The MAX1660 digitally controlled fuel-gauge interface executes two essential functions for rechargeable battery-pack management: fuel gauging and pack overcurrent
protection. It accurately monitors a battery pack’s
charge and discharge current flow, and records each
using two independent, on-board Coulomb counters.
Each counter’s contents are externally accessible via a
System Management Bus (SMBus?)-compatible 2-wire
serial interface. An optional third wire interrupts the
microcontroller (μC) when the charge or discharge
counters reach a preset value, or when an overcurrent
condition (charge or discharge) occurs. In the event of
an overcurrent or short-circuit condition, the MAX1660
disconnects the load and alerts its host. The MAX1660’s
flexibility allows accurate fuel gauging for any battery
chemistry, using any desired control algorithm.
The MAX1660 operates with battery voltages from +4V
to +28V and provides two micropower shutdown
modes, increasing battery lifetime. To minimize total
parts count, the device integrates a precision 2.00V
system-reference output, a 3.3V linear-regulator output
that can supply up to 5mA to power external circuitry,
and a power-on reset output for the system μC. The
MAX1660 is available in a 16-pin QSOP package.
________________________Applications
Smart-Battery Packs Battery-Pack Fuel Gauging
Battery-Pack Overcurrent Digital Current-Sense
Protection Instrumentation
Industrial-Control System Analog-to-Digital
Interfaces Conversion