Texas Instruments Unveils New UCC3952A Battery-Protection Circuit
Texas Instruments (Dallas, TX) unveiled a new integrated, single-cell, lithium-ion, battery-protection circuit that yields the smallest system solution on the market, according to the company, which also claims that the device is the first IC of its kind to meet the thickness requirements of the emerging 4mm batteries for cellular phones, making it useful for applications in any equipment powered by a one-cell lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery.
The UCC3952A protects sensitive batteries from over-charge, over-discharge, over-current and excessive thermal conditions by opening a MOSFET switch to protect the cell from damage, and only needs one 0.1uF surface mount capacitor, translating into a space reduction of up to 75 percent. It is available in an 18-pin bump-chip carrier measuring 3.4mm x 4.55mm, draws 5uA of supply current, withstands up to 18V and handles up to 3A of supply current, and comes in four standard over-voltage protection levels from 4.2V to 4.35V. Additionally, a precision bandgap reference continuously monitors cell voltage, and both over-charge and over-discharge voltage limits are trimmed to prolong battery life.
"With the industry moving to smaller batteries, the UCC3952A enables battery manufacturers to meet the thickness requirements for building 4mm lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries for cellular phones without sacrificing the battery's performance or reliability," said Texas Instruments' Marketing Manager of Battery Management Products Patrick Heyer.
The UCC3952A is available in September in threshold voltages of 4.2V, 4.25V, 4.3V and 4.35V, at $1.99 each in quantities of 1,000.
