Maxim makes complete U-turn toward foundries and 180nm technology platforms, says Petrov Group (Jun 11) Texas Instruments ushers the IC industry into

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1 Li-In/Ply batteries drive high grwth f battery management ICs frm headsets t electric vehicles, says Petrv Grup Cntributed by the Petrv Grup -- Thursday 21 Octber The requirement fr pwer-efficient and high perfrmance slutins in Li-In/Ply batterypwered devices and equipment cntinues t pen prfitable grwth pprtunities fr existing IC vendrs as well as fr numerus start-up entrants. The prfitability aspect is best illustrated by the fact that Linear Technlgy, a prfit-driven cmpany, is a majr participant. Linear Technlgy ffers 78 cre prducts - three standalne fuel gauge ICs and 75 cre battery charger ICs. In cmparisn, the start-up AnalgicTech ffers nly single functin standalne charger ICs targeted at mass market applicatins featuring a single cell Li-In/Pl battery and USB 2.0 cmpliant pwer surce. Fur majr market frces impact battery management IC attributes: end-equipment system trends, battery technlgy trends, battery charging trends, and industrial design and marketing (end-user) trends. Battery management ICs are applicatin-specific and analg-intensive mixedsignal ICs used in numerus end-systems and their battery packs. The cmplexity and variety f battery management ICs are driven by end-equipment types, battery types, and battery management architectures. This drives the need fr custmizatin f battery management ICs in rder t meet the specific needs f the target end-equipment system, battery, and pwer surces. Battery management ICs include prducts that are typically used n an end-equipment system bard r inside a battery pack. In additin, sme are designed fr use in battery charging cradles. Battery management ICs are nt used in adapters (als cmmnly referred t as "chargers") prviding pwer t an n-bard charger IC. Battery management ICs link an end-equipment system's pwer architecture with the frnt-end pwer surces (typically an AC adapter and USB prt) and the back-end battery pack system; they are an integral part f the verall end-equipment system's pwer architecture. The need fr custmizatin is especially strng fr ICs integrated int battery packs (such as fuel gauges) where there is a tight relatinship between a battery's chemistry and the assciated electrnics. Battery pwer management architecture is typically specific t an end-equipment device and drives battery management IC implementatin strategies. Key system level trends include: (1) System level apprach t battery pwer management featuring increasingly clser relatinship amng charging, fuel gauging, prtectin, and system hst functins. (2) (2)Increasing number f pwer surces and relevant standardizatin trends. Pwer surces include adapters (AC/DC, DC/DC) and USB/USB-OTG prts, each featuring a range f perating standards that must be managed by the charging IC. (3) Increasing use f smart battery system architecture cmpliant with SBS1.0 (Intel/Duracell) specificatins beynd traditinal ntebk applicatins. (4) In-system use f standalne fuel gauges enabling a higher degree f battery standardizatin and lw battery cst. Increasing charger requirements fr managing system pwer delivery (pwerpath management). (5) Increasing use f ne- and tw-wire cmmunicatins interfaces fr battery status/data reprt, cntrl, and charging parameter prgramming.

