Patent ID: 8866445

Claim:
A system, comprising: a first power module configured to be electrically coupled to a plurality of battery cells that produces a first amount of voltage when in a first operational state and a second amount of voltage less than the first amount of voltage when in a second operational state, the first power module configured to provide a third amount of voltage to a load device by electrically coupling the plurality of battery cells to the load device when the plurality of battery cells is in the first operational state, the third amount of voltage is substantially equal to the first amount of voltage; and a second power module configured to be electrically coupled to the plurality of battery cells such that the second power module is configured to provide a fourth amount of voltage to the load device by electrically coupling the plurality of battery cells to the load device when the plurality of battery cells is in the second operational state, the fourth amount of voltage is substantially equal to the first amount of voltage, wherein when the plurality of battery cells is in the second operational state and at least one battery cell of any of the plurality of battery cells produces an amount of voltage less than a voltage threshold, the second amount of voltage is subject to vary at least in accordance with a quantity of the at least one battery cell whose amount of voltage is less than the voltage threshold, wherein the second power module is configured to provide the fourth amount of voltage to the load device notwithstanding variation in the quantity of the at least one battery cell whose amount of voltage is less than the voltage threshold.