TOKYO, Japan, November 30, 2011 — Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723), a premier provider of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced a charging control integrated circuit (IC), the R2A20055NS, that achieves further miniaturization and safe charging control for single-cell lithium-ion batteries used in portable devices.
Lithium-ion batteries are used in a wide range of portable equipment, from cell phones to digital still cameras, media players, personal navigation devices and tablet PCs. Lithium-ion batteries have a high energy density and can contribute to equipment miniaturization. At the same time, however, they can generate excessive heat and catch fire if they are overcharged. For this reason, JEITA (Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association) has formulated guidelines that stipulate that charging rates be reduced when the battery temperature is in specific low-temperatures or high-temperature ranges. In addition, there are increasing needs in this equipment for charging using USB bus power when connected to a personal computer by a USB cable, and for charging within the range of power that can be supplied by a USB bus.
While Renesas has mainly focused on IC products for battery chargers and digital still cameras, the company is now releasing the R2A20055NS device, which targets the full range of portable equipment in response to these market needs.
Key features of the R2A20055NS IC:
(1) Conforms to the changing profiles stipulated by JEITA
In addition to a full complement of the protection features seen as necessary for portable equipment, including battery overvoltage protection and charging timers, this new IC includes functions that implement the charging profiles stipulated by JEITA, allowing the R2A20055NS IC to implement safe charging control.
(2) Support for USB charging
The R2A20055NS IC provides control pins for each block to limit the input current. Current limit options are 100 milliamps (mA), 500 mA, or no limit.. Thus it can perform battery charging according to the USB power available.
(3) Increased input pin withstand voltage
Not only do the R2A20055NS input pins have high withstand voltage of 25 V, but Renesas has added new overvoltage protection functions to the input pins as well. These can protect application systems from the overshoot that occurs when a power adapter or USB cable is connected.
(4) High-thermal dissipation ultra-miniature package
The R2A20055NS IC implements the above functions in a 2.0 × 2.5 millimeter (mm) ultra-miniature, high-thermal dissipation 10-pin HUSON package, and thus can contribute to further miniaturization in portable equipment.
Deploying an aggressive promotional campaign for this new product, Renesas will continue to expand its product lineup with new devices that respond to a wide variety of market needs.
Refer to the separate sheet for main specifications of the R2A20055NS IC.
Pricing and Availability
Samples of the R2A20055NS IC will be available in December 2011, priced at US$1.3 per unit. Mass production is scheduled to begin in March 2012 and is expected to reach a combined volume of 300,000 units per month in April 2013. (Pricing and availability are subject to change without notice.)
(Remarks) All product names, product names in this series, and service names used in this document are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
About Renesas Electronics Corporation
Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723) delivers trusted embedded design innovation with complete semiconductor solutions that enable billions of connected, intelligent devices to enhance the way people work and live. A global leader in microcontrollers, analog, power and SoC products, Renesas provides comprehensive solutions for a broad range of automotive, industrial, infrastructure, and IoT applications that help shape a limitless future. Learn more at renesas.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
The content in the press release, including, but not limited to, product prices and specifications, is based on the information as of the date indicated on the document, but may be subject to change without prior notice.