Battery simulator cuts test cycle for mobile devices

Maximising battery performance is a critical design goal for any battery powered device from smartphones to Internet of Things (IoT) products. A battery simulator enables design engineers to understand the load current drawn by a device in all operating states and how quickly the battery capacity declines.

This is much more challenging than ever before due to the growth in wireless devices that draw very complex load currents. A battery simulator such as the 2281S that can dynamically emulate a battery is essential for a thorough, accurate study of device operating time between battery charges or replacement.

“The 2281S revolutionises the way designers characterise and evaluate device performance at all stages of a battery’s discharge cycle,” said Michael Ewald, General Manager in the Bench Products Division at Tektronix. “It represents the industry’s first “dynamic” battery simulator and eliminates the need for using different types of real batteries during performance testing, which greatly reduces test times and improves accuracy and flexibility. What’s more, it includes a high-performance DC power supply, making the 2281S a tremendous value and a must have tool for any designer working on a battery powered device.”

Battery models that are simulated or played back by the 2281S can be obtained in a number of ways. One method is to use the instrument’s battery test function to perform a full test on a battery intended for a particular design.

After the test, a battery model can be generated based on the measurement results of the battery charging process. Battery models can be edited, created, imported, or exported in a convenient CSV file format.

Alternatively, a battery model can be created according to a battery’s chemistry and the manufacturer’s specifications.

In contrast to battery simulators intended for manufacturing applications, the 2281S incorporates a bright, 4.3-inch TFT display that shows voltage, current, amp-hour readings, source settings, and many additional settings in large, easy-to read characters.

An icon-based main menu provides fast access to source setup, measurement setup, display formats, trigger options, and system settings.

Adding to its value on the bench, the 2281S also functions as a high performance power supply with a maximum output of 20V and 6A. It delivers class-leading measurement accuracies of 0.02% for voltage and 0.05% for current. Resolution of current measurements is as low as 10nA to measure very low sleep mode currents.