Series batteries to reduce an interfering magnetic field

Abstract

A first portion of a series battery is arranged where the first portion of the series battery produces a first magnetic field and the series battery includes a plurality of charge storage devices, a negative output terminal, a positive output terminal, and a plurality of intradevice connections connecting the plurality of charge storage devices in series. A second portion of the series battery is arranged such that a second magnetic field produced by the second portion of the series battery at least partially cancels out the first magnetic field.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A series battery, comprising:
 a battery module which includes a plurality of charge storage devices;   a flipped battery module, wherein the battery module and the flipped battery module form a cancellation pair where the battery module and the flipped battery module are positioned with a planar surface of the battery module facing a planar surface of the flipped battery module so that a first magnetic field produced by the battery module at least partially cancels out a second magnetic field produced by the flipped battery module;   a negative output terminal; and   a positive output terminal.   
     
     
         2 . The series battery of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the battery module includes at least a first charge storage device and a second charge storage device, and   the first charge storage device and the second charge storage device are placed with their positive tabs and their negative tabs facing inwards in the battery module, such that a positive tab of the first charge storage device is adjacent to a negative tab of the second charge storage device.   
     
     
         3 . The series battery of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first charge storage device is placed on its side with its negative tab above its positive tab; and   the second charge storage device is placed on its side with its positive tab above its negative tab.   
     
     
         4 . The series battery of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the flipped battery module includes at least a third charge storage device and a fourth charge storage device,   the third charge storage device and the fourth charge storage device are placed with their positive tabs and their negative tabs facing inwards in the flipped battery module, such that the positive tab of the third charge storage device is adjacent to the negative tab of the fourth charge storage device, and   the flipped battery module and the battery module are stacked on top of each other, wherein the positive tab of the third charge storage device is aligned with the negative tab of the first charge storage device.   
     
     
         5 . The series battery recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the series battery further includes a first intradevice connection which connects non-adjacent charge storage devices;   the series battery further includes a second intradevice connection which connects non-adjacent charge storage devices;   the first intradevice connection and the second intradevice connection at least partially overlap; and   a current flow direction of the first intradevice connection is opposite of a current flow direction of the second intradevice connection.   
     
     
         6 . The series battery recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the battery module includes a first plurality of serially connected battery cells;   the flipped battery module includes a second plurality of serially connected battery cells; and   the first plurality of serially connected battery cells and the second plurality of serially connected battery cells are laid out in an identical arrangement.   
     
     
         7 . The series battery recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the battery module includes a first plurality of serially connected battery cells;   the flipped battery module includes a second plurality of serially connected battery cells;   the first plurality of serially connected battery cells and the second plurality of serially connected battery cells are laid out in an identical annular arrangement; and   the identical annular arrangement further includes a printed circuit board in the middle of the battery cells which is used to connect the battery cells in series.   
     
     
         8 . The series battery recited in  claim 1 , wherein a charge storage device is a single battery cell. