Patent ID: 7679369

Claim:
A system for measuring voltage of individual cells in a plurality of cells connected in series, said system comprising: a capacitor for storing a charge of at least one of the cells wherein said capacitor includes a pair of terminals; at least one switch electrically connected to said capacitor for selectively connecting at least one of the cells to said capacitor; a plurality of cell switches for electrical connection to the plurality of cells wherein each cell switch includes a first side and a second side with said first side of each cell switch electrically connectable to a positive terminal of one of the cells; a first bus electrically connected to said second side of every other cell switch; a second bus electrically connected to said second side of each cell switch not connected to said first bus; an amplifier for amplifying the charge stored on said capacitor wherein said amplifier includes a pair of inputs electrically connected to said terminals of said capacitor and an output; an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) electrically connectable to said output of said amplifier for converting an amplified analog voltage supplied by said amplifier into digital voltage data; and at least one precision voltage reference (PVR) device for providing a known reference voltage wherein said at least one PVR device is electrically connectable to said capacitor such that the known reference voltage is provided to said capacitor wherein said at least one PVR device is further defined as a first PVR device and a second PVR device and wherein said first PVR device is electrically connectable to said first bus and said second PVR device is electrically connectable to said second bus.