maxim Integrated, tries to extend the battery life of wearable devices by managing how power flows through these devices. This integrated circuit includes a 1.8V buck regulator that exhibits a typical quiescent current of 900nA and 74% efficiency with 10 µA output.

Wearable devices contain embedded processors, displays, and wireless chips for transmitting data—all of which are a significant drain on small batteries. Not all these systems are in constant operation, however, so the MAX14676 is designed with a fixed-frequency pulse width modulation (PWM) and burst modes for increasing efficiency during both normal and light load operations.

The MAX14676 also contains a linear battery charger that can operate on a dead battery and limits input current up to 28V based on a register setting. In the event that the power source is unable to support the full system load, a power control circuit will supplement the system load with current from the battery. In addition, the device has a fuel gauge that estimates the available battery capacity.

The MAX14676 comes in a 0.5mm package. It features 3.2V 100mA low-dropout regulator, an always-on 2.0V 50 µA LDO, a +5V safe output LDO, and a 6.6V 120 µA charge pump. For controlling power to displays, the device comes with a 5V to 17V output boost converter and three-channel programmable current sinks.

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