• Cell Capacity (FullCapNom). This is the total cell
capacity at full, according to the VFG. This includes
some capacity that is not available to the application
at high loads and/or low temperature. The device
periodically compares percent change based on OCV
measurement vs. coulomb-count change as the cell
charges and discharges. This information allows the
device to maintain an accurate estimation of the cell’s
capacity in mAh as the cell ages.
• Voltage Fuel-Gauge Adaptation. The device
observes the battery’s relaxation response and adjusts
the dynamics of the VFG. This adaptation adjusts
the RCOMP0 register during qualified cell relaxation
events.
• Empty Learning. The device updates internal data
whenever cell empty is detected (VCELL < V_empty)
to account for cell age or other cell deviations from
the characterization information. This maintains SOC
accuracy as the battery ages.
Determining Fuel-Gauge Accuracy
To determine the true accuracy of a fuel gauge, as expe-
rienced by end users, the battery should be exercised
in a dynamic manner. The end-user accuracy cannot be
understood with only simple cycles.
To challenge a correction-based fuel gauge, such as a
coulomb counter, test the battery with partial loading ses-
sions. For example, a typical user may operate the device
for 10min and then stop use for an hour or more. A robust
test method includes these kinds of sessions many times
at various loads, temperatures, and duration. Refer to
Application Note 4799: Cell Characterization Procedure
for a ModelGauge m3 Fuel Gauge.
Initial Accuracy
The device uses the first voltage reading after power-up
or after cell insertion to determine the starting output of
the fuel gauge. It is assumed that the cell is fully relaxed
prior to this reading; however, this is not always the case.
If the cell was recently charged or discharged, the volt-
age measured by the device may not represent the true
state of charge of the cell, resulting in initial error in the
fuel gauge outputs. In most cases, this error is minor and
is quickly removed by the fuel gauge algorithm during
normal operation.
Typical Operating Circuit
The device is designed to mount outside the cell pack
that it monitors. Voltage of the battery pack is measured
directly at the pack terminals by the VBATT and CSP
connections. Current is measured by an external sense
resistor placed between the CSP and CSN pins. An exter-
nal resistor-divider network allows the device to measure
temperature of the cell pack by monitoring the AIN pin.
The THRM pin provides a strong pullup for the resistor-
divider that is internally disabled when temperature is not
being measured.
Communication to the host occurs over a standard I2C
interface. SCL is an input from the host, and SDA is an
open-drain I/O pin that requires an external pullup. The
ALRT pin is an output that can be used as an external
interrupt to the host processor if certain application condi-
tions are detected. ALRT can also function as an input,
allowing the host to shut down the device. This pin is
also
open drain and requires an external pullup resistor.
Figure 5 is the typical operating circuit.
Multicell Circuit
The MAX17047 can be used in multicell pack applica-
tions. A resistor-divider network divides the pack voltage
down so that the IC monitors the equivalent voltage of a
single cell. The MAX9910 buffers the divider output so
that loading by the MAX17047 does not affect accuracy.
VTT must be connected to a regulated supply in the sys-
tem to prevent overloading the MAX9910. Contact the
factory for a MAX17050 multicell application circuit. See
Figure 6.
Thermistor Sharing Circuit
The MAX17047 can share the cell thermistor circuit with
the system charger. In this circuit, there is a single therm-
istor inside the cell pack and a single bias resistor external
to the cell pack. The device shares the same external
bias as the charger circuit and measurement point on the
thermistor. In this configuration, each device can measure
temperature individually or simultaneously without inter-
ference. Alternatively, if the bias voltage in the charger
circuit is not available to the device, a separate bias volt-
age on the VTT pin can be used. For proper operation, the
separate bias voltage must be larger than the minimum
operating voltage of the device, but no larger than one
diode drop above the charger circuit bias voltage. The
MAX17050 cannot be operated in his configuration. See
Figure 7.
MAX17047/MAX17050 1-Cell Fuel Gauge with ModelGauge m3
www.maximintegrated.com Maxim Integrated
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