Patent ID: 8736231

Claim:
A system comprising: a first cell having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first cell is configured to output a first voltage across the first terminal and the second terminal; a second cell having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the second cell is connected to the second terminal of the first cell, and wherein the second cell is configured to output a second voltage across the first terminal and the second terminal of the second cell; a first switch having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the first switch is connected to the first terminal of the first cell; a second switch having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the second switch is connected to the second terminal of the first switch, and wherein the second terminal of the second switch is connected to the second terminal of the second cell; an inductance having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the inductance is connected to the first terminal of the second switch, and wherein the second terminal of the inductance is connected to the second terminal of the first cell; and a control module configured to generate control signals to control the first switch and the second switch, and transfer charge, based on the control signals, between the first cell and the second cell via the inductance until a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold, wherein the predetermined threshold is not equal to zero.