Patent ID: 8618806

Claim:
A circuit for determining the number of cells in a plurality of battery cells, said circuit comprising: a plurality of nodes selectively coupled to said battery cells; a detection block coupled to said nodes, and configured to provide a terminal voltage signal indicative of a terminal voltage at a first node in said nodes; and a controller coupled to said detection block and operable for controlling a connection to said first node such that said terminal voltage at said first node is at a first level if there is a battery cell of said battery cells corresponding and coupled to said first node and such that said terminal voltage is at a second level different from said first level if there is not a battery cell corresponding to said first node, said controller further operable for comparing said terminal voltage signal with a first threshold, determining whether said battery cell corresponding and coupled to said first node is present based on said comparing, and providing a cell count signal indicative of said number of cells based on said determining.