Maxim Integrated recently announced the introduction of the MAX17262 single-cell and MAX17263 single-cell/multi-cell fuel gauge ICs, These chips enable Li-ion battery-powered mobile and portable device designers such as wearables, electric bikes, power tools and Internet of Things (IoT) products to extend equipment uptime and deliver the industry's highest precision battery charging State data to enhance the end user experience.

According to Maxim Integrated, the MAX17262's quiescent current is only 5.2μA, the lowest level in its class and integrated current sensing. With a quiescent current of only 8.2μA, the MAX17263 can drive 3 to 12 LEDs to indicate battery or system status, making it ideal for applications that do not have display capability.

In order to meet user expectations, small lithium-ion battery-powered electronics designers are trying their best to extend the run time of the device. Factors such as charge and discharge cycles, aging, and temperature can cause lithium-ion battery performance to degrade over time. Wrong SOC data from unreliable fuel gauges forces designers to increase battery size or shut down the system early, even when available energy, resulting in reduced run time. Errors such as sudden shutdown or increased device charging frequency eventually lead to a bad user experience. Due to the demand for market competition, designers are also striving for faster time to market. Maxim's latest two new fuel gauge ICs help designers meet end-user performance requirements while meeting time-to-market challenges

Key Advantage

- High precision: The IC uses the proven ModelGauge m5 algorithm to accurately estimate the remaining operating time, full charge time and SOC in percentage (%) over a wide range of load conditions and temperatures, and to provide a remaining capacity indication in mAhr

- Fast time to market: ModelGauge m5 EZ algorithm does not require time-consuming battery characterization and calibration procedures

- Extended run time: The quiescent current of the MAX17262 is only 5.2μA, and the quiescent current of the MAX17263 is only 15/8.2μA, which effectively extends the run time.

- High integration: The MAX17262's internal current sense resistor (voltage and coulomb count mix) reduces overall package size and BOM cost, simplifying board layout. With a maximum detection current of 3.1 A, it is suitable for batteries from 100mAhr to 6Ahr. For applications that use higher current or battery capacity, the MAX17263 or the recently released MAX17260 can be used with any size external sense resistor.

- Small size: The MAX17262 measures 1.5mm x 1.5mm, which is 30% smaller than the previous product with discrete sense resistors and backup fuel gauges; the MAX17263 measures 3mm x 3mm and is currently available for Li-Ion battery-powered devices.

- Support LED: Single/multi-cell battery fuel gauge MAX17263 can also drive LED, indicate battery status when button is pressed, or indicate system status when receiving microcontroller command

For more information about these 2 ICs, please visit Maxim Integrated’s website: www.maximintegrated.com