Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to techniques for facilitating thermal transfer in a portable electronic device. The portable electronic device includes a battery pack, which further includes a battery cell. The battery pack may supply power to a set of components in the portable electronic device. The portable electronic device also includes a heat dissipator composed of graphene. The heat dissipator may be in thermal contact with one or more of the components. The heat dissipator may also be disposed over a surface of the battery pack.

Abstract: An electrochemical battery can include electrodes (a cathode and an electrode) arranged on respective surfaces of an electrolyte. The electrodes and electrolyte can each be solid state films that can be layered on top of one another to create a stacked structure disposed on a substrate. A polymeric sealant material can be applied over and around the battery stack and a moisture barrier can be formed over the sealant material to thereby prevent moisture from reaching the battery. Conductive terminals electrically coupled to the cathode and anode, respectively, can be formed on a second side of the substrate. As such, the battery can be flip-chip mounted to corresponding mounting pads and thereby connected to other electronics that can receive power from the battery.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that manages use of a solid-state battery in a portable electronic device. During operation, the system monitors a temperature of the solid-state battery during use of the solid-state battery with the portable electronic device. Next, the system modifies a charging technique for the solid-state battery based on the monitored temperature to increase a capacity or a cycle life of the solid-state battery. To modify the charging technique based on the monitored temperature, the system may increase a charge rate of the solid-state battery if the temperature exceeds a first temperature threshold. On the other hand, the system may maintain the charge rate of the solid-state battery if the temperature does not exceed the first temperature threshold.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a battery pack for use with a portable electronic device. The battery pack includes a first set of cells with different capacities electrically coupled in a parallel configuration. Cells within the first set of cells may also have different thicknesses and/or dimensions. The first set of cells is arranged within the battery pack to facilitate efficient use of space within a portable electronic device. For example, the first set of cells may be arranged to accommodate components in the portable electronic device.

Abstract: Disclosed are batteries and methods of manufacturing batteries with improved energy densities. In some embodiments, a first cathode current collector and a first anode current collector are provided on a first side of a substrate. A second cathode current collector and a second anode current collector are provided on a second side of the substrate. A laser is used to form: a first channel through the substrate between the first cathode current collector and the second cathode current collector, and a second channel through the substrate between the first anode current collector and the second anode current collector. A cathode interconnection is formed, via the first channel, between the first cathode current collector and the second cathode current collector. An anode interconnection is formed, via the second channel, between the first anode current collector and the second anode current collector.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing adjustable transparency to an optical element of a head wearable display includes an electro-chromic film disposed across the optical element to adjust a transparency of the optical element to ambient light and a transparency controller coupled to control the electro-chromic film with a drive signal to decrease the transparency of the optical element as the brightness of the ambient light increases. The transparency controller includes a scaling circuit coupled to receive a power signal from a power source and coupled to output the driving signal to the electro-chromic film to control the transparency of the optical element. The scaling circuit scales the power signal to generate the driving signal. The transparency controller further includes a control circuit coupled to the scaling circuit to control the scaling applied by the scaling circuit.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a battery cell. The battery cell includes a cathode current collector containing graphene, a cathode active material, an electrolyte, an anode active material, and an anode current collector. The graphene may reduce the manufacturing cost and/or increase the energy density of the battery cell.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to techniques for facilitating thermal transfer in a portable electronic device. The portable electronic device includes a battery pack, which further includes a battery cell. The battery pack may supply power to a set of components in the portable electronic device. The portable electronic device also includes a heat dissipator composed of graphene. The heat dissipator may be in thermal contact with one or more of the components. The heat dissipator may also be disposed over a surface of the battery pack.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a battery pack for use with a portable electronic device. The battery pack includes a first set of cells with different capacities electrically coupled in a parallel configuration. Cells within the first set of cells may also have different thicknesses and/or dimensions. The first set of cells is arranged within the battery pack to facilitate efficient use of space within a portable electronic device. For example, the first set of cells may be arranged to accommodate components in the portable electronic device.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a battery cell. The battery cell includes a cathode current collector containing graphene, a cathode active material, an electrolyte, an anode active material, and an anode current collector. The graphene may reduce the manufacturing cost and/or increase the energy density of the battery cell.

Abstract: Disclosed are solid-state batteries having improved energy density and methods of manufacturing the solid-state batteries having improved energy density. In some embodiments, the solid-state battery may include a substrate of yttria-stabilized zirconia, a cathode current collector formed on the substrate, an anode current collector formed on the substrate, a cathode of lithium cobalt oxide in electrical contact with the cathode current collector, an anode of lithium in electrical contact with the anode current collector, and a solid-state electrolyte of lithium phosphorous oxynitride formed between the cathode and the anode.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to the design of a battery cell with multiple thicknesses. This battery cell includes a jelly roll enclosed in a pouch, wherein the jelly roll includes layers which are wound together, including a cathode with an active coating, a separator, and an anode with an active coating. The jelly roll also includes a first conductive tab coupled to the cathode and a second conductive tab coupled to the anode. The jelly roll is enclosed in a flexible pouch, and the first and second conductive tabs are extended through seals in the pouch to provide terminals for the battery cell. Furthermore, the battery cell has two or more thicknesses, wherein the different thicknesses are created by removing material from one or more of the layers before winding the layers together.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that charges a battery. During operation, the system obtains a set of charging currents {I1, . . . , In} and a set of charging voltages {V1, . . . , Vn}. Next, the system repeats constant-current and constant-voltage charging operations, starting with i=1 and incrementing i with every repetition, until a termination condition is reached. These constant-current and constant-voltage charging operations involve charging the battery using a constant current Ii until a cell voltage of the battery reaches Vi, and then charging the battery using a constant voltage Vi until a charging current is less than or equal to Ii+1.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to the manufacture of a battery cell. The battery cell includes a set of layers including a cathode with an active coating, a separator, and an anode with an active coating. The battery cell also includes a pouch enclosing the layers, wherein the pouch is flexible. The layers may be wound to create a jelly roll and/or stacked prior to sealing the layers in the flexible pouch. A side fold is also formed in the pouch by producing a target temperature in the range of 55° C. to 75° C. at a side seal of the pouch prior to folding the side seal against the battery cell.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a battery cell which includes a weakness for relieving pressure. This battery cell includes a jelly roll comprising layers which are wound together, including a cathode with an active coating, a separator and an anode with an active coating. The jelly roll also includes a first conductive tab coupled to the cathode and a second conductive tab coupled to the anode. The jelly roll is enclosed in a flexible pouch, wherein the first and second conductive tabs extend through seals in the pouch to provide terminals for the battery cell. This pouch includes a weakness which yields when internal pressure in the pouch exceeds a threshold to create a hole which releases the internal pressure.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a battery cell which includes a set of jelly rolls enclosed in a pouch. Each jelly roll includes layers which are wound together, including a cathode with an active coating, a separator, and an anode with an active coating. The battery cell also includes a first set of conductive tabs and a second set of conductive tabs. Each of the first set of conductive tabs is coupled to the cathode of one of the jelly rolls, and each of the second set of conductive tabs is coupled to the anode of one of the jelly rolls. At least one of the first set and one of the second set of conductive tabs extend through seals in the pouch to provide terminals for the battery cell.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to the manufacture of a battery cell. The battery cell includes a set of layers including a cathode with an active coating, a separator, and an anode with an active coating. The battery cell also includes a pouch enclosing the layers, wherein the pouch is flexible. The layers may be wound to create a jelly roll prior to sealing the layers in the flexible pouch. The stiffness of the battery cell may be increased by applying a pressure of at least 0.13 kilogram-force (kgf) per square millimeter and a temperature of about 85° C. to the layers.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a battery cell. The battery cell includes an electrode containing an active material and a continuous substrate. The continuous substrate includes a first thickness to maintain a tensile strength of the continuous substrate and a second thickness that is less than the first thickness to accommodate the active material. The first and second thicknesses may thus improve the energy density and/or rate capability of the battery cell without producing manufacturing defects associated with the use of thinner electrode substrates in battery cells.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to the design of a battery cell with multiple thicknesses. This battery cell includes a jelly roll enclosed in a pouch, wherein the jelly roll includes layers which are wound together, including a cathode with an active coating, a separator, and an anode with an active coating. The jelly roll also includes a first conductive tab coupled to the cathode and a second conductive tab coupled to the anode. The jelly roll is enclosed in a flexible pouch, and the first and second conductive tabs are extended through seals in the pouch to provide terminals for the battery cell. Furthermore, the battery cell has two or more thicknesses, wherein the different thicknesses are created by removing material from one or more of the layers before winding the layers together.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for monitoring a battery in an electronic device. In the described embodiments, a battery is charged to a predetermined state of charge. The float current for the battery is then determined, and an alert is selectively generated based on the float current.