Abstract:
A battery pack includes: battery modules; a cooling pipe connected to the battery modules; and one or more cooling units connected to the cooling pipe and configured to absorb heat from cooling liquid flowing inside the cooling pipe, wherein the battery modules and the one or more cooling units are disposed to alternate with respect to each other.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit under 35 USC 119(a) of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2016-0003849 filed on Jan. 12, 2016 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    The following description relates to a battery pack and a cooling method of a battery pack. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    A battery generates heat because an electrochemical reaction occurs in a process of using the battery. A battery should be maintained at a constant temperature in order to continuously use the battery for a long period of time. Therefore, a cooling device for absorbing generated heat may be provided at the battery. 
         [0006]    A battery pack including multiple battery modules is commonly used to supply power in a large capacity system requiring high electrical power. Each battery module includes one or more battery cells, or batteries. Due to the amount of heat generated in such a battery pack, adequate cooling capability of a cooling device for the battery pack is important for stable operation of the system. 
         [0007]    Generally, a cooling device is located outside a battery pack and cooling water is supplied from the cooling device with a serial or parallel structure to cool modules or cells inside the battery pack. However, a temperature difference between battery modules inside the battery pack may be generated and may cause a performance deviation and a lifespan deviation between the battery modules. Therefore, there is a need for an improved cooling structure and cooling operation to reduce a temperature deviation between modules. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
         [0009]    In one general aspect, a battery pack includes: battery modules; a cooling pipe connected to the battery modules; and one or more cooling units connected to the cooling pipe and configured to absorb heat from cooling liquid flowing inside the cooling pipe, wherein the battery modules and the one or more cooling units are disposed to alternate with respect to each other. 
         [0010]    The battery modules and the one or more cooling units may be disposed to alternate with each other in a one-by-one order to enable the cooling liquid to flow through a cooling unit among the one or more cooling units after passing through a battery module among the battery modules. 
         [0011]    The cooling pipe and the one or more cooling units may be connected to each other to form a closed loop. 
         [0012]    The one or more cooling units may include a cooling unit disposed at a central position and the battery modules may include battery modules disposed in positions surrounding the central cooling unit. 
         [0013]    The battery modules disposed in positions surrounding the central cooling unit may be disposed in upper, lower, left, right, and diagonal directions from the central cooling unit. 
         [0014]    The central cooling unit may include layers of components that are vertically stacked and aligned. 
         [0015]    The central cooling unit may further include a first heat exchanger disposed in a layer among the layers of components, and a second heat exchanger disposed in another layer among the layers of components. The cooling pipe may include a first loop configured to circulate the cooling liquid to a first battery module among the battery modules disposed in the positions surrounding the central cooling unit, and to exchange heat with the first heat exchanger, and a second loop configured to circulate the cooling liquid to a second battery module among the battery modules disposed in the positions surrounding the central cooling unit, and to exchange heat with the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger. 
         [0016]    The cooling pipe and the one or more cooling units may form two or more closed loops in which to flow the cooling liquid. 
         [0017]    The battery pack may further include a valve disposed between the battery modules and the one or more cooling units, and configured to control a flow of the cooling liquid. 
         [0018]    The battery pack may further include a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of each of the battery modules. 
         [0019]    The battery pack may further include: a valve; and a controller configured to control the valve based on the measured temperature of each of the battery modules. 
         [0020]    The valve may include valves. The controller may be configured to control the valves to selectively configure the cooling pipe and the one or more cooling units to form one closed loop or closed loops through which the cooling liquid flows. 
         [0021]    In another general aspect, a cooling method of a battery pack includes: measuring, by a sensor, a temperature of each battery module among battery modules; transmitting temperature information corresponding to the measured temperature of each battery module to a controller; generating, based on the temperature information, a valve control signal at the controller; and operating a valve according to the valve control signal to control a flow of cooling liquid through a cooling pipe to at least one of the battery modules. 
         [0022]    In response to the temperature information indicating that the temperature of a selected battery module among the battery modules is higher than the temperatures of other battery modules among the battery modules, the operating of the valve may include operating the valve to cause the cooling liquid to flow through the selected battery module a greater number of times in a cooling cycle than the cooling liquid is caused to flow through the other battery modules in the cooling cycle. 
         [0023]    Other features and aspects will be apparent from the following detailed description, the drawings, and the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a battery pack of a serial cooling structure. 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating a battery pack of a parallel cooling structure. 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram for describing a serial cooling structure of a battery pack. 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram for describing a parallel cooling structure of a battery pack. 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a battery pack, according to an embodiment. 
           [0029]      FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating an example of a flow of cooling water in the battery pack shown in  FIG. 5 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 7  is a diagram illustrating a flow of cooling water in a battery pack, according to another embodiment. 
           [0031]      FIG. 8  is a diagram illustrating a flow of cooling water in a battery pack, according to another embodiment. 
           [0032]      FIG. 9  is a diagram illustrating a flow of cooling water in a battery pack, according to another embodiment. 
           [0033]      FIG. 10  is a diagram illustrating a flow of cooling water in a battery pack, according to another embodiment. 
           [0034]      FIG. 11  is a diagram illustrating a flow of cooling water in a battery pack in which a cooling unit is configured in a plate shape, according to an embodiment. 
           [0035]      FIGS. 12A and 12B  are diagrams illustrating a flow of cooling water in a battery pack, according to another embodiment. 
           [0036]      FIGS. 13A-13D  are diagrams illustrating a flow of cooling water in battery packs, according to other embodiments. 
           [0037]      FIG. 14  is a diagram illustrating a cooling method of a battery pack, according to an embodiment. 
           [0038]      FIG. 15  is a diagram illustrating a cooling method of a battery pack, according to another embodiment. 
       
    
    
       [0039]    Throughout the drawings and the detailed description, unless otherwise described, the same drawing reference numerals should be understood to refer to the same elements, features, and structures. The relative size and depiction of these elements may be exaggerated for clarity, illustration, and convenience. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0040]    The following detailed description is provided to assist the reader in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described herein. However, various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described herein will be apparent after an understanding of the disclosure of this application. For example, the sequences of operations described herein are merely examples, and are not limited to those set forth herein, but may be changed as will be apparent after an understanding of the disclosure of this application, with the exception of operations necessarily occurring in a certain order. Also, descriptions of features that are known in the art may be omitted for increased clarity and conciseness. 
         [0041]    The features described herein may be embodied in different forms, and are not to be construed as being limited to the examples described herein. Rather, the examples described herein have been provided merely to illustrate some of the many possible ways of implementing the methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described herein that will be apparent after an understanding of the disclosure of this application. 
         [0042]    Throughout the specification, when an element, such as a layer, region, or substrate, is described as being “on,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element, it may be directly “on,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” the other element, or there may be one or more other elements intervening therebetween. In contrast, when an element is described as being “directly on,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element, there can be no other elements intervening therebetween. 
         [0043]    As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any one and any combination of any two or more of the associated listed items. 
         [0044]    Although terms such as “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used herein to describe various members, components, regions, layers, or sections, these members, components, regions, layers, or sections are not to be limited by these terms. Rather, these terms are only used to distinguish one member, component, region, layer, or section from another member, component, region, layer, or section. Thus, a first member, component, region, layer, or section referred to in examples described herein may also be referred to as a second member, component, region, layer, or section without departing from the teachings of the examples. 
         [0045]    Spatially relative terms such as “above,” “upper,” “below,” and “lower” may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element&#39;s relationship to another element as shown in the figures. Such spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, an element described as being “above” or “upper” relative to another element will then be “below” or “lower” relative to the other element. Thus, the term “above” encompasses both the above and below orientations depending on the spatial orientation of the device. The device may also be oriented in other ways (for example, rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations), and the spatially relative terms used herein are to be interpreted accordingly. 
         [0046]    The terminology used herein is for describing various examples only, and is not to be used to limit the disclosure. The articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “includes,” and “has” specify the presence of stated features, numbers, operations, members, elements, and/or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, operations, members, elements, and/or combinations thereof. 
