A battery fuel gauge, also known as a battery gas gauge, determines battery state-of-charge (SOC) and state-of-health. A battery fuel gauge IC can predict how much longer, under specific operating conditions, the battery can continue to provide power. Inadequate battery life and unreliable battery SOC reporting are some of the most common complaints about any battery-powered device. Highly accurate battery fuel gauges are needed to avoid surprise shutdowns and are critical for a positive user experience.
Our battery fuel gauges have been successfully used in over one billion devices. Industry-leading features include: Time-to-empty, time-to-full, battery age forecasting, dynamic battery power technology that extends run-time of transient loads, capacity learning even with shallow cycling, comprehensive battery protection and integrated charging.
ModelGauge Battery Fuel Gauges
Our patented ModelGauge algorithm provides the industry's best accuracy for reporting SOC using battery voltage (without measuring current). By eliminating the current-sense resistor and other external components, our ModelGauge battery fuel gauge ICs also save cost and space.
ModelGauge m5 Battery Fuel Gauges
Our patented ModelGauge m5 algorithm combines the excellent short-term accuracy and linearity of a coulomb counter, the long-term stability of a voltage-based ModelGauge battery fuel gauge, and temperature compensation to provide industry-leading fuel-gauge accuracy. In addition, as the battery approaches the critical region near empty, the ModelGauge m5 algorithm invokes a special error correction mechanism that eliminates any error. These battery gauge ICs provide accurate estimation of time-to-empty and time-to-full while charging, and three methods for reporting the age of the battery: reduction in capacity, increase in battery resistance, and cycle odometer.
Dynamic battery power technology enables the system to operate at peak performance by providing real-time information on the maximum power that the battery can deliver without violating the minimum system voltage requirement. At the same time, the algorithm enables the battery gas gauge to operate at very low quiescent current, which extends the operating life for small battery applications. Some versions include Cycle+™ age forecast and SHA-256 authentication to prevent the use of counterfeit batteries.
ModelGauge m5 EZ Algorithm
The ModelGauge m5 EZ algorithm makes battery fuel gauge implementation easier by eliminating battery characterization requirements. The m5 EZ algorithm delivers highly accurate battery SOC, for most use cases, without requiring the usual lengthy battery characterization process, resulting in shorter design cycles. The robust algorithm also provides tolerance of battery diversity for most lithium batteries and applications.
Battery Fuel Gauges with Authentication and Protection
We also offer battery fuel gauge ICs with authentication and protection. Some devices integrate a battery gauge with a lithium-ion protector and a Secure Hash Algorithm-1 (SHA-1) or Secure Hash Algorithm-2 (SHA-256) based on the challenge-response authentication system.
Battery Fuel Gauges with Charger
We also offer battery fuel gauge ICs with an integrated charger. Options available include switching chargers with integrated USB BC1.2 detection, as well as AccuCharge technology that leverages the fuel gauge to control the integrated charger for better accuracy. AccuCharge chargers can also manage fast-charge control of parallel cells of different capacities spaced far apart.
Battery Gauge Analog Front-Ends (AFEs)
Our battery gauge AFEs are precision analog front-end ICs for measuring current, voltage, and temperature. On-chip temperature measurements eliminate the need for a thermistor in the battery pack. Our battery gauge AFEs can also use temperature data to enable gain and temperature-coefficient compensation in the current measurement, thereby allowing the use of a low-cost current-sense resistor.
- Highest accuracy SOC reporting, even in difficult conditions like very low temperatures and very high loads
- Low quiescent current for low-power applications such as wearables
- Strong SHA-256 authentication to prevent counterfeit battery packs
- Integrated protection to save space and simplify battery pack design
- Easy setup without battery characterization (ModelGauge™ m5 EZ)
- Integrated AccuCharge technology that provides better charger accuracy
- Easy manufacturability with short programming times and no calibration
- Communication interfaces: I2C, 1-Wire®, SMBus
Featured Videos
Better Battery Safety and User Experience with Accurate Fuel Gauges
32:15 April 02, 2021
Getting Started with the Basics of Maxim’s ModelGauge m5 Technology
11:05 November 30, 2020
Faster Battery Fuel Gauging Using the MAX17260 Fuel Gauge with ModelGauge M5 EZ
6:37 March 26, 2019
Also see:
ModelGauge Battery Fuel Gauge Technology
Application Notes
Whitepaper
Design Solution
Selector Guide
Fuel Gauge Portfolio
Technical Documentation
Customer Testimonials
Featured Blogs
Latest Blogs
July 30, 2020
Learn how CarePredict is giving seniors and their loved ones peace of mind with its wearable health-monitoring solution, designed with Maxim Integrated ICs.
March 05, 2020
Watch this short video to learn how a battery fuel gauge IC with authentication prevents battery pack cloning. Test-drive the IC with the eval kit from Maxim Integrated.
January 21, 2020
Get better battery state-of-charge (SOC) accuracy in a smaller fuel-gauge solution with pack-side fuel gauging. Read the blog to learn more.
October 17, 2019
Learn how Zivix is delivering accurate battery SOC data on its electronic instruments with Maxim fuel-gauge and power management ICs. Find out more here.
September 18, 2019
Android users with Fast Pair Bluetooth devices will soon have detailed battery life data. Accurate fuel-gauge ICs will be essential to these designs.
July 02, 2019
Today’s advanced battery management ICs are designed to address key challenges in portable designs, from battery life to space constraints.
September 27, 2018
Check out the cool winning designs created as part of our MAX32620FTHR design contest with Hackster.io.
February 20, 2018
Learn how fuel gauge ICs extend runtime and performance for battery-powered electronics, helping you build consumer trust.
