The ISL78692 from Intersil Corp. is a 4.1 V single-cell battery charger designed to extend the life of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries in automotive emergency call (eCall) systems. The ISL78692 battery charger dissipates lower leakage current (3 uA) than competing solutions, allowing the backup battery to remain charged for a longer period of time. Lower charging voltage also extends battery life while the device's small footprint reduces total solution size.
Vehicles equipped with eCall systems automatically place a call to an emergency service center in the event of an accident. The ISL78692 Li-ion battery charger is designed to support emerging worldwide emergency call systems such as Europe's eCall initiative, which brings rapid assistance to motorists involved in a collision anywhere in the European Union, and OnStar®, which provides a safety and security service in the United States.
The ISL78692 charger's ability to monitor the battery's temperature and its low, 4.1 V output voltage both help to extend the life of popular LiFeP04 batteries. Highly integrated, the ISL78692 requires only five external components to program the charging current. When combined with the charger's compact 3 mm x 3 mm DFN package, the complete solution easily fits on space-constrained PCBs. The ISL78692 also offers a unique charge current thermal foldback feature that prevents overheating by automatically reducing the battery charging current, creating a very robust, small footprint design.
The ISL78692 Li-ion battery charger is available now in a 10-pin, 3 mm x 3 mm DFN package and is priced at $0.99 USD in 1k quantities. The ISL78692 is supported by the ISL78692EVAL1Z evaluation board, which is available for $56 USD each.
