DS2441
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LI-ION PROTECTION CIRCUITRY
During normal operation, the DS2441 constantly monitors cell voltage, current and temperature to protect
the cell from overcharge (overvoltage), overdischarge (undervoltage), excessive charge and discharge
currents (overcurrent), and thermal runaway (overtemperature). The DS2441 monitors for and protects
against each of these conditions with separate circuitry in order to properly protect the lithium-ion cell
from any single condition or combination of conditions that can arise. Conditions and DS2441 responses
are described in the sections below and summarized in Table 3 and Figure 3.
LI-ION PROTECTION CONDITIONS AND DS2441 RESPONSES
Table 3
Activation
Condition
Name
Threshold
Delay
Overvoltage
V
CELL
> V
OV
t
OVD
Undervoltage
V
CELL
< V
UV
t
UVD
Release
Response
CHG
off
CHG
off,
DCHG
high,
Low Power
Mode
CHG
off
Threshold
V
CELL
< V
CE
exit Low Power Mode
AND V
CELL
> V
UV
Delay
0
0
Overcurrent,
Charge
Overcurrent,
Discharge
Overtemp
V
ISENS
< -V
OC
t
OCD
none
t
REL
V
ISENS
> V
OC
V
ISENS
> V
SC
T
MEAS
> T
TRIP
t
OCD
t
SCD
0
DCHG
high
none
t
REL
CHG
off,
DCHG
high
T
MEAS
< T
TRIP
- T
HYS
0
(V
CELL
= VDD. T
MEAS
= measured temperature.)
Overvoltage.
If the voltage of the cell exceeds overvoltage threshold V
OV
for a period longer than
overvoltage delay t
OVD
, the DS2441 shuts off the external charge FET and sets the overvoltage protection
flag, OV, in the Status Register. When the cell voltage falls below charge enable threshold V
CE
, the
DS2441 clears the OV flag and enables the charge FET (unless another protection condition prevents it).
Except when a discharge protection condition also occurs, discharging remains enabled during
overvoltage, with the discharge path consisting of the channel of the discharge FET and the body diode of
the charge FET.
Undervoltage.
If the voltage on the cell drops below undervoltage threshold V
UV
for a period longer
than undervoltage delay t
UVD
, the DS2441 shuts off the charge and discharge FETs, asserts the
undervoltage protection flag, UV, in the Status Register and enters Low Power Mode to minimize the
load it presents to the cell. See the section on Low Power Mode for more details.
Overcurrent, Charge Direction.
The voltage on the I
SENS
pin with respect to GND (V
ISENS
) is the
voltage across current sense resistor R
SENS
. If V
ISENS
is less than -V
OC
(V
OC
is the overcurrent threshold)
for a period longer than overcurrent delay t
OCD
, the DS2441 shuts off the external charge FET and sets the
overcurrent protection flag, OC, in the Status Register. After the expiration of release delay t
REL
, the
DS2441 clears the OC flag and enables the charge FET (unless another protection condition prevents it).
If the overcurrent condition persists for t
OCD
after the charge FET is enabled, the DS2441 responds again.
If the overcurrent condition persists indefinitely, the DS2441 cycles between protecting and releasing
until an overvoltage condition arise. Except when a discharge protection condition also occurs,
discharging remains enabled during charge-direction overcurrent, with the path consisting of the channel
of the discharge FET and the body diode of the charge FET.