Industry’s simplest micropower fuel gauge

Traditional fuel gauge designs require multiple external components including current-sense resistors, which increase both bill of materials (BOM) cost and design complexity. Those fuel gauges also use coulomb counting, which can drift and affect the accuracy of the gauge over time. The MAX17048 features the proven ModelGauge algorithm and does not require coulomb counting to report accurate battery state-of-charge, thus extending runtime. The MAX17048 functionality is also integrated into the company’s TINI Power System-on-Chip (SoC) to make it easier to upgrade designs to more complex systems. “Mobile device manufacturers are increasingly paying attention to enhancing user experience to set themselves apart from their competition,” said Bakul Damle, Business Director at Maxim Integrated. “Having a simple but trustworthy fuel gauge to correctly inform the user about the battery status as well as improve runtime goes a long way in achieving this goal.” Availability and Pricing The MAX17048 is available in an 8-bump WLP package (0.9mm x 1.7mm) and an 8-pin TDFN package (2mm x 2mm). Pricing starts at $1.12 (1000-up, FOB USA).