Benchmarq Announces Smart Battery Capacity Monitor IC for NiCd, NiMH, Li-Ion and Lead Acid Battery Packs.DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 15, 1997--Benchmarq Microelectronics, Inc. (Nasdaq:BMRQ) today announces the bq2945 Gas Gauge IC for capacity monitoring of rechargeable battery A rechargeable battery, also known as a storage battery, is a group of two or more secondary cells. These batteries can be restored to full charge by the application of electrical energy. packs. The bq2945 represents the latest addition to Benchmarq's growing portfolio of capacity monitoring ICs. The bq2945 supports version 1.0 of the System Management Bus (SMBus) and version 1.0 of the Smart Battery Data (SBD SBD - Smart Battery Data ) specifications and can interface with the host system and battery charger to form a comprehensive battery management system that is chemistry independent. Designed for battery pack integration, the bq2945 supports the complete Smart Battery Data set, which includes the reporting of critical battery parameters such as remaining battery capacity, battery voltage, and pack temperature. The bq2945 communicates the battery parameters to the host system using the two-wire System Management Bus. The monitor IC also broadcasts warning messages, battery charging requirements, and battery full charge indication to the host or charge controller. For added flexibility, the bq2945 adds two programmable input/output ports that can be used to monitor the safety circuit in Li-Ion battery packs. Direct connections for five LEDs and a switch allow remaining capacity indication in 20% increments at the touch of a button. The bq2945 is packaged in a small 16-pin 150-mil SOIC (Small Outline IC) A small-dimension, plastic, rectangular, surface mount chip package that uses gull-wing pins extending outward. See gull-wing lead, SOJ and chip package. and -- together with the necessary external components -- can occupy less than 3/4 square inch of PCB PCB: see polychlorinated biphenyl. PCB in full polychlorinated biphenyl Any of a class of highly stable organic compounds prepared by the reaction of chlorine with biphenyl, a two-ring compound. space. The small PCB space required eases the restrictions on pack integration. The complete solution is small enough to fit in the crevice crevice /crev·ice/ (krev´is) fissure. gingival crevice the space between the cervical enamel of a tooth and the overlying unattached gingiva. crev·ice n. between two standard 17650 or 18650 cylindrical cells. The bq2945 is designed for battery packs in applications such as: Notebook computers Handheld terminals and PDAs Wireless communication devices Portable medical and test equipment "The bq2945 is unique. It not only allows manufacturers to make portable systems fully SBS-compliant but also provides the design flexibility to meet the system's space requirements and match the cells' characteristics," said Peter Fundaro, product marketing manager. "As an added benefit, the two programmable ports give the battery manufacturer or battery VAR the ability to monitor the safety circuit in a Li-Ion battery pack at no additional cost." Pricing and Availability Samples and development kits are available now. Production quantities will be available in December 1997. The 16-pin 50-mil SOIC is less than $4.50 in OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) The rebranding of equipment and selling it. The term initially referred to the company that made the products (the "original" manufacturer), but eventually became widely used to refer to the organization that buys the products and quantities. The development kit is priced at $199. About Benchmarq Benchmarq provides integrated circuits Integrated circuits Miniature electronic circuits produced within and upon a single semiconductor crystal, usually silicon. Integrated circuits range in complexity from simple logic circuits and amplifiers, about 1/20 in. (1. and modules for portable applications and applications sensitive to the loss of system power. Product lines include battery-management ICs and modules, real-time clock A real-time clock (RTC) is a computer clock (most often in the form of an integrated circuit) that keeps track of the current time. Although the term often refers to the devices in personal computers, servers and embedded systems, RTCs are present in almost any electronic ICs and modules, nonvolatile controller ICs and modules, and nonvolatile static RAMs. Benchmarq's products address the system designers' increasing requirements for high-performance solutions that are easy to use. In North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. , Benchmarq products are marketed through independent manufacturers' representatives and are distributed by Arrow Electronics Arrow Electronics NYSE: ARW is a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Melville, New York. This company specializes in products and services of electronic components and computer products. , Marshall Industries, Wyle Electronics, and Nu Horizons. Distributors market and sell Benchmarq products internationally. The company's World Wide Web address is http://www.benchmarq.com . -0- Please refer all reader inquiries to: Peter Fundaro, Product Marketing Manager BENCHMARQ Microelectronics, Inc. 17919 Waterview Parkway Dallas, Texas U.S.A. WWW WWW or W3: see World Wide Web. (World Wide Web) The common host name for a Web server. The "www-dot" prefix on Web addresses is widely used to provide a recognizable way of identifying a Web site. : http://www.benchmarq.com E-mail: benchmarq@benchmarq.com Fax: 972/437-9198 Tel: 972/437-9195 -0- Note to Editors: TRADEMARKS: Benchmarq is a registered trademark of BENCHMARQ Microelectronics, Inc. CONTACT: Benchmarq(R) Microelectronics, Inc., Dallas Peter Fundaro or Patricia H. Smith, 972/437-9195 Fax: 972/437-9198 WWW: http://www.benchmarq.com |
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