         [0047]    Due to manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, variations of the shapes shown in the drawings may occur. Thus, the examples described herein are not limited to the specific shapes shown in the drawings, but include changes in shape that occur during manufacturing. 
         [0048]    The features of the examples described herein may be combined in various ways as will be apparent after an understanding of the disclosure of this application. Further, although the examples described herein have a variety of configurations, other configurations are possible as will be apparent after an understanding of the disclosure of this application. 
         [0049]      FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate example battery packs, and  FIGS. 3 and 4  are schematic diagrams for describing example cooling structures of the battery packs of  FIGS. 3 and 4 , respectively. 
         [0050]    With reference  FIGS. 1 and 3 , a serial cooling structure of a battery pack will be described. In an example, cooling water discharged from a cooling device  30  flows and circulates through battery modules  10  to absorb heat from the battery modules  30 , and then flows back to the cooling device  30 . However, in the serial cooling structure, a temperature difference between battery modules  10  disposed at a position at which the cooling water just discharged and flowing away from the cooling device  30  flows and battery modules  10  disposed at a position at which the cooling water circulated one time and flowing back into the cooling device  30  flows may occur, due to an increasing temperature of the cooling water along the serial cooling pathway. In other words, a temperature difference between a battery module  10  located in the vicinity of a cooling water inlet and a battery module  10  located in the vicinity of a cooling water outlet may occur. As described above, in such a serial cooling structure, the battery modules  10  are not uniformly cooled. Consequently, a battery pack of a serial cooling structure may have unsatisfactory operation stability. 
         [0051]    In a different example, in a battery pack of a parallel cooling structure shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , a cooling deviation between the battery modules  10  due to a variation in a temperature of the cooling water along the cooling pathway may not occur, but a difference in a length of portions of a cooling pipe  20  which supply the cooling water from the cooling device  30  to each of the battery modules  10  may exist, thereby causing deviations in a flow rate of the cooling water at locations of the cooling pathway corresponding to the battery modules  10 . Thus, a battery pack of a parallel cooling structure may have unsatisfactory operation stability. 
         [0052]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a battery pack  100  for a uniform cooling of battery modules, according to an embodiment. With reference to  FIG. 5 , the battery pack  100  includes battery modules  10  and cooling units  40 . 
         [0053]    A battery module  10  is, for example, a battery assembly in which battery cells (not shown) are grouped in a predetermined number to be inserted into a frame so as to protect the battery cells from an external impact, heat, vibration and the like. A battery module  10  may be configured with about ten battery cells and may be a lithium ion battery. However, a battery module  10  is not limited to having a particular number of cells or having a particular construction or composition. 
         [0054]    The cooling pipe  20  through which cooling water flows extends in, through or adjacent to the battery modules  10 . The cooling water flowing in the cooling pipe  20  absorbs heat generated by the battery modules  10  so that the battery modules  10  are cooled. Therefore, the battery modules  10  may be maintained at a constant temperature even though it is used continuously for a long time. The cooling pipe  20  may be attached and disposed outside the battery modules  10  using an adhesive member. However, the cooling pipe  20  may have any shape and may be attached to or near the battery modules  10  in any suitable manner, so long as the cooling pipe  20  is disposed at the battery modules  10 . 
         [0055]    The cooling units  40  are connected to the cooling pipe  20  to absorb heat of the cooling water flowing in the cooling pipe  20 . The cooling water absorbing the heat of a battery module  10  flows into an inlet of a respective cooling unit  40  connected to the cooling pipe  20 . The cooling water flowing into a cooling unit  40  is cooled by radiating heat in the cooling unit  40 . Consequently, the cooling water discharged from an outlet of a cooling unit  40  absorbs heat of a battery module  10  disposed downstream of the cooling unit  40 . A cooling unit  40  may cool the cooling water using a refrigerant which circulates through a cooling circuit of the cooling unit  40  composed of a heat exchanger, a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve, and a unit for cooling the cooling water through air cooling. 
