In the BQ769x0 family of analog front-end (AFE) devices, the BQ76920 device supports up to 5-series cells, the BQ76930 device supports up to 10-series cells, and the BQ76940 device supports up to 15-series cells. Through I²C, a host controller can use the BQ769x0 to implement battery pack management functions, such as monitoring (cell voltages, pack current, pack temperatures), protection (controlling charge/discharge FETs), and balancing. Integrated A/D converters enable a purely digital readout of critical system parameters including cell voltages and internal or external temperature, with calibration handled in TI’s manufacturing process. For an additional degree of pack reliability, the BQ769x0 includes hardware protections for voltage (OV, UV) and current (OCD, SCD).

The BQ769x0 provides two low-side FET drivers, charge (CHG) and discharge (DSG), which may be used to directly manipulate low-side power NCH FETs, or as signals that control an external circuit that enables high-side PCH or NCH FETs. A dedicated ALERT input/output pin serves as an interrupt signal to the host microcontroller, quickly informing the microcontroller of an updated status in the AFE. This may include a fault event or that a coulomb counter sample is available for reading. An available ALERT pin may also be driven externally by a secondary protector to provide a redundant means of disabling the CHG and DSG signals and higher system visibility.