Battery Power - May/June 2013 - (Page 5)

Editor’s Choice “A clear vision of how the final product will be used is required for effective battery design, product size, functionality and usage environments all impact the optimal power configuration for that product,” said Curt McNamara, principal engineer, Logic PD. “We leverage best practices with use cases and scenario development to design products for our clients that have the dimensions, performance and battery life required by the device end-users. This is critical for the adoption and success of any new wireless product.” For instance, emergency and medical personnel need handheld smart devices that are always on. Utilities need sensors in remote locations that continually monitor critical data for years on a single battery. Miniature cameras that can transmit video without requiring a plug in power source could redefine the security industry. Understanding the needs of the end user impact the battery power required for a specific product. Logic PD dedicates a team of engineers to research and develop new technologies to address the need for reduced power consumption. For instance, Logic PD has made a significant advancement toward meeting the demand for instant-on devices. The company has developed proprietary software that enables Logic PD’s System on Module (SOM) customers to reduce the boot time required for battery-powered devices to less than one second. Intelligent Enumerating Battery Charger Provides Safe and Fast Charge for Mobile Equipment Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. is sampling the MAX77301 Li+ battery charger. It integrates the intelligence to enumerate with the host device, automatically identify the adapter type, and then determine the fastest rate to charge a battery. With advanced temperature monitoring, the MAX77301 modulates the charge current and battery regulation voltage automatically to maximize safety in any temperature environment. It performs all of these functions without an external CPU or system hardware. The MAX77301 is well suited for mobile equipment such as cameras, Bluetooth headsets, MP3 players and portable medical devices. To enhance battery safety, battery makers often recommend charging “gently” in cold or hot ambient temperatures. This often necessitates use of a microcontroller to monitor and control the charger. The MAX77301 solves this charging problem www.BatteryPowerOnline.com by automatically setting charge parameters at a safe level. The device also provides full programmability via the I2C interface, increasing flexibility. Furthermore, it integrates an enumeration and adapter detection engine to maximize charge current. This safety feature and the adapter detection ensure the fastest and safest possible charging. Nearly 200,000 Plug-In Electric Vehicles Equipped With Vehicle-to-Building Technology Will be Sold Through 2020, Forecasts Navigant Research With vehicle-to-building (V2B) technology, which makes the energy stored in plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) batteries available to commercial and residential buildings, vehicles can compete with both traditional local generation and stationary storage for offsetting demand charges or providing peak shaving services. V2B technology has been studied for the purpose of emergency backup power since the 1990s, and is gaining new attention as PEV sales climb and building managers and homeowners seek innovative ways to manage energy costs. According to a recent report from Navigant Research, nearly 200,000 PEVs equipped with V2B technology will be sold from 2012 through 2020. “V2B technology can benefit both vehicle and building owners, by offsetting some of the cost of PEVs, by lowering the energy costs of the building, and by providing reliable emergency backup services,” said John Gartner, research director with Navigant Research. “Numerous pilot projects around the world are developing and testing V2B technologies, most of them as part of larger microgrid and smart grid projects.” Although recent projects are becoming more ambitious with regards to the number of PEVs participating, they are still at the scale of integrating hundreds, not yet thousands, of vehicles, the study concludes. Automotive and building companies in Japan, for example, have responded to the widespread loss of grid power after the 2011 tsunami by developing V2B programs, mostly focusing on residential buildings. The report, “Vehicle to Building Technologies”, examines the market opportunity for V2B technologies targeted at demand charge avoidance, peak shaving, time-of-use pricing, and other utility energy pricing programs to reduce the cost of building operations and to provide emergency backup power. The study analyzes both the technology issues and government policy factors associated with the growth of V2B, as well as key barriers to adoption. Key market participants are profiled and forecasts are provided for V2B-enabled vehicles and service revenues through 2020. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the Navigant Research website. Follow Battery Power @BatteryPowerMag May/June 2013 • Battery Power 5 http://www.BatteryPowerOnline.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Battery Power - May/June 2013

Polaris Battery Labs and Carestream Tollcoating Form Alliance
Intelligent Enumerating Battery Charger Provides Safe and Fast Charge for Mobile Equipment
Shippers of Lithium Batteries and Equipment Experience Delays as New Air Transport Requirements Take Effect
A New Method for Maintaining the Charge of VRLA Batteries in Telecommunications Standby Systems
Battery Power 2013 Conference Preview
Batteries
ICs & Semiconductors
Charging & Testing
Components & Materials
Industry News
Research & Development
Marketplace

Battery Power - May/June 2013