         [0056]    The battery modules  10  and the cooling units  40  are alternately disposed with each other. Thus, a temperature deviation between the battery modules  10  is minimized by enabling the cooling water, which absorbs heat of one battery module  10  and rises in temperature, to flow to a cooling unit  40  disposed downstream of the one battery module  40  and then be cooled and directed to another battery module  10 , instead of immediately flowing to another battery module  10  without being cooled. As a result, operational stability of the battery pack  100  is enhanced. Also, the sections of the cooling pipes  20  which respectively supply the cooling water to each of the battery modules  10  have a same length. Consequently, a deviation of a flow rate of the cooling water among the sections of the cooling pipe  20  battery modules is prevented or minimized. 
         [0057]    The battery modules  10  and the cooling units  40  are alternately disposed one by one in  FIG. 5  so as to enable the cooling water to flow to a cooling unit  40  after passing a single battery module  10 . However, as shown in  FIGS. 13A-13D , a battery pack may be configured to enable the cooling water to pass and cool one, two, three, or four battery modules and then to feed back to the cooling unit. In the examples of  FIGS. 13A-13D , a structure of a battery pack may be simplified to reduce a size of the battery pack  100 . 
         [0058]    For example, in  FIGS. 13A-13D , respective battery packs  100   f - 100   i , according to additional embodiments, include a cooling pack  40  disposed at a central position and battery modules  10  disposed at perimeter positions around the cooling pack  40 . In the battery pack  100   f  of  FIG. 13A , a cooling pipe  20  includes a loop passing through one battery module  10 , and is configured to enable cooling water to pass and cool the one battery module  10  and then feed back to the cooling pack  40 . In the battery pack  100   g  of  FIG. 13B , a cooling pipe  20  includes a loop passing through two battery modules  10 , and is configured to enable cooling water to pass and cool the two battery modules  10  and then feed back to the cooling pack  40 . In the battery pack  100   h  of  FIG. 13C , a cooling pipe  20  includes a loop passing through three battery modules  10 , and is configured to enable cooling water to pass and cool the three battery modules  10  and then feed back to the cooling pack  40 . In the battery pack  100   i  of  FIG. 13D , a cooling pipe  20  forms a loop passing through four battery modules  10 , and is configured to enable cooling water to pass and cool the four battery modules  10  and then feed back to the cooling pack  40 . 
         [0059]      FIG. 6  illustrates a flow of the cooling water in the battery pack shown in  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 7  illustrates a flow of cooling water in a battery pack  100   a , according to another embodiment, and  FIG. 8  illustrates a flow of cooling water in a battery pack  100   b , according to another embodiment. As shown in  FIGS. 6 to 8 , a cooling pipe  20  and cooling units  40 , which are disposed in alternating sequence with the battery modules  10 , are integrally connected to each other to form a single closed loop, or two or more closed loops. 
         [0060]    The battery pack  100   a  of FIG,  7  has the same configuration of battery modules  10  and cooling units  40  provided in the battery pack  100  of  FIGS. 5 and 6 . However, in the battery pack  100   a  of  FIG. 7 , a valve group  50  and a controller (not shown) configured to control the valve group  50  are provided to control a flow of the cooling water. The valve group  50  is disposed between a second battery module  10  and a third cooling unit  40  disposed downstream from the second battery module  10 , and includes a plurality of valves. The valves may be solenoid valves which are opened and closed by an electromagnetic force of a coil. By opening or closing certain valves, a single closed loop of the cooling pipe  20  may be integrally formed or two closed loops of the cooling pipe  20  may be formed. 
         [0061]    The battery pack  100   b  is similar to the battery pack  100   a  of  FIG. 7 , except that the battery pack  100   b  includes three valve units  50 , each including a plurality of valves. More specifically, a first valve group  50  is disposed between a first battery module  10  and a second cooling unit  40  disposed downstream from the first battery module  10 , a second valve group  50  is disposed between a second battery module  10  and a third cooling unit  40  disposed downstream from the second battery module  10 , and a third valve group  50  is disposed between a third battery module  10  and a fourth cooling unit  40  disposed downstream from the third battery module  10 . By opening or closing certain valves, a single closed loop of the cooling pipe  20  may be integrally formed, or two, or three closed loops of the cooling pipe may be formed. It can be appreciated from the example embodiments of  FIGS. 6-8  that any number of battery modules  10  and cooling units  40  may be provided and various numbers and arrangements of valve groups  50  may be provided in order to provide a variable number of closed loops in the cooling pipe  20 . 
         [0062]    Alternatively, the battery packs  100   a  and  100   b  are partially cooled by controlling the valves. In this case, active cooling may be possible according to a load status so that efficiency of cooling may be improved. Also, a partial cooling is possible so that a capacity of a pump may be reduced and a power requirement may be reduced in comparison to full cooling of the battery pack  100   a  or  100   b.    
         [0063]      FIG. 9  illustrates a flow of cooling water in a battery pack  100   c  for a uniform cooling of battery modules  10 , according to another embodiment.  FIG. 10  illustrates a flow of cooling water in a battery pack  100   d  for a uniform cooling of battery modules  10 , according to another embodiment. 
         [0064]    With reference to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , in the battery packs  100   c  and  100   d , a cooling unit  40  is disposed at a central position, and battery modules  10  are disposed in a pattern surrounding the cooling unit  40 . In the battery pack  100   c,  the battery modules  10  are disposed in upper, lower, left, and right directions from the cooling unit  40 . In the battery pack  100   d , the battery modules  10  are disposed in upper, lower, left, right, and diagonal directions from the cooling unit  40 . In the battery packs  100   c  and  100   d , loops of the cooling pipe  20  are disposed between the cooling unit  40  and each battery module  10 . The battery packs  100   c  and  100   d  may be configured such that cooling water flows, in one loop of the cooling pipe  20 , from the cooling unit  40  to one battery module  10  and then back to the cooling unit  40 , then subsequently flows, in a next loop of the cooling pipe  20 , to a next battery module  10  and then back to the cooling unit  40 , and so on. In other words, the cooling unit  40  and the loops of the cooling pipe  20  may form a continuous cooling circuit in which each battery module is cooled by cooling water flowing directly from the cooling unit  40  and each cooling water exiting each battery module  10  flows directly to the cooling unit  40 . Therefore, a refrigerant circulates through peripheral battery modules  10  to absorb heat from the battery modules  10 , and flows to the cooling unit  40  located at the central position. 
         [0065]    As described above, when the cooling unit  40  is located at the central position and the battery modules  10  are disposed to surround the cooling unit  40 , there are advantages in that the battery modules  10  may be uniformly cooled and a size of the battery pack  100   c / 100   d  may be reduced in comparison to conventional battery packs. 
         [0066]      FIG. 11  illustrates a flow of cooling water in a battery pack in which a cooling unit  40  is configured in a plate shape. As shown in  FIG. 11 , the cooling unit  40  includes vertically stacked and aligned layers of components. For example, the cooling unit  40  includes one or more heat exchangers  45 , compressors, condensers, and expansion valves, and the one or more heat exchangers  45  are configured in a plate shape and arranged in a stack with the one or more compressors, condensers, and expansion valves. Therefore, heat exchange may be performed between layers adjacent to each other. That is, in an example, cooling water which circulates in a first loop of a cooling pipe  20 , through one battery module  10 , and in a first layer of the cooling unit  40 , exchanges heat with a heat exchanger  45  of a second layer of the cooling unit  40 , and cooling water which circulates in a second loop of the cooling pipe  20 , through another battery module  10 , and in a third layer of the cooling unit  40 , exchanges heat with the heat exchanger  45  of the second layer and a heat exchanger  45  of a fourth layer of the cooling unit  40 . Thus, the cooling water in the first and second cooling pipes  20  is cooled. 