2 The prduct classificatin and market segmentatin f this fast changing ver US$3 billin standalne battery management IC market in 2009 are best validated by a bttm-up analysis f prducts and vendrs and varius battery charger, fuel gauge, prtectin, and authenticatin ICs. The Petrv Grup analyzed mre than 600 cre prducts f twenty vendrs and eleven endsystems, stated Bris Petrv, managing directr f The Petrv Grup. These cre prducts cnstitute abut 3,000+ standard prducts. Standalne charger ICs alne accunted fr abut 1.9 billin units and US$1.4 billin revenues in 2009, while standalne fuel gauge ICs accunted fr abut 1.6 billin units and US$1.4 billin in revenues. Texas Instruments, Maxim, and Linear Technlgy accunted fr nearly ne-third f the standard IC prducts. Abut half f the standalne battery management ICs are custm rather than standard ICs. Analysis f 20 IC vendrs and 622 battery management cre IC prducts reveal that the tpseven vendrs represent abut 85% f ttal prducts. TI alne represents abut 39% f the analyzed 622 prducts. As a result, TI is the dminant supplier f battery management ICs. Charger ICs and fuel gauge ICs are the tw majr prduct categries representing 76% and 14% f ttal prducts, respectively. Six hundred twenty-tw cre prducts translate t abut 3,000 generic prducts and at least 10,000 catalg (variant) battery management IC prducts. Battery management IC categries include charger ICs single functin and multifunctin, fuel gauge ICs standalne and mnitr, prtectin ICs charger frnt-end (FE), fuel gauge analg frnt-end (AFE), and level-2 prtectin ICs, and authenticatin ICs. The authenticatin functin is typically integrated int ther battery management ICs, hence, a relatively small number f ffered devices. Standalne charger ICs feature an n-chip charge cntrl algrithm executin engine (typically a state machine). This type f charger IC is usually referred t as a standalne device because it can perate autnmusly withut any assistance frm a system hst (hst prcessr, battery pack, r system based fuel gauge). Hwever, variatins f this type f charger IC culd include prducts featuring a degree f cntrl ver the executin f the charging algrithm. IC vendrs typically ffer these prducts as part f a prduct family that includes the cre standalne prduct and its hst cntrlled variatins. Single functin ("discrete") charger ICs represent abut 87% f the ttal f 471 analyzed charger IC prducts used in a brad range f end-equipment applicatins. The standalne type dminates 86% f 352 analyzed prducts: Linear tplgy chargers represent abut 61% f prducts and are mainly targeted at 1-cell Li-In/Pl battery applicatins; abut 52% f thse prducts are USB 2.0 pwer surce cmpliant. Switching tplgy chargers represent the remaining 39% f prducts and are mainly targeted at multi-cell Li-In/Pl battery applicatins. Multifunctin (integrated) charger ICs (PWMICs) are mainly used in mbile phne applicatins as pwer management cmpanin ICs fr the system's main prcessr. They represent abut 13% f the 471 analyzed charger IC prducts and are typically sld in high vlumes, yielding relatively high revenues per prduct. The level f functinal integratin varies widely frm a charger IC with an added n-chip DC/DC cnverter (Bluetth devices applicatin) t highly integrated SC type devices used in mbile phne applicatins. The Petrv Grup estimates that abut 50% f PWMICs feature an n-chip charger functin. These prducts typically use linear tplgy chargers fr 1-cell Li-In/Pl batteries and usually feature a USB 2.0 cmpliant pwer input (50 f 63 analyzed PWMICs). They feature standalne and hst cntrlled peratin. The Petrv Grup classified battery charger ICs int a five-level hierarchy by integratin, tplgy, algrithm executin, input pwer surces, and applicatin attributes, said Bris Petrv. Fuel gauge ICs are classified by algrithm executin (intelligence), integratin, battery chemistry,

3 cell cnfiguratin, and prtectin and mnitring features. End-equipment pwer is segmented int three main pwer levels; energy harvesting devices and electric vehicles are separate emerging segments. Enabled by micrelectrnics technlgies Li-In batteries are displacing ther battery systems. The demand fr increasing perfrmance battery management ICs is driven by tw majr frces: (1) maximum utilizatin f a battery's available capacity and (2) full-prf prtectin frm safety hazards. Battery management ICs have t deliver high precisin, high pwer (vltage and current) capability, and ultra-lw pwer cnsumptin. Biplar is a must prcess technlgy fr battery management ICs hence the use f BiCMOS and BCD dminates. The trend tward universal adapters ("chargers") requires an added degree f prtectin and favrs increasing use f BCD technlgy. The 2009 market fr charger ICs and fuel gauge ICs was abut 2.3 billin units and 1.6 billin units, respectively. Abut 82% f prtable end-equipment units feature standalne charging capability (r abut 1.9 billin units). At a vlume ASP f US$0.75, this amunts t abut US$1.4 billin. Standalne charger ICs includes single functin ("discrete") and multifunctin (integrated) charger ICs. Standalne fuel gauge ICs represent abut 1.6 billin units (1.1 billin units plus 50% current replacement rate, hence 1.6 billin units) and US$1.4 billin at a current vlume ASP f US$0.85. The CAGR (2009 t 2012) fr bth prduct categries is abut 12%. Frnt-end charger IC prtectin is becming increasingly critical due t the emergence f universal AC adapters ("battery chargers"). Increasing and mandated use f universal AC adapters in mbile phnes in China and in Eurpe/Nrth America (there are tw "universal" adapter standards) is increasing the prtectin requirements f frnt-end charger IC prtectin. In an envirnment f standardized adapters prduced by a range f third-party vendrs, charger ICs might be expsed t high vltages and currents. This requires an added degree f frnt-end prtectin either via a separate prtectin IC r an n-chip prtectin capability f a charger IC. In bth cases use f BCD prcess technlgy is mandatry. This trend is illustrated by recent PWMIC intrductins, e.g., the Pwer IC chipset fr Intel's Atm Z6xx prcessr. At Cmputex 2010 Freescale intrduced a highly integrated chipset, including charger functinality, using its 130nm BCD SmartMOS-10 platfrm. Maxim and Renesas PWMICs fr Atm Z6xx prcessr will likely use 180nm BCD prcess technlgy. The new adapter standards prmte use f USB cnnectrs USB type-a fr the China standard and micr-usb cnnectr fr the USB-IF standard (Eurpe and Nrth America). "Dumb" battery packs feature at minimum a prtectin IC with pwer MOSFETs and a thermistr. In additin, it culd include a mnitr IC t acquire battery data required by an external fuel gauge fr prcessing. "Smart" battery packs feature an in-pack fuel gauge cmpliant with the SBS1.1 specificatin. In additin, the battery pack typically cntains a prtectin IC with pwer MOSFETs. This leads t a 4- r 5-pin battery pack vs. 3-pin in the case f a "dumb" battery. A "smart" battery can act as the master f a smart battery system (SBS) where the charger IC acts as a slave (a s-called Level-2 charger). The mst versatile battery management architecture is based n the smart battery system specificatin (SBS 1.1) initially created by Intel and Duracell primarily fr use in ntebk applicatins, accrding t the Petrv Grup. The smart battery system architecture uses SMBus fr cmmunicatin between a smart battery, smart charger, and system hst. Smart batteries feature an integrated fuel gauge which cmmunicates the cnditin f the battery and requests a charge (vltage and current) ver the SMBus. Charge requests are met by the smart battery charger, which applies the requested vltage and current t the battery terminals. The charger des nt need t knw the battery chemistry because the fuel gauge maintains the

