Dubbed the industry's most comprehensive stand-alone protection IC with integrated cell balancing for five- to 10-cell lithium-ion battery packs, the DS2726 combines voltage and current monitoring with cell balancing in a single chip. The device employs high-side P-channel protection FETs to provide comprehensive over-voltage, under-voltage, discharge-current, and short-circuit protection. Additionally, high-side protection allows the host system to maintain communication with a fuel gauge even when a fault condition causes the protection FETs to switch off. To simplify designs and reduce costs, the DS2726 eliminates the need for an external microcontroller to configure the device. Available in a 32-pin, 7 mm x 7 mm TQFN package, prices start at $4.58 each/1,000. MAXIM INTEGRATED PRODUCTS, Sunnyvale, CA. (800) 998-8800.