September 26, 2017
New technologies are giving us new ways to manage medical conditions. See what two companies have created with Maxim ICs to enhance quality of life.
Videos
Better Battery Safety and User Experience with Accurate Fuel Gauges
32:15 April 02, 2021
Fundamentals of Battery Fuel Gauges
27:37 August 01, 2018
Getting Started Estimating the State-of-Charge for Li-Ion Batteries
4:34 May 12, 2020
EZ Setup of MAX17055 ModelGauge m5 Low IQ Stand-Alone Fuel Gauge
8:16 March 29, 2017
EZ Setup of MAX17201/MAX17211 ModelGauge m5 Stand-Alone Fuel Gauges
11:50 February 03, 2017
Introduction to the MAX17301 and MAX17311: 1-Cell ModelGauge m5 EZ Fuel Gauge with 2-Level Protector and SHA-256 Authentication
10:50 August 21, 2019
Faster Battery Fuel Gauging Using the MAX17260 Fuel Gauge with ModelGauge M5 EZ
6:37 March 26, 2019
Introduction to the MAX17301 and MAX17311: 1-Cell ModelGauge m5 EZ Fuel Gauge with 2-Level Protector and SHA-256 Authentication
10:50 August 21, 2019
How to Select and Configure a Battery Fuel Gauge for Your Portable System
5:21 March 14, 2019
Featured Products
| 1S Fuel Gauge (Host-side) | 1S Fuel Gauge (Pack-side) | 2S+ Fuel Gauge (Host-side) | 2S+ Fuel Gauge (Pack-side) | 1S Charger + Fuel Gauge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAX17048 ModelGauge 3μA Iq 0.9x1.7mm WLP 2x2 TDFN | MAX17201/MAX17211 ModelGauge m5 SHA-256 1.6x2.4mm WLP 3x3 TDFN | MAX17049 ModelGauge 0.9x1.7mm WLP 2x2mm TDFN | MAX17320 2S-4S ModelGauge m5 Protector Self-Discharge Detector SHA-256 2.4x2.6mm WLP 4x4 TQFN | MAX17330 AccuCharge Linear Charger + ModelGauge m5, Protector, NVM, 1.9x2.5mm WLP |
| MAX17260 ModelGauge m5 1.5x1.5mm WLP 3x3 TDFN | MAX17300/MAX17310 ModelGauge m5 Protector Self-Discharge Detector SHA-256 1.7x2.5mm WLP 3x3 TDFN | MAX17261 ModelGauge m5 1.5x1.5mm WLP 3x3mm TDFN | MAX17205/MAX17215 2S+ ModelGauge m5 SHA-256 1.7x2.5mm WLP 3x3 TDFN | MAX77840 3A Buck Charger + ModelGauge m5, USB BC1.2, LDO, 4x3.9mm WLP |
| MAX17262 ModelGauge m5 Built-in Rsense 7mΩ / 30mΩ options 1.5x1.5mm WLP | MAX17263 1S+ LEDs ModelGauge m5 3x3 TDFN | MAX77818 3A Buck Charger + ModelGauge m5, 2xLDO, Dual Input, 3.9x3.6mm WLP | ||
| MAX17263 LEDs ModelGauge m5 3x3 TDFN |
Pack-Side Fuel Gauges
| Product | Number of Li-Ion Cells | Special Features | Quiescent Current | Typical Applications | Buy/Sample | EV Kit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAX17301 | Single-Cell (1S) | Protector, SHA-256 authentication, life-logging | 9µA | Smartphones, Tablets, AR/VR Glasses, mPOS | Buy/Sample | Buy |
| MAX17303 | Single-Cell (1S) | Protector, life-logging | 9µA | Smartphones, Tablets, AR/VR Glasses, mPOS | Buy/Sample | Buy |
| MAX17201 | Single-Cell (1S) | SHA-256 authentication, life-logging | 9µA | Smartphones, Tablets, AR/VR Glasses, mPOS | Buy/Sample | Buy |
| MAX17205 | Multicell (2S+) | SHA-256 authentication, life-logging | 12µA | Ultrabooks, 2-Way Radios, Robotics, Drones, Power Tools | Buy/Sample | Buy |
Host-Side Fuel Gauges
| Product | Number of Li-Ion Cells | Special Features | Quiescent Current | Typical Applications | Buy/Sample | EV Kit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAX17260 | Single-Cell (1S) | High-side or low-side current sensing | 5.1µA | Smartwatch, True Wireless Stereo Headset, Smartphones, Tablets, AR/VR Glasses, mPOS, Health and Fitness Monitors, Portable Game Players | Buy/Sample | Buy |
| MAX17261 | Multi-Cell (2S and higher) | Host-side | 5.1µA | Ultrabooks, Medical Devices, Mobile Printers, Drones, Wireless Speakers | Buy/Sample | Buy |
| MAX17262 | Single-Cell (1S) | Integrated sense resistor | 5.2µA | Trackers, Medical Devices, Health and Fitness Monitors | Buy/Sample | Buy |
| MAX17263 | Single-Cell, (1S), Multi-Cell (2S+) | LED drivers | 5.1µA | Battery Backup, Drones, E-Bikes, Headlamps and Torches, Power Tools, Wireless Speakers, Toys | Buy/Sample | Buy |
Featured Designs
MAX17048EVKIT
MAX17205XEVKIT
MAX17320X2EVKIT
MAX17261XEVKIT
MAX17260XEVKIT
MAX17301XEVKIT
MAX17048EVKIT
MAX17205XEVKIT
MAX17320X2EVKIT
MAX17261XEVKIT
MAX17260XEVKIT
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