PowerSmart Inc.'s (Shelton, CN) new PS334 IC brings a high level of accuracy to capacity monitoring, charge control and safety, providing a high level of integration and featuring six programmable outputs that eliminate the need for additional components normally required for charge control or safety. The PS334 is part of PowerSmart's P3 family of ICs whose integrating, self-calibrating 14-bit ad ensure precise measurement of current, voltage and temperature to enable remaining runtime predictions to within one percent.
The PS334's programmable outputs can be used as LED outputs for state of charge, direct charge control or to provide additional levels of safety in lithium-ion packs. Up to five LEDs can be programmed to display state of charge, leaving one output available for safety or charge control. Moreover, any output can be programmed to support safety requirements such as disabling charge or discharge, or to blow a fuse and disable the pack.
The PS334's charge control and safety features are implemented using real-time accurate information: current measurement accuracy to within one percent, voltage accuracy to within ±50mV and temperature accuracy to within 1 degree C.
