Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for charging a battery comprising a first charging device configured to communicate with at least one second charging device, the first charging device and the at least one second charging device configured to charge the battery, and comprising a first controller configured to control the first charging device, wherein the first controller determines the number of the at least one second charging devices by communicating with a second controller.

Abstract: A branched polymer represented by formula (I): wherein at least one of L1, L2, L3, and L4 is a univalent organic group represented by formula (II): wherein L5, L6 and L7 are independently hydrogen or a univalent organic group, D1, D2 and D3 being independently a single bond or a divalent group, at least one of D1, D2, and D3 containing in which R1 is hydrogen or a methyl group and n is an integer ranging from 1 to 1000; and the remainder of L1, L2, L3, and L4 being independently hydrogen or a univalent organic group represented by formula (III): wherein R is a univalent end group, with the proviso that, when one of the remainder is hydrogen, the others of the remainder cannot be hydrogen.