Battery IC charges feature-rich devices

The SMB137 is ideal for applications in a wide range of devices such as portable media/MP3 players, portable GPS navigation, smart-phones/PDAs and digital cameras/camcorders.

Summit Microelectronics has expanded its family of programmable battery charger ICs with a device specifically designed for feature-packed mobile consumer electronics.

The SMB137 is claimed to deliver unprecedented levels of functionality and flexibility while solving the most challenging power and battery management problems.

Dual (USB or AC/DC) inputs and outputs (system or battery) with CurrentPath automatic arbitration allow system operation with any input source, any battery charge state or even missing battery.

Proprietary TurboCharge technology yields dramatic reductions in charge time, power dissipation and solution size compared with conventional charger solutions.

The ultra-small solution size, combined with Micro-USB data/power support, enables ultra-thin devices with the convenience of USB battery charging.

Integrated features such as USB On-The-Go (USB-OTG) power and Low-Battery-Recovery (LBR) bring new levels of mobility and convenience to consumers.

The IIC interface enables sophisticated software programmability, and the embedded nonvolatile configuration provides a tremendous degree of design flexibility without the need for software development.

The result is the most complete and flexible battery management solution for any portable or handheld device.

"The SMB137 extends Summit's leadership in battery charging for mobile devices with unmatched functional integration, flexibility and solution size".

"Exclusive features such as TurboCharge, USB-OTG, Micro-USB support, and Low-Battery-Recovery enable sleek and stylish, yet feature-rich, gadgets delivering real value to consumers and marketable benefits to OEMs", says Abid Hussain, Summit Vice-President of Marketing.

The SMB137's CurrentPath input/output controller intelligently arbitrates between dual inputs and applies the appropriate current limit (100/500 or 700-1400mA) depending on the source - USB or AC/DC.

At the output the current is steered between the system output and the battery charger with the system taking priority over the charger.

When operating from battery power, the "active diode" function automatically connects a low impedance path from the battery to the system output for high efficiency operation, extending battery life.

All the input/output control functions are governed by programmable parameters held in nonvolatile configuration memory.

The fully integrated switch-mode charger outputs up to 1.5A with over 90% typical efficiency, maximising charge current while minimising power dissipation - up to 50 to 80% improvement over typical linear charging solutions.

Patent-pending TurboCharge technology automatically boosts output current while precisely limiting input current for USB 2.0 compliance - up to 750/150mA charger output from a 500/100mA USB 2.0 port or 1.5A from a 1000mA AC/DC adapter.

USB 2.0 enumeration support and I2C programmability facilitate emerging standards such as the Micro-USB connector and facilitate a new generation of compact industrial designs.

Additionally, USB standardisation significantly reduces BOM cost versus proprietary multi-pin connectors and frees consumers from the bulky AC/DC wall adapter.

USB functionality is enhanced with proprietary technology that supports USB On-the-Go and Low-Battery-Recovery (LBR).

The SMB137's step-down convertor, that normally operates in "forward mode" to charge the battery, can operate in reverse to boost the battery voltage to +5V for USB-OTG or +3.9 to +5.0V for LBR.

USB-OTG power allows two USB devices to connect to each other without the presence of a PC.

This feature greatly enhances the mobility of USB devices by allowing truly mobile data exchange.

LBR mode is another exclusive Summit technology that eliminates what is commonly known as "dead battery trap" - a condition where a battery is so discharged (typically below 3.3V) that it cannot power-up the system.

Unlike competing solutions no additional external boost circuit components are required for either USB-OTG or LBR modes.

An IIC digital interface and volatile/nonvolatile programmability allow for a high degree of flexibility in power management parameters.

The SMB137 can be "custom" programmed in manufacturing and used "stand-alone" without the need for system interaction.

Alternatively, with the I2C interface, virtually all parameters can be adjusted "on-the-fly" to optimise battery charging with software depending on system needs.

Parameters that are programmable include: input and output current limiting, pre-charge/fast-charge/termination current settings, float voltage, pre-charge voltage threshold and OTG/LBR current limit.

The SMB137 operates with an input range from +4.35 to +5.5V input and tolerates input over-voltage up to +16V (nonoperating).

The operating temperature range is -30 to +85C.

The SMB137 is compliant with existing and emerging safety and standards for portable devices including a host of safety features: input current limit, dual independent output current limits, input and battery overvoltage protection, battery and chip thermal protection, charge safety timeouts, trickle charge, software watchdog timer and status/fault monitors.

With these features the SMB137 is compatible with common standards such as USB 2.0, IEEE1725 and the new China USB charging specification.

The SMB137 is ideal for applications in a wide range of devices such as portable media/MP3 players (PMP), portable GPS navigation (PND), smart-phones/PDAs, and digital cameras/camcorders (DSC/DCC), as well as "multi-use" devices that integrate multiple functions.

The SMB137 is especially suited for devices that include a USB interface because it allows a tiny Micro-USB connector to be the primary data/power/charging interface.

The SMB137 is offered in a 3.3 x 3.6mm 30-ball chip-scale (CSP) package which is lead-free and RoHS-standard compliant.

Available now in production quantities the SMB137 is priced at US $2.30 each in quantities of 10,000 units.

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