Maxim introduces high-precision, low-static current coulometer to significantly extend battery life

     Maxim has released its new MAX17055 ModelGauge m5 battery gauge to make it easier for portable device developers to design the highest accuracy and lowest power on the console. In traditional methods, the coulometer requires a large number of characteristics for each cell model, depending on the specific application, to achieve excellent performance. This means that customers need to add weeks of time and resources to the design cycle to implement complex battery characterization. With the ModelGauge m5 EZ configuration, the MAX17055 eliminates the dependence on battery characteristics, greatly reducing time to market for customers.

     One of the main advantages of a coulometer is that it can help system developers determine when to shut down the device when the battery level gets low. If the battery life is estimated by the voltmeter, it may not be possible to shut down the device properly when the voltage drops below the operating voltage of the device, resulting in unexpected failure; If the designer shuts down the system too early, it will shorten the uptime of the equipment, which is very undesirable for the user. By providing the most accurate meter possible - guaranteeing less than 1% of the state of Charge (SOC) indication error in most cases - the MAX17055 allows designers to plan shutdowns while maintaining maximum equipment uptime.

     The MAX17055 delivers the industry's lowest static current, consuming only 7µA of current in low power mode. For space-constrained applications, it can support a 1.4mm x 1.5mm WLP package. Unlike other power meters, the MAX17055 has no minimum limit on battery size, making it ideal for wearables, smartwatches, smartphones, health and fitness monitors, body cameras, portable medical devices, smart earpieces, drones, VR devices, and USB Type-C portable devices.