High-efficiency synchronous NVDC-1 battery charge controllers

This post is sponsored by Texas Instruments. Latest from Texas Instruments is the bq2477x range of high-efficiency, synchronous, NVDC-1 battery charge controllers, offering low component count for space-constrained, multi-chemistry battery-charging applications. The power path management allows the system to be regulated at battery voltage but does not drop below system minimum voltage (programmable). With this feature, the system keeps operating even when the battery is completely discharged or removed. The power path management allows the battery to provide supplement current to the system to keep the input supply from being overloaded. The device provides drivers and power path management for N-channel ACFET and reverse blocking FET. The devices provides driver to control NVDC operation of external P-channel battery FET. It also drives high-side and low-side MOSFETs of the switching regulator. The bq2477x monitors adapter current (IADP), battery charge/discharge current (IBAT) and system power (PMON). The flexibly programmed PROCHOT output goes directly to CPU for throttle-back when needed, says the company.