BQ2016DBQ

The BQ2016DBQ from Texas Instruments is an integrated circuit designed for battery pack and in-system installation, maintaining an accurate record of available battery capacity. It is suitable for NiCd or NiMH battery packs with capacities ranging from 1000 mAh to 4500 mAh, particularly those designed for high discharge rate applications such as power tools.

The IC monitors the voltage drop across a sense resistor to integrate charge and discharge activity. It automatically compensates for battery temperature, charge/discharge rate, and self-discharge to provide reliable capacity information across various operating conditions. The BQ2016DBQ features a 1-Wire HDQ communication interface for external processors to read and write internal data, and it supports external capacity indication via LEDs.

This device operates within a temperature range of -20°C to 70°C and is available in a 28-SSOP package. It requires less than one square inch of PCB space for easy pack integration. The IC measures charge flow using a low-offset V-to-F converter and automatically compensates measurements for rate and temperature.

Key features include Coulomb Counter functionality, support for multiple cell configurations (1-4 cells, >4 cells), and a wide dynamic-current range. The BQ2016DBQ is ideal for applications requiring precise battery status monitoring.