Microchip announces the expansion of its power-management family with the MCP73831 battery charger – a fully-integrated, single-cell, Li-Ion/Li-Polymer charge-management controller. Equipped with a pass transistor, current sensing and reverse-discharge protection, the MCP73831 charger reduces the number of components needed for battery-charger designs. Another key feature of the MCP73831 charger is its simple status output that directly drives single or multi-colour light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

Its pre-set voltage regulation (maximum up to 0.75 percent) results in more fully charged batteries and extended battery life. In addition, the device’s charge current is user-programmable, enabling customized charging currents for specific applications. The controller also features on-chip thermal regulation that decreases charge current in over temperature situations, thus preventing damage to the device. The charger also supports multiple regulation voltage outputs, making it an effective charging solution for different types of Lithium battery technology.

The device’s 5-pin SOT-23 or 8-pin, 2 mm x 3 mm, thermally efficient DFN package enables smaller, smarter charger designs for a variety of portable devices such as Bluetooth headsets, MP3 players and digital cameras. The thermal efficiency of the DFN package also allows high charging currents of up to 500 mA for faster charging. Microchip offers the MCP73831EV Evaluation Board for $45 to support the development of battery charger applications using the new MCP73831 charger.