Compact Li-ion Battery Protection ICs for Wearables and Mobile Devices

Nisshinbo Micro Devices has recently introduced two new 1-cell Li-ion battery protection ICs, the NB7123 and NB7130, with the aim of enhancing the safety, accuracy, and compactness of portable electronic devices. These ICs, housed in ultra-small WLCSP packages, are specifically targeted at applications such as hearing aids, wearables, smartphones, and handheld terminals, catering to the growing demand for smaller and more reliable components in the electronics industry.

For engineers and designers working on ultra-compact, battery-powered products, the introduction of these new ICs could represent a significant advancement. Not only do they offer a smaller footprint, but they also provide improved reliability and protective functionality that can help meet the increasingly stringent safety requirements for consumer and medical devices.

Enhanced Battery Protection Accuracy

One of the key features of the NB7123 and NB7130 is their comprehensive set of protection functions, including overcharge and over-discharge voltage (OVP/UVP), overcurrent (OCP), and short circuit detection. Nisshinbo has placed a strong emphasis on enhancing the accuracy of these detection mechanisms, which is crucial for the safe management of Li-ion cells in devices such as body-worn gadgets and high-density electronics.

Some of the notable improvements highlighted by Nisshinbo include highly accurate overcharge and over-discharge voltage detection, allowing for battery voltage operation closer to limits without triggering errors, thereby maximizing battery life. Additionally, the overcurrent detection benefits from a low current sense voltage, enabling the use of a smaller Rsens resistor for lower heat dissipation and better precision at high current levels.

Flexible MOSFET Options

The NB7123 stands out for its support of high-side MOSFETs, which enables the protection circuit to share a common ground with the system, simplifying signal referencing. Despite the inherent complexity of high-side switches in terms of gate drive, Nisshinbo has integrated a charge pump into the IC, eliminating the need for external components.

On the other hand, the NB7130 is tailored for designs that prefer low-side switching, offering the same protection functionality but configured for low-side MOSFETs. Both variants support a Forced Standby Mode via a dedicated STB input, allowing for significant power savings during idle periods and automatic wake-up upon charger detection.

Engineers and developers can now access both ICs in WLCSP-8-ZA2 (NB7123) and WLCSP-8-ZA1 (NB7130) packages. For detailed datasheets, design guides, and distribution information, interested individuals can visit Nisshinbo’s official product pages to explore the full range of features and specifications offered by these innovative battery protection ICs.