Keysight introduces battery emulation and profiling solution for IoT Devices

International Data Corporation (IDC) estimates that there will be 41.6 billion connected IoT devices in use by 20251, many of which will be portable, battery-operated devices requiring advanced battery management techniques. To ensure these devices perform well in the field, development engineers need to design for peak battery performance and validate those designs against real-life performance. However, testing the run time of a physical battery in a device is a challenging and time-consuming task that can slow time-to-market.

The Keysight E36731A Battery Emulator and Profiler addresses the battery testing needs of IoT device designers by giving them an integrated electronic load and power supply that can be used to emulate battery performance. By testing with an emulated battery, engineers can quickly assess the effect of design or software changes on battery life by instantly transitioning the battery's charge state, allowing them to enhance their designs to achieve longer battery life and reduce device size.

The Battery Emulator and Profiler works with the Keysight PathWave BenchVue Advanced Battery Test and Emulation Software to provide a complete solution that:

• Generates Battery Profiles – By generating battery profiles, the solution allows designers to establish known, good references with consistent properties that can be used over and over to simulate battery drain. Profiles can be linked to factors such as age and temperature
• Increases Battery Profile Accuracy – By using the simulated current drain of a device to generate battery profiles, engineers can enhance the accuracy of profiles compared to using generic manufacturer models, which leads to better device designs
• Speeds Testing with Battery Emulation – An emulated battery allows development engineers to instantly transition a battery's charge state and gain real-time insight into current drain. This increases efficiency and allows engineers to optimise designs for longer run time
• Automates Battery Run-Down and Cycle Testing – By automating these tests, engineers can more accurately estimate battery run time and aging effects
• Offers Flexibility – The solution provides power up to 200W, 30V, 20A and offers a wide dynamic measurement range from microamps to amps

Carol Leh, Vice President and General Manager for Keysight's Electronic Industrial Solutions Group's Centre of Excellence, said: "The Keysight E36731A Battery Emulator and Profiler offers a valuable solution to design engineers who want to enhance their device designs. Rather than relying on intricate and time-consuming manual tests, the emulator allows engineers to quickly identify the current drain effect of critical factors such as hardware changes, software updates, and temperature changes. This way, engineers can save time and improve their device designs by using an emulated battery for testing, without the need for physical batteries."