Li-ion charger with 50mA LDO flaunts slim form

Texas Instruments Inc. has launched what it claims to be the smallest 1.1A Li-ion linear battery charger with integrated 50mA low-dropout regulator (LDO) to support mobile phones and other handheld electronics.

The new bq25040 comes in a small 2mm x 3mm package and can regulate voltage within one percent accuracy from a USB port or AC adapter. The device's integrated LDO allows a mobile application to power up instantly from an external power source, even with an empty or absent battery.

The device also saves manufacturing time and cost by eliminating the need for battery setup during production test phase. The charger's single-input interface selects the appropriate charge current and places the device into production test mode.

The bq25040 also features 30V input with overvoltage protection that enables safe charging with unregulated or aftermarket adapters. The charger's production test mode regulates 4.2V output without battery connection and supplies up to 2.3 A. It also offers selectable 100mA or 500mA USB current limit that complies with USB standards. Furthermore, the battery charger includes input voltage dynamic power management that provides protection against poor USB sources.

The bq25040 is available now in a 10-pin, QFN package and is priced at $1.20 in quantities of 1,000. Other USB chargers include the bq24150 ultrasmall switch-mode charger with integrated FETs, and the bq24072 with dynamic power path management.

- Henri Arnold
EE Times Europe