Patent ID: 8324868

Claim:
An apparatus for managing a battery, comprising: a voltage sensor connected to a first battery unit to sense a voltage of said first battery unit; an alternative signal path around said first battery unit to a second battery unit that is connected to said first battery unit in series, said voltage sensor adjusts said alternative path around said first battery unit by enabling said alternative signal path to provide a conduction path to said second battery unit connected to said first battery unit when said voltage sensor senses that said voltage of said first battery unit is above a target level; a temperature sensor positioned to sense a temperature data indicative of temperature of said alternative signal path; and a comparator circuit in communication with said temperature sensor and said alternative signal path, said comparator circuit compares an output of said temperature sensor to a reference and adjusts said alternative signal path based on said comparison, said comparator circuit turns off said alternative signal path if said temperature data sensed by said temperature sensor indicates that said temperature of said alternative path is greater than or equal to a threshold temperature.