Patent ID: 7692404

Claim:
A battery system for a vehicle, comprising: at least three battery cells, each said battery cell having a positive battery terminal and a negative battery terminal; a battery terminal reconfiguration device, including a first connection part that connects said terminals of said battery cells into a series connection in a first mode which provides an additive connection of voltages of said battery cells, and connects said cells of said battery into a parallel connection in a second mode which provides a connection of said voltages of said battery cells that is substantially the same as at least one of said battery cells; and a controller for said reconfiguration device, which configures said cells between said first mode and said second mode and which actuates at least one switch and at least one resistance to dissipate at least one transient voltage at a node between said battery cells when changing between said first mode and said second mode to reduce an amount of difference between said additive connection and said series connection when switching between said first mode and said second mode.