         [0067]      FIGS. 12A and 12B  illustrate a flow of cooling water in a battery pack  100   e,  according to another embodiment. As shown in  FIGS. 12A and 12B , a cooling unit  40  is disposed at a central position, and battery modules  10  are disposed in a pattern surrounding the cooling unit  40 . Cooling water circulating in upper, lower, left, and right directions from the cooling unit  40  and cooling water circulating in diagonal directions from the cooling unit  40  form closed loops different from each other. That is, a first loop of the cooling pipe  20  is configured to circulate cooling water in the upper, lower, left, and right directions, and a second loop of the cooling pipe  20  is configured to circulate cooling water in the diagonal directions. A particular battery module  10  located at a position requiring cooling may be cooled through the operation of a controller and a valve controlled by the controller. Thus, active cooling based on a load status is possible so that efficiency of cooling may be improved. 
         [0068]      FIG. 14  illustrates a cooling method of a battery pack  200 , according to an embodiment. As shown in the sequence of views in  FIG. 14 , in the battery pack  200 , battery modules  10  are cooled in a fixed order of  1 → 2 → 3 → 1 → 2  . . . , regardless of a load status and an operating circumstance. However, such a cooling method may have difficulty in actively responding to an occurrence of a temperature deviation between the battery modules  10 . Also, since cooling is continuously performed regardless of a load, energy efficiency is not optimized. 
         [0069]      FIG. 15  illustrates a cooling method of a battery pack  300 , according to another embodiment. First, a temperature sensors measure a temperature of each battery module  10 . A temperature sensor may be attached to each of the battery modules  10  so as to measure a temperature thereof. The temperature sensor may be a temperature measuring resistor or a thermistor, but it is not limited thereto, and the temperature sensor may be any kind of temperature sensor. 
         [0070]    Then, measured temperature information of each of the battery modules  10  is transmitted to a controller. The temperature information may be transmitted by a wired or wireless communication. 
         [0071]    Next, the controller generates a valve control signal in response to receiving the temperature information. More specifically, the controller, in response to receiving the temperature information of each of the battery modules, derives an optimal flow of cooling water through an arithmetic operation. The controller then generates ON/OFF (e.g., open/close) control signal of a valve to enable the cooling water to perform the optimal flow. 
         [0072]    Thereafter, the valve operates according to the valve control signal of the controller. The valve may be a solenoid valve which is opened and closed by an electromagnetic force of a coil so as to enable the valve to be operated according to the valve control signal of the controller. The cooling water flows to cool each of the battery modules  10  in communication with the flow of the cooling water determined by the valve control signal. 
         [0073]    Therefore, as shown in  FIG. 15 , for example, when a second battery module  10  generates significantly more heat than other battery modules  10 , the cooling water flows in an order of  2 → 1 → 2 → 3  . . . (where the numbers  1 ,  2  and  3  correspond to first, second and third battery modules) to cool the second battery module  10  more than the other battery modules  10 . That is, within a cooling cycle of the battery pack  300 , the cooling water flows to the second battery module  10  a greater number of times than the cooling water flows to the other battery modules  10 . 
         [0074]    When following the method disclosed above, active cooling may be performed according to a status of the battery module  10  so that efficiency of cooling may be improved. Also, a partial control may be possible so that a capacity of a pump may be miniaturized and a power requirement may be reduced. 
         [0075]    It is noted that, while various disclosure describes cooling of a battery pack in various embodiments by using “cooling water,” cooling liquids other than water may be used. 
         [0076]    While this disclosure includes specific examples, it will be apparent after an understanding of the disclosure of this application that various changes in form and details may be made in these examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims and their equivalents. The examples described herein are to be considered in a descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation. Descriptions of features or aspects in each example are to be considered as being applicable to similar features or aspects in other examples. Suitable results may be achieved if the described techniques are performed in a different order, and/or if components in a described system, architecture, device, or circuit are combined in a different manner, and/or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents. Therefore, the scope of the disclosure is defined not by the detailed description, but by the claims and their equivalents, and all variations within the scope of the claims and their equivalents are to be construed as being included in the disclosure.