Editor’s note: The battery sensor here is significant to the wind industry because utility scale batteries will be more frequently encountered as more renewable energy enters the grid.
Freescale Semiconductor announced the industry’s first general market AEC-Q100 qualified intelligent battery sensor to combine three measurement channels, a 16/32-bit MCU, and a CAN protocol module in a single package.
The MM9Z1_638 is a fully integrated battery monitoring device. The device supports precise current measurement via an external shunt resistor. It features four voltage measurement via an internal calibrated resistor divider or use of an external divider. It includes an internal temperature sensor, allowing close proximity battery temperature measurements, plus four external temperature sensor inputs.
Designed to support both conventional and emerging battery chemistries for automotive and industrial applications, the MM9Z1J638 battery sensor measures key battery parameters for monitoring state of health, state of charge, and state of function for early failure prediction. A flexible four-cell front end architecture supports conventional 12V lead acid batteries as well as emerging battery applications, such as 14V stacked cell Li-Ion, high voltage junction boxes, and 24V truck batteries.
Battery failure is one of the leading causes of vehicle breakdowns due to electrical system errors. Rising levels of electrical load in vehicles are placing increased strain on batteries as new, mission-critical requirements such as engine start-stop functionality become increasingly common. According to analyst firm Strategy Analytics, more than 52 million vehicles worldwide will support start-stop functionality by 2020. Start-stop requirements, together with others such as regenerative braking, and intelligent alternator control, are driving demand for more precise sensing of the battery’s state to provide early failure warnings.
“Our introduction of the industry’s first single-package, automotive-qualified intelligent battery sensor with MCU and CAN components will help automakers cope with increasing algorithm complexity and data communication demands as cars become more connected and intelligent,” said James Bates, senior vice president and general manager for Freescale’s Analog & Sensors Group. “Also featuring integrated functional safety support, the new MM9Z1J638 battery sensor helps to support vehicle reliability even as automotive electrical system complexities increase.”
Integrating a 16/32 bit S12Z microcontroller with 128K Flash, 8K RAM, and 4K EEPROM together with a CAN protocol module, LIN interface, and a three-channel analog measurement front end, the MM9Z1J638 battery sensor combines analog, processor, and communication functions in a single package to help lower total bill of materials and accommodate advanced battery monitoring algorithms. The analog front end includes a two-channel, 16-bit sigma delta analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for simultaneous measurement of battery voltage and current, as well as a third 16-bit sigma delta ADC for temperature monitoring using the integrated sensor and redundant measurement plausibility checks to support functional safety.
The new sensor’s input battery voltage measurement capability supports a wide range up to 52V directly to the device as well as much higher voltage battery configurations when used with external voltage dividers. Its low operating duty cycle enables operation in low-power mode for a majority of the time to help lower average system power consumption. The MM9Z1J638 is fully AEC-Q100 automotive qualified and designed to meet stringent automotive standards for ESD, EMC, and zero defect quality levels.
The MM9Z1J638 battery sensor is available now from Freescale and authorized distributors worldwide for a suggested resale price of $3.61 in 10,000-unit quantities.
Freescale Semiconductor
www.freescale.com
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