Varta and BTI Partner With Xicor

Varta Microbatterie GmbH of Ellwangen, Germany, has selected Xicor of Milpitas, California, as a development partner for the company’s battery pack designs. The two are targeting OEM notebook computer applications as well as portable test and measurement equipment. The first implementation of Xicor’s X3100 will be in battery packs for portable test equipment supporting the automotive market. Battery Technology Inc. (BTI) also will use the Xicor X3100 for its notebook replacement battery packs.

The X3100 is part of Xicor’s battery management solutions that protect and monitor battery packs consisting of four lithium-ion battery cells in series. The X3101 is designed for three lithium-ion cells in series. Both devices provide internal overcharge, over-discharge, over-current protection circuitry, internal EEPROM memory, an internal voltage regulator and internal drive circuitry for external FET devices that control cell charge, discharge and cell voltage balancing.