Abstract: The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to determining data which is representative of the state of health, or a change therein, of the battery using the data which is representative of (i) the relaxation time of the battery and/or (ii) the overpotential of the battery. In another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to adapt one or more characteristics of a charge signal using data which is representative of the state of health, or a change therein, of the battery. In yet another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to determine a state of charge of the battery using data which is representative of the state of health, or a change therein, of the battery.

Abstract: The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to adapt the charging of a battery/cell using data which is representative of an overpotential of the battery/cell. In yet another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to calculate data which is representative of an overpotential of the battery/cell.

Abstract: The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to determine the state of charge of a battery/cell using data which is representative of an overpotential of the battery/cell. In yet another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to adaptively charge a battery/cell using data which is representative of a state of charge of the battery/cell and/or the data which is representative of an overpotential of the battery/cell.

Abstract: The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to adapt the charging of a battery/cell using data which is representative of an overpotential of the battery/cell. In yet another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to calculate data which is representative of an overpotential of the battery/cell.

Abstract: The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to determine the state of charge of a battery/cell using data which is representative of an overpotential of the battery/cell. In yet another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to adaptively charge a battery/cell using data which is representative of a state of charge of the battery/cell and/or the data which is representative of an overpotential of the battery/cell.

Abstract: The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to applying a current pulse to the terminals of the battery during a charge, measuring a voltage at the terminals of the battery, determining a relationship of an open circuit voltage to an amount of charge in the battery using data which is representative of a state of health of the battery, calculating an open circuit voltage of the battery using the voltage measured at the terminals of the battery, a current applied to or removed from the battery and an impedance of the battery, and determining a state of charge of the battery using (i) the calculated open circuit voltage and (ii) the relationship of the open circuit voltage to the amount of charge.

Abstract: The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to adapt the charging of a battery/cell using data which is representative of an overpotential of the battery/cell. In yet another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to calculate data which is representative of an overpotential of the battery/cell.

Abstract: The present inventions, in certain aspects, are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to charge a battery the method comprises (i) charging the battery via a charging sequence, wherein charging the battery includes: (a) applying a plurality of charge signals, and (b) applying one or more discharge signals wherein, in response thereto, the battery outputs electrical energy. In certain embodiments, the electrical energy output by the battery in response to the discharge signals is stored (for example, in a capacitor and/or second battery). The present inventions are also directed to, among other things, an apparatus to charge a battery comprising charging circuitry including: (i) a current source to generate a plurality of charge signals, and (ii) a current sink to generate one or more discharge signals, wherein, in response thereto, the battery outputs electrical energy.

Abstract: The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to determine the state of charge of a battery/cell using data which is representative of a partial relaxation time of the battery/cell. In another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to determine the state of charge of a battery/cell using data which is representative of an overpotential or full relaxation time of the battery/cell. In yet another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to adaptively charge a battery/cell using data which is representative of a state of charge of the battery/cell.

Abstract: The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to adaptively charge a battery/cell using data which is representative of a change in terminal voltage of the battery/cell. In another aspect, the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to adaptively charge a battery/cell using data which is representative of a partial relaxation time of the battery/cell. In yet another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to adaptively charge a battery/cell using data which is representative of an overpotential or full relaxation time of the battery/cell. In another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to adaptively charge a battery/cell using data which is representative of a state of charge of the battery/cell.

Abstract: A system for communicating in a discrete multitone system includes a transmitting station and a receiving station. The transmitting station transmits redundant sets of data on each of a number of different tones. The receiving station receives the redundant sets of data and identifies the data represented by the redundant sets of data using a voting scheme, such as a majority voting scheme.

Abstract: A battery has a housing, a cover, and a seal engaged with the cover. The cover has an outer edge and is connected to the housing at the outer edge. The cover includes at least one portion of reduced thickness between the outer edge of the cover and the seal.

Abstract: A primary battery having at least one flat side running along its length. The battery can be used, for example, in a digital camera. The battery can have an anode comprising lithium and low resistance contacts. The anode and cathode can be in the form of sheets which are spirally wound with separator therebetween. The negative and positive contacts are uniquely positioned to prevent recharging the battery in the event that the battery is inserted into a conventional recharger designed for same size rechargeable batteries.

Abstract: A primary lithium battery can include a current collector that includes aluminum, a positive lead that includes aluminum, or both. The aluminum battery components can have high mechanical strength and low electrical resistance.

Abstract: A primary lithium battery can include a current collector that includes aluminum, a cap that includes aluminum, or both. The aluminum battery components can have high mechanical strength and low electrical resistance.

Abstract: A network node configured for transmitting and receiving data to and from other network nodes is able to adapt the transmission rate based on the network conditions. The node initially transmits the data to a receiving node at a first rate. If the data is not received error-free, the node is able to reduce the number of data bits of the current packet that are being transmitted and to increase the amount of redundant data. The node repeats the process until error-free transmission is obtained.

Abstract: A random access data network in accord with the invention will utilize discrete multi-tone (DMT) transmission over a link within a home or other premises, such as over existing in-house telephone wiring. Discrete multi-tone communication in a random access implementation raises a number of timing issues. To address these issues, all packet transmissions through the network will begin with one or more cycles of a defined periodic signal, typically a sinusoid at a specified frequency. All timing of decoding of subsequent signals, such as ID signals and DMT symbols, is based on counting signal sampling intervals following the detected timing mark. The preferred embodiment utilizes differential modulation of the tones within the DMT symbol. Each packet may include a reference symbol to enable demodulation of the first DMT data symbol. Also, the preferred embodiment of the DMT symbol includes a prefix code followed by the actual DMT waveform carrying the modulated information.

Abstract: A random-access local network having multiple nodes provides data communication across residential wiring such as telephone line as a network medium, where each node accesses the network medium using discrete multi-tone (DMT) modulated symbols. The effects of amplitude and phase distortion of transmitted DMT symbols are overcome, without the necessity of complex equalizers, by differentially encoding data prior to transmission, and recovering the transmitted data by comparing phase differentials between consecutive symbol tones. Each transmitted symbol is composed of a plurality of tone signals, each tone signal modulated according to a constellation point in a complex domain. A transmitter modulates data, such as a bit-pair, to a new constellation point based on the value of the bit-pair and a prior position of a consecutively-preceding constellation point, such that the data is represented by the difference in positions between the consecutively-preceding constellation point and the new constellation point.

Abstract: A novel collision detecting method at the physical layer is provided for use in a multi-point DMT communication system. A time mark transmitted at the beginning of a portion of a random access data communication is followed by an ID signal for identifying the communication station. The ID signal produced based on the time mark may be transmitted between the time mark and a data portion of the random access data communication. The time mark distorted by a communication channel is received by a receiver of the station that transmitted it. An additional ID signal representing the same ID data as the ID signal is produced based on the received time mark. The additional ID signal is compared with the ID signal received from the communication channel. A collision event is detected if the incoming ID signal does not match the additional ID signal. In response to the detection of the collision event, the transmission of the data portion is terminated.