4 charge algrithms. As a result, any smart battery charger can charge any smart battery. The SBS 1.1 specificatin prvides fr tw majr mdes f peratin (1) the smart battery is the system master (level-2 system), and (2) any device ther than the smart battery can be the master (level- 3 system). In this architecture, any smart battery and smart charger frm a clsed lp charge system that des nt require hst prcessr interventin. Energy harvesting technlgies culd be segmented int tw majr categries. (1) Macr-scale harvesting using renewable energy surces (such as slar and wind). A key attribute f these technlgies is that they prvide ff-grid pwer surces and can feed the electric pwer grid; hence, their ultimate gal is t reduce il dependency. (2) Micr-scale harvesting using energy frm the envirnment (such as vibratin, bdy heat, and light). A key attribute f these technlgies is t pwer ultra-lw pwer devices; hence, their ultimate gal is t enable perpetual devices. A significant near-term business pprtunity fr standalne battery charger ICs is in slar single panel applicatins less than fur square feet in area prducing up t 25-30W f pwer. Typical end-equipment applicatins include high-end cnsumer, autmtive, industrial, radside, and marine and military segments bth prtable and nn-prtable. Linear Technlgy and TI have recently accelerated prduct intrductins in this area as well ther energy harvesting applicatins. Electric transprtatin is nt nly relevant t cars but already in use in many millins f simple task-riented vehicles arund the wrld. The systems are mre basic cmpared t thse n the hybrid and electric car side but cnsist f the same functinal blcks. Representative examples include e-bike, scter, glf cart, frklift, and ther small task-riented vehicles (STOVs) The hybrid and electric vehicle system is built f several mdules t frm the drive train and energy strage system. The battery blck is typically Li-In chemistry in the range f 400V. It is managed and mnitred by the battery management system (BMS) and charged via an n-bard AC/DC cnverter mdule ("adapter") with vltages ranging frm 110V single phase t 380V three-phase systems. A battery management system (BMS) is integrated int the battery pack. The battery management system (BMS) is a key element in the verall electric vehicle architecture. It represents a highly safety-critical functin therefre the assciated analg and digital cmpnents (micrcntrller) need t meet specific safety requirements. The battery pack must be carefully mnitred during peratin and charging in rder t maximize energy usage and prlng battery life. This is accmplished with advanced battery mnitring ICs typically managed by a hst cntrller, accrding t the Petrv Grup. Related stries: Explsive grwth f LED driver ICs truly unparalleled, says Petrv Grup (Sep 23) Thirty billin pwer cnversin ICs enable pwer management applicatins, says Petrv Grup (Aug 24) Pwer management ICs in prtable devices represent nearly 40% f ttal analg IC revenues, says Petrv Grup (Aug 10) STM is the market share leader in ESD and EMI prtectin devices, says Petrv Grup (Aug 2) Linear Technlgy remains the perfrmance gld standard f the IC industry, says Petrv Grup (Jul 23) Natinal Semicnductr culd becme tp perfrming analg IC vendr, says Petrv Grup (Jul 5) Intersil cmmitted t jining the leading-5 analg and pwer IC vendrs, says Petrv Grup (Jun 21)

5 Maxim makes cmplete U-turn tward fundries and 180nm technlgy platfrms, says Petrv Grup (Jun 11) Texas Instruments ushers the IC industry int a new era f BCD technlgy platfrms, says Petrv Grup (May 24) Glbalfundries impact and evlutin culd be significant, says Petrv Grup Part II (May 10) Glbalfundries impact and evlutin culd be significant, says Petrv Grup Part I (May 3) BCD platfrm technlgies are rapidly changing the pwer IC landscape, says Petrv Grup (Mar 3) Digital pwer ICs represent high grwth pprtunities fr IC vendrs and wafer fundries, says Petrv Grup (Feb 22)