Monolithic Power Systems Inc. EVKT-MP2723

Overview

EVKT-MP2723 from Monolithic Power Systems is a complete evaluation kit for the MP2723 single-cell Li-ion battery switching charger IC, supporting USB BC1.2 detection, USB OTG boost operation, and full I²C programmability. It includes the EV2723-QC-00A evaluation board (6.3 cm × 6.3 cm), EVKT-USBI2C-02 USB-to-I²C interface, cables, and GUI software for real-time parameter tuning and status monitoring in lab or design validation environments.

For engineers reviewing the EVKT-MP2723 datasheet, EVKT-MP2723 pinout, EVKT-MP2723 application setup, or EVKT-MP2723 equivalent evaluation platforms, this kit enables rapid characterization of MP2723's 3A buck charging, 1.5A OTG boost, NVDC power path, integrated ADC telemetry, and JEITA-compliant thermal management under real-world input (3.7–5.5V) and load conditions.

Technical Context

The EVKT-MP2723 implements a hardware-software co-validation platform centered on the MP2723 IC, which integrates a 1.35MHz synchronous buck charger, a selectable 1.35MHz boost converter for USB OTG, and a 12-bit ADC for six-channel analog monitoring (VIN, IIN, VBATT, ICHG, VSYS, TSNS). All control logic-including charge termination, OTG regulation, and thermal shutdown-is executed on-die with configurable thresholds via I²C.

It operates within a 3.7V–5.5V input range, supports instant-on behavior with no battery or deeply discharged battery via NVDC architecture, and delivers up to 9A discharge current through internal MOSFETs. The kit's EVKT-USBI2C-02 interface provides galvanically isolated I²C communication using USBXpress driver stack, enabling deterministic register read/write at standard I²C speeds without host OS dependency beyond Windows XP+ and .NET Framework 4.0.

Key Specifications

Availability

EVKT-MP2723 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for battery management system development, USB-C portable device prototyping, and Li-ion charger validation requiring stable component supply, traceable sourcing, and full documentation support.

Supply support for EVKT-MP2723 includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

Monolithic Power Systems (MPS) is a fabless semiconductor company specializing in high-performance power management ICs for computing, communications, industrial, and consumer applications, with design centers across Asia and North America.

The EVKT-MP2723 belongs to MPS's battery charger evaluation platform family, engineered specifically to accelerate adoption of their digitally programmable, highly integrated switching chargers in portable electronics and USB-powered systems.

FAQ

Does EVKT-MP2723 require external power supplies or batteries to operate?

Yes - the kit requires an external DC input (3.7V–5.5V) applied to VIN/PGND, a battery or battery simulator (0V–4.2V) connected to VBATT/PGND, and a load attached to VSYS/PGND. These connections are mandatory to enable full functional validation of charging, discharging, and OTG modes as described in Section 3.2 of the User Guide.

Can configuration changes made via the GUI be saved permanently on the EVB?

No - all I²C register modifications are volatile and reset to factory defaults upon power-down. The MP2723 does not retain user-programmed values in RAM or OTP after cycling power. To preserve settings across sessions, users must reapply them via GUI at each startup or implement external non-volatile storage in their target system.

What is the role of the EVKT-USBI2C-02 in this evaluation kit?

The EVKT-USBI2C-02 serves as a USB-to-I²C protocol converter that bridges the host PC and the MP2723 IC on the EV2723-QC-00A board. It uses Silicon Labs' USBXpress driver to translate USB commands into standard I²C transactions, enabling register-level control without requiring custom firmware or additional microcontroller hardware.

Is thermal regulation implemented on the EV2723-QC-00A board itself?

No - thermal regulation is performed entirely by the MP2723 IC via its on-die temperature sensor and internal thermal shutdown circuitry (threshold: ~125°C). The EV2723-QC-00A board provides thermal pads and copper pour for heat dissipation but contains no independent thermal control logic or external thermistors beyond the IC's integrated TSNS pin interface.

Does the kit support JEITA-compliant battery charging profiles?

Yes - the MP2723 IC supports fully programmable JEITA battery temperature protection via I²C registers controlling NTC voltage thresholds and charge current/voltage limits across cold, cool, warm, and hot zones. This functionality is accessible and adjustable in real time using the MP2723 V1.0 GUI included with the EVKT-MP2723 kit.

What happens if the USB driver for EVKT-USBI2C-02 fails to install correctly?

If the USBXpress driver fails, Windows may assign an incompatible generic USB driver. Users must manually install the correct x86 or x64 USBXpressInstaller.exe from the kit's driver folder and verify in Device Manager that "USBXpress Device" shows driver version >4.0.0.0 - older versions cause I²C communication timeouts and GUI connection failures.