Abstract: A vehicle power supply device that includes a control unit that performs at least a quick charging control which causes the first voltage converter to perform the charging operation and causes the second voltage converter to perform the charging operation, and a charging/discharging control which causes the first voltage converter to perform the charging operation and causes the second voltage converter to perform the discharging operation.

Abstract: There are provided a charge/discharge control circuit and a battery apparatus to which a load having a large capacitance is connected. In the battery apparatus, the charge/discharge control circuit includes an overdischarge latch circuit providing an overdischarge latch signal, based on a discharge control signal supplied thereto and a voltage of an external negative voltage input terminal, and a logic circuit supplied with an overdischarge detection signal and the overdischarge latch signal and providing the overdischarge detection signal to a control circuit while receiving the overdischarge latch signal, to thereby enable the power supply to the load to stop in a short processing time.

Abstract: A power management system for a hybrid vehicle including an engine includes a vehicle power bus distributing power from a battery to vehicle loads. A capacitor includes one of a plurality of supercapacitors and a plurality of ultracapacitors. A starter/generator controller communicates with the capacitor and the battery. A power management module is configured to supply current from the capacitor to the starter/generator controller during cranking of the engine; and supply current from the battery to the starter/generator controller during the cranking of the engine. The power supplied by the battery is greater than or equal to 2% and less than or equal to 20% of a total power supplied to the starter/generator controller during the cranking of the engine.

Abstract: A load detecting device for detecting whether a load is connected to a power supply device includes a no-load condition detector configured to detect a no-load condition using a sensing voltage having a frequency variant with a switching frequency of the power supply device, a circuit configured to acquire a signal having a waveform differing according to a connection or detachment between the load and the power supply device after the no-load condition is detected by the no-load condition detector, and a detachment detector configured to detect whether the load is detached by sensing the signal acquired by the circuit.

Abstract: The overvoltage protection circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a voltage measurement unit for measuring the voltage of a battery; a power control unit that supplies power if the battery voltage value measured in the voltage measurement unit is equal to or greater than a first predetermined voltage value; and a cut-off circuit unit that receives power supplied from the power control unit and cuts off the charge of the battery if the voltage value of the battery is equal to or greater than a second predetermined voltage value that is higher than the first voltage value.

Abstract: A charging and discharging system with anti-counterfeiting function of a battery pack for an electric tool includes: a battery pack which includes a data acquisition module and a battery pack verification module; and at least one charge-discharge adapter which includes an adapter verification module, an adapter controller, and a discharging communication verification module.

Abstract: A power system includes a rechargeable battery removably connected to a vacuum cleaner. The power system also includes a charger including an electrical connection interface to conduct electrical current to the rechargeable battery. The charger also includes a switch to detect when the rechargeable battery is connected to the charger. The switch is movable between an ON position and an OFF position. The switch is positioned in the ON position when the rechargeable battery is connected to the charger and in the OFF position when the rechargeable battery is disconnected from the charger. The charger further includes a housing supporting the electrical connection interface. The housing defines a groove and includes a barrier extending across the groove. The barrier prevents movement of the switch to the ON position when the rechargeable battery is disconnected from the charger.

Abstract: A power supply protective device, includes: a first switch provided between a first terminal to which at least one of a load and a charger is connected and a second terminal to which a power supply is connected; a switching circuit connected in parallel to the first switch and including a second switch and a voltage drop element connected in series to the second switch, the voltage drop element causing a voltage drop of a reference voltage by a current flow; a voltage detection unit which detects at least one voltage of a first voltage as a voltage of the first terminal, a second voltage as a voltage of the second terminal, and a third voltage as a voltage at a point between the second switch and the voltage drop element; and a control unit.

Abstract: In a surgical power tool that includes an electric motor positioned in a housing and a movable element extending from the housing and operatively actuated by the electric motor, a controller can repeatedly interrogate for faults a plurality of components in or on the housing, such as the electric motor, the controller, a battery, a trigger, and a mode switch. Upon finding a component in a fault condition, the controller can engage a critical error handler that disengages the electric motor, disables at least some of the plurality of components, and directs a microprocessor in the controller into a safe software state. Upon engaging the critical error handler, the controller can further write to a memory an error code corresponding to which of the plurality of components is in the fault condition. The error code can be accessible via a wired or wireless connection.

Abstract: A method for detecting thermal events in an electrical system includes: synchronizing, via a controller, measurements of power consumed by each of a plurality of load elements during an interval with one another and with measurements of power supplied by each of a plurality of power sources to the plurality of load elements during the interval; determining a differential between a sum of the power consumed by the load elements during the interval and a sum of the power supplied by the power sources to the plurality of load elements during the interval; comparing the differential to a predetermined threshold; and determining whether a thermal event has occurred based on the comparison of the differential to the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A power control apparatus has a peak cut prediction unit that predicts a period of time to impose a restriction on power supply from a power system to a consumer based on a predetermined condition, a threshold setting unit that sets a predetermined threshold such that a power supply amount from the power system to the consumer does not exceed the threshold in the period of time predicted by the peak cut prediction unit, and a charge/discharge control command unit that stops power supply from the power system to the consumer and causes a power storage device to be discharged by an amount of demand power exceeding the threshold when demand power of the consumer reaches the threshold in the period of time predicted by the peak cut prediction unit.

Abstract: A battery pack may include a housing, a battery in the housing, a first switch connected to the battery in the housing, a current detector, and a controller. The current detector configured to detect a current flowing to the battery, the current detector being in the housing. The controller configured to control the first switch to switch to a conductive state to flow the current to the battery if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is higher than a first threshold value, and control the first switch to switch to a shut-off state to interrupt the current to the battery if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is equal to or less than the first threshold value, the controller being in the housing.

Abstract: An object is to provide a power storage device provided with a battery that is a power storage means, for safe and accurate supply of electric power in a short period of time for drive power supply voltage without checking remaining capacity of the battery or changing batteries with deterioration over time of the battery for drive power supply voltage. The power storage device is provided with a battery that is a power storage means as a power supply for supplying electric power and a counter circuit for counting charging time of the power storage means. An electromagnetic wave with electric field intensity, magnetic field intensity, and power flux density per unit time which are transmitted from a power feeder are controlled, and the power storage means is efficiently charged using the electromagnetic wave in a short period of time.

Abstract: A system for inhibiting the excessive discharge of a battery in an electronic device, in some embodiments, comprises: a battery to supply power to the electronic device; and a fuel gauge coupled to the battery to monitor said power, wherein the fuel gauge enters a standby mode upon determining that a voltage supplied by the battery is at or below a voltage threshold and that a capacity of the battery is at or below a capacity threshold.

Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, apparatus, systems, and methods to prevent a voltage of a charging battery from exceeding a voltage threshold, including receiving charging information from a battery and controlling an output current of a travel adapter, including adjusting the received battery current information using a load current to prevent the voltage of the battery from exceeding a voltage threshold, and providing output current limit information to the travel adapter using the adjusted battery current information.

Abstract: A non-transitory machine readable medium having machine executable instructions can include a charge control application. The charge control application can determine, in response to detecting that an electric vehicle (EV) is electrically coupled to a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) interface, a degradation threshold state of charge (SoC) for a battery of the EV. The charge control application can also command the V2G interface to discharge the battery of the EV to a lower threshold SoC that is below the degradation threshold SoC. The charge control application can further command the V2G interface to charge the battery of the EV to an upper threshold SoC that is above the degradation threshold SoC at a return threshold time, wherein the return threshold time is a calculated amount of time prior to an expected return time of an operator of the EV.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooperating with a mobile device having an embedded transceiver is disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing and a mechanical connector on the housing, the mechanical connector being configured to mechanically retain the mobile device. At least one port within the housing conveys energy to at least one auxiliary wireless transceiver associable with the apparatus. The apparatus is configured to cooperate with the mobile device when the mobile device is retained on the housing by the mechanical connector, to enable transmission of a first portion of a data stream over the at least one auxiliary transceiver while a second portion of the data stream is simultaneously transmitted over the embedded transceiver.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for remote configuration of battery charging settings. In one embodiment, an example device may include a battery, at least one memory that stores computer-executable instructions, and at least one processor. The at least one processor may be configured to access the at least one memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to determine that a charger is connected to the device, determine a first length of time that a maximum charging voltage for the battery has been set to a first voltage value, determine that the maximum charging voltage is to be reduced from the first voltage value to a second voltage value, and charge the battery at a maximum of the second voltage value.

Abstract: In order to reduce costs and increase safety with respect to the submergence of water in a power supply system, in this power supply system (1) a plurality of power storage modules (11)-(14) are connected in series. A fuse (F1) is inserted into the path in which the plurality of power storage modules (11)-(14) are serially connected, the fuse being inserted at a position dividing the plurality of power storage modules (11)-(14) into a first group and a second group. A positive-pole-side contactor (RY1) is inserted at a position dividing the plurality of power storage modules belonging to the first group into a first sub-group and a second sub-group. A negative-pole-side contactor (RY2) is inserted at a position dividing the plurality of power storage modules belonging to the second group into a first sub-group and a second sub-group.

Abstract: A battery state estimating apparatus is provided with; a voltage detector configured to detect a voltage between a positive electrode and a negative electrode of a battery; an impedance detector configured to detect an impedance of the battery; a first estimator configured to estimate a first temporary value of a charge amount of the battery; a second estimator configured to estimate a second temporary value of the charge amount of the battery; and a determinator configured (i) to determine that the first temporary value is the charge amount of the battery if the first temporary value or the second temporary value is out of a predetermined range, and (ii) to determine that the second temporary value, or a corrected value of the first temporary value is the charge amount of the battery if the first temporary value or the second temporary value is within the predetermined range.

Abstract: In order to specify a battery pack that can be simply produced, that provides sufficient heat dissipation during the assembly and during the operation of the battery pack (10) and a reliable electrical connection between the connection structures (14) and the connection contacts (33, 34) of the battery cells (11), and that copes with the failure of an individual battery cell (11), a battery pack (10) is specified, comprising: at least two battery cells (11), wherein each battery cell (11) has a positive and a negative electrical connection contact (33, 34), wherein a connection structure (14) is associated with at least the electrically positive connection contacts (33) or the electrically negative connection contacts (34) of the battery cells (11), wherein each battery cell (11) is connected to the connection structure (14) by means of at least one connection element (15, 51), wherein a cross-section of each connection element (15, 51) is matched to a predetermined maximum current of a battery cell (11), whe

Abstract: A hybrid power generation system is presented. The system includes a first power generation subsystem including a prime mover driving a generator including a rotor and a stator, one or more first conversion units coupled to at least one of the rotor and the stator, a first direct current (DC) link, and one or more second conversion units coupled to a corresponding one or more first conversion units via the first DC link. The system includes one or more second power generation subsystems coupled to the first power generation subsystem and one or more power conversion subunits including one or more first bridge circuits coupled to a corresponding one or more second bridge circuits via one or more transformers, where at least one of the one or more second power generation subsystems and the first power generation subsystem includes the one or more power conversion subunits.

Abstract: Disclosed a battery balance circuit, a control method for battery balance and a battery system. The battery balance circuit is implemented on basis of a circuit structure having a plurality of cascaded balance modules, in which a judgement of abnormal states of batteries or balance modules is realized together with synchronizations of the detection of battery states and battery balance. When the judgement of abnormal states of batteries (including the abnormal states of battery voltages, battery temperatures and battery currents) is made, the balance modules stop balancing by transferring signals, meanwhile, when the balance modules restore from the abnormal state, they restore balance. The disclosure increases the judgement of abnormal states, and implements detection and alarm at abnormal states.

Abstract: A wireless audio device, charging system, and method of charging a battery. The wireless audio device includes a communication module configured to enable the wireless audio device to communicate wirelessly and a battery. A charging interface is configured to establish a power transfer connection to the battery from a power source. A memory is configured to store paired history data indicating that the wireless audio device has been paired to an audio source upon the audio device being wirelessly paired. A controller is configured to detect the power transfer connection, determine a charge level of the battery, check the memory for the paired history data, and generate a control signal for selectively disabling the power transfer connection to prevent the charge level from exceeding a preset threshold unless the memory contains the paired history data.

Abstract: A voltage detecting device according to an aspect of embodiments includes a detecting unit and a mode switching unit. The detecting unit detects voltages of battery cells of a battery stack in which the battery cells are connected to each other. The mode switching unit switches between an active mode in which the detecting unit detects the voltages and a standby mode in which a current flowing into the detecting unit is less than a predetermined value. Moreover, the detecting unit includes a voltage detecting unit that detects the voltages of the battery cells and/or a voltage of a power supply of the detecting unit in a predetermined interval. The mode switching unit switches between the active mode and the standby mode in accordance with a timing at which the voltage detecting unit detects the voltage (s).

Abstract: Various embodiments are described that relate to a battery. A battery, such as a battery with a common input/output terminal, can be tested. Part of this testing can include charging the battery and discharging the battery. It can be dangerous to switch out an interface between charging and discharging. Therefore, a single interface can be employed that enables the battery to be charged and discarded. With this, the battery can be charged and discharged without the danger of switching the interface.

Abstract: A battery protection circuit protects a rechargeable battery from overdischarge, by turning off a transistor inserted in series in a current path between a negative electrode of the battery and a negative terminal coupled to ground of a load or a charger. A detection circuit detects a power source voltage between power source and ground terminals, and a control circuit pulls down a monitor terminal potential to a ground terminal potential by turning off the transistor and stopping battery discharge when the power source voltage lower than an overdischarge detection voltage is detected. The control circuit cancels pull-down of the monitor terminal potential to the ground terminal potential when the power source voltage higher than an overdischarge reset voltage is not detected until a predetermined time elapses in a state in which the battery discharge is stopped and the monitor terminal potential is pulled down to the ground terminal potential.

Abstract: An integrated power-regulating charge system is an apparatus used to manage the flow of electrical power to the rechargeable battery of a connected electrical system. To accomplish this, the integrated power-regulating charge module includes an electrical input terminal, an output terminal, a shutoff switch, a microcontroller, and a wireless communication module. The electrical input terminal is used to connect the integrated power-regulating charge system to the power input terminal of the electrical system. The output terminal is used to transfer power from the integrated power-regulating charge system into the connected electrical system. The shutoff switch is electrically connected between the electrical input terminal and the output terminal and is used to open the circuit between these two components. The microcontroller directs the shutoff switch be opened or closed.

Abstract: There are provided a charge/discharge control circuit which is equipped with a differential amplifier configured to detect charging currents of a plurality of secondary batteries connected in parallel, and a charge control circuit configured to output an output signal of the differential amplifier to charge control terminals according to a reception of a control signal to permit the charging of each of the secondary batteries, and which is capable of charging the secondary batteries connected in parallel with uniform charging currents, and a battery apparatus equipped with the charge/discharge control circuit.

Abstract: An electrical system for a vehicle which can be electrically driven includes a high-voltage DC system and a low-voltage DC system. A DC/DC converter is, or can be, electrically connected to the high-voltage DC system at one end and to the low-voltage DC system at the other end. An AC line passage is, or can be, electrically connected to a first DC/AC converter. The first DC/AC converter is, or can be, electrically connected to the high-voltage DC system at one end and to an AC drive device of the vehicle by way of the AC line passage at the other end. There is also included a DC energy source, in particular a fuel cell device for example. A second DC/AC converter is, or can be, electrically connected to the DC energy source at one end and to the AC line passage at the other end.

Abstract: For a lithium-ion battery pack adapted to provide electrical power to a load via a conductor, a current shunt adapted to be disposed in series with the conductor is disclosed. The current shunt comprises one or more stacked leaves of an electrically conductive material such as nickel.

Abstract: An improved method of providing high burst power to audio amplifiers from limited power sources, using parallel power paths to increase system efficiency without need for a power path controller, thus utilizing a simplified circuit operation and maximizing average power available for both the amplifier and supporting circuitry.

Abstract: A method of controlling charging includes: receiving an input voltage; receiving by a control unit a detected voltage related to the input voltage; outputting a conducting voltage from the control unit when the detected voltage falls within an operation range; outputting an operating voltage to a detection pin of a charging unit according to the conducting voltage; outputting a charging current from the charging unit according to the input voltage when the detection pin receives the operating voltage; and not outputting the conducting voltage from the control unit when the detected voltage falls outside the operation range.

Abstract: An integrated cartridge, comprising: a main frame composed of a front plate having a plurality of lead passing holes provided in a slit form so that electrode leads of a plurality of layered battery cells pass therethrough, and first and second side plates extending at both edges of the front plate in parallel to each other and having a plurality of cell insert slots provided at inner sides thereof, which face each other, so that the plurality of battery cells are capable of being inserted from a free end to the front plate; a cover plate coupled to the first and second side plates to cover the plurality of battery cells arranged in a layered form between the first and second side plates; and a sensing unit mounted to the front plate and electrically connected to the electrode leads to sense electric characteristics of the plurality of battery cells.

Abstract: A system and method for operating a portable electronic device are presented. The device includes a battery and a controller. The controller is configured to execute instructions for determining a first resistance value for the battery during a first power cycle of the battery, and determining a second resistance value for the battery during a second power cycle of the battery. The second power cycle is after the first power cycle. The controller is configured to execute instructions for determining that a first difference equal to the first resistance value subtracted from the second resistance value is less than a first predetermined threshold value, and electrically isolating the battery. In an embodiment, the first resistance value and the second resistance values are determined at the same state of charge for the battery.

Abstract: A charging method for a battery set with a plurality of battery cells, having steps of performing a serial charging on the battery cells; determining whether one of the battery cells reaches a saturation voltage; and performing a uniform separately charging on the battery cells when one of the battery cells reaches the saturation voltage, wherein the uniform separately charging comprises sorting the battery cells according to cell voltages of the battery cells; and sequentially and separately charging the sorted battery cells to a Nth segmented voltage in a Nth segmentation, wherein N is a positive integer from 1 to K, and K is a positive integer larger than 1. The charging method of the present disclosure can reduce the temperature rising of the battery cell due to the longtime charging.

Abstract: A frequency response optimization system includes a battery configured to store and discharge electric power, a power inverter configured to control an amount of the electric power stored or discharged from the battery, a high level controller, and a low level controller. The high level controller is configured to receive a regulation signal from an incentive provider, determine statistics of the regulation signal, and use the statistics of the regulation signal to generate an optimal frequency response midpoint. The optimal midpoint achieves a desired change in the state-of-charge of the battery while participating in a frequency response program. The low level controller is configured to use the midpoints to determine optimal battery power setpoints for the power inverter. The power inverter is configured to use the optimal battery power setpoints to control an amount of the electric power stored or discharged from the battery.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and a method of detecting swelling of a battery cell, which, when abnormal swelling is generated in a battery cell embedded in a battery pack, rapidly detect the abnormal swelling and control a supply of a power source to the battery pack to be blocked, thereby preventing a structural deformation of the battery cell and the battery pack and life shortening of the battery, and preventing an accident, such as ignition and explosion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a battery block comprising at least two battery packs and a method for manufacturing a battery block.

Abstract: A storage battery device includes a battery unit, a first circuit breaker, a second circuit breaker, and a control unit. The first circuit breaker switches between connecting and disconnecting a first-electrode side of the battery unit and an external device. The second circuit breaker switches between connecting and disconnecting a second-electrode side of the battery unit and the external device. The control unit supplies power to the first circuit breaker and the second circuit breaker in sequence with the power supplied to the second circuit breaker offset relative to the power supplied to the first circuit breaker by a time period equal to or longer than a time difference required for a sum of currents flowing through the first circuit breaker and the second circuit breaker to reach an upper bound current that is set as an upper bound of a current.

Abstract: A charge/discharge control circuit includes a first power supply terminal connected to a first electrode of a secondary battery, and a discharge control output circuit which outputs a discharge control signal to a gate of a discharge control FET which controls discharging of the secondary battery. The discharge control output circuit includes a clamp voltage output circuit which outputs a clamp voltage lower than a voltage of the first power supply terminal to a discharge control terminal to turn on the discharge control FET when the voltage of the first power supply terminal is higher than a prescribed voltage, and a power supply voltage output circuit which outputs the voltage of the first power supply terminal to the discharge control terminal to turn on the discharge control FET when the voltage of the first power supply terminal is equal to or less than the prescribed voltage.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, an energy monitoring method may be provided. The energy monitoring method may include: determining internal energy information indicating a charge state of an internal battery of a computing device; wirelessly receiving external energy information indicating a charge state of an external battery for the computing device; determining a combined energy information indicating a combined charge state of the internal battery and external battery based on the internal energy information and based on the external energy information; and providing a notification to a user of the computing device based on the combined energy information.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides devices and techniques for managing power distribution in a device. The devices and techniques include determining a first power level of a first battery of the device, and determining a second power level of a second battery of the device. Also, the devices and techniques include adjusting an input current limit of a system charger based on the first power level and the second power level. Additionally, the devices and techniques include steering power from one or both of the first battery or the second battery to at least one processor of the device based on the input current limit.

Abstract: A battery device includes at least a battery cell, a management chip and a bus. The management chip is coupled to the battery cell for detecting voltage or remaining capacity of the battery cell and managing an operation state of the battery device according to the voltage or the remaining capacity of the battery cell. The bus is coupled to the management chip. The management chip communicates with a host device via the bus. The management chip further determines whether the remaining capacity of the battery cell is not increasing while in a charging state. When the remaining capacity of the battery cell is not increasing while in the charging state, the management chip activates a protection mechanism to make the battery device exit the charging state.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for identifying a presence of a short circuit in a battery pack. A fault-detection apparatus for a charging system that rapidly charges a collection of interconnected lithium ion battery cells, the safety system includes a data-acquisition system for receiving a set of data parameters from the collection while the charging system is actively charging the collection; a monitoring system evaluating the set of data parameters to identify a set of anomalous conditions; and a controller comparing the set of anomalous conditions against a set of predetermined profiles indicative of an internal short in one or more cells of the collection, the controller establishing an internal-short state for the collection when the comparing has a predetermined relationship to the set of predetermined profiles.

Abstract: A dual cell protection IC and a battery module have a FET as an external type that are configured to protect a plurality of battery cells with one IC when an abnormal state caused during charge/discharge occurs.

Abstract: A power conversion device includes a switch connected to an AC system; an AC/DC converter; and a DC/DC converter. A control unit compares an absolute value of an AC voltage target value based on the AC voltage with a DC voltage target value based on the storage battery voltage, and executes, on the basis of a magnitude relation of the values, a control method such that a period during which step-up operation is performed through switching operation mainly using one of the AC/DC converter and the DC/DC converter, and a period during which step-down operation is performed through switching operation mainly using the other one of the converters, alternately arise. When starting charging/discharging of the storage battery, the control unit causes the switch to close at zero cross timing of the AC voltage, and thereafter, causes charging/discharging to start from the switching operation through which the step-down operation is performed.

Abstract: Techniques for wireless charging in a system, method, and apparatus are described herein. An apparatus for charging at a wireless power receiver may include logic. The logic is configured to supply voltage received at the wireless power receiver at a first power level to a battery that is initially fully discharged, wherein the power of the first power level is received during a predefined interval of a fully discharged battery protocol. The logic is to monitor a second power level available at the battery, and initiate a wireless handshake with a wireless power transmitter inductively coupled to the wireless power receiver indicating configurations of the wireless power receiver upon detection of the second power level meeting or exceeding a predefined threshold.

Abstract: A method and system for predicting the time required for low voltage expression of a secondary battery, including (a) obtaining a leakage current by inputting a voltage of a battery cell of the secondary battery, measuring a freezing resistance of a battery cell, and dividing an input voltage by a measured freezing resistance, (b) obtaining a discharge capacity difference by setting a reference value of a voltage drop for selecting a low voltage defect and obtaining a discharge capacity difference between the input voltage and a voltage dropped therefrom by the reference value, and (c) dividing the discharge capacity difference by the leakage current to thereby calculate a time required for low voltage expression.

Abstract: Methods and systems for selectively connecting a plurality of battery cells in a dual-mode battery pack in series and parallel configurations and/or for individual cell monitoring. A dual-mode battery pack may generally include a housing; a first set of battery cells connected in series; and a second set of battery cells connected in series. The battery pack may also include series connection contacts selectively connectable to the first set of battery cells and to the second set of battery cells and, when engaged, connecting the first set of battery cells and the second set of battery cells in a series configuration; and parallel connection contacts selectively connectable to the first set of battery cells and the second set of battery cells and, when engaged, connecting the first set of battery cells and the second set of battery cells in a parallel configuration.