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Battery Protectors, Monitors & Balancers

Renesas offers a versatile range of battery front-end ICs designed to address all your battery management system needs, including protection, monitoring, and balancing. Engineered for reliability and high performance, our solutions power a variety of applications such as power tools, UPS systems, home appliances, and e-bikes. For automotive applications, our advanced Li-ion BMS portfolio delivers the performance required for next-generation hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and electric vehicles.

Performance Leader

Performance Leader

Performance leader with field proven decades long experience. and success with leading industrial, computing, and handheld customers worldwide.

Optimal Combo

Optimal Combo

Technological superiority with lean BOM through integrated IPs, built-in diagnostics, and higher reliability. 

Robust Ecosystem

Robust Ecosystem

Arm® (Renesas RA MCU's) based sample code reduces development costs and accelerates solution readiness.

FGIC or Battery Front End, Monitor, or Protector?

When building a Battery Management System, it’s important to understand how a Battery Front End, Monitor, Protector, and FGIC differ.

A Battery Front End or Monitor works alongside a separate microcontroller (MCU) to deliver key BMS functions such as protection, balancing, and gauging. This modular approach lets designers choose the MCU that best fits their system.

An FGIC combines the controller and front end into one device, offering similar functionality in a smaller, more integrated package. When paired with dedicated firmware like R‑BMS, it streamlines design, saves PCB space, and improves reliability.

A Protector is typically added as an independent safety device. Its job is to provide autonomous, redundant protection if the main BMS fails—an important safeguard for safety‑critical applications.

BFE battery pack system diagram illustrating battery cells, Battery Management System (BMS), power distribution, thermal management, and communication interfaces for electric vehicle energy storage.

Industrial Safety & Functional Safety

Safety is a cornerstone of any battery management system, and the primary function of a Battery Front End, Protector, or Monitor is to ensure the system meets stringent safety requirements. These components provide:

  • Inputs: Critical measurements such as cell voltages, currents, and temperatures.
  • Reactions: Autonomous actions like FET cutoff to prevent unsafe conditions.
  • Options: Configurable operation modes, either autonomous or controlled by an MCU.

Achieving the necessary safety levels and certifications, such as functional safety standards (e.g., ISO 26262), requires careful design and component selection. Renesas offers comprehensive resources to guide designers in meeting and exceeding safety and protection requirements. These documents provide valuable insights into implementing robust safety mechanisms and achieving compliance with industry standards.

BFE Family Functional Safety ManualPutting Safety into Li-ion Battery Packs White Paper
Engineer in factory checks for functional safety of robotic arm on real time monitoring system.

Choosing Components

Key Considerations for Selection:

  • Battery Pack Voltage Range and Cell Count: Ensure the component supports the intended voltage range and number of cells in the battery pack.
  • Monitoring Functions: Evaluate the need for voltage, current, and temperature monitoring capabilities.
  • Protection Features: Determine whether high-side or low-side FETs are required for protection and whether autonomous operation is necessary.
  • Cell Balancing: Consider whether cell balancing is needed and if so at what current.
  • Integration Level: Decide between a modular approach (Front End + MCU) or a fully integrated solution (FGIC) based on design constraints and system requirements.
Product Selector: Battery Protectors, Monitors & Balancers

Get Started with Your Battery Design

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Evaluation Kits

Each device comes with an Evaluation Kit (EVK) that includes a development GUI and manual. These tools enable easy register programming, reading, testing, evaluation, and development.

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Sample Code

Most products include starter code, typically Arm-based, offering standard functions to accelerate your development process.

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Resources

Guide
BFE Family Functional Safety Manual
White Paper
Putting Safety into Li-ion Battery Packs
Blog
How Daisy-Chained Battery ICs Efficiently Monitor and Protect High Voltage Batteries
Press Release
Renesas Unveils New Multi-Cell Battery Front End Family for High-Cell Count, High-Voltage Systems

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