Unitrode Announces the bq2052 Benchmarq Gas Gauge IC

Unitrode Corp. (Merrimack, NH) recently announced the bq2052 Benchmarq Gas Gauge IC for capacity monitoring of primary lithium battery packs. The bq2052 monitors critical parameters of Lithium Sulfur Dioxide (LiSO2) and Lithium Manganese Dioxide (LiMnO2) battery packs, by using the latest Unitrode gas gauge platform. Both battery pack types are extensively used in military communication radios, test and measurement equipment, and other military and portable applications.

Since the bq2052 was designed for system or battery pack integration, it accurately tracks the battery pack's voltage, temperature, and remaining capacity. The bq2052 relays the battery pack information to a host system controller using a single-wire communications port or lights a programmable LED pattern to indicate remaining battery capacity to the end-user with the touch of a button. The bq2052 integrates a highly sensitive voltage-to-frequency converter for capacity measurement, an analog-to-digital converter for battery temperature and voltage measurement, and a temperature-stable time base. The IC automatically compensates the remaining capacity for battery inefficiencies based on the discharge rate and the temperature to provide an accurate indication of the capacity left in the pack.

The bq2052 is packaged in a small 16-pin, 150mil SOIC and requires fewer than 20 discrete components for operation. The main features of the bq2052 Benchmarq Gas Gauge IC include accurately reporting the remaining capacity in LiSO2 or LiMnO2 battery packs, measuring a wide dynamic discharge range (100mA to 100A), accommodating a wide range of pack capacities (1Ah to 15Ah), automatically adjusting for battery discharge inefficiencies, and indicating remaining capacity in one of three programmable LED display patterns.

The bq2052 SOIC is available at $3.26 each in quantities of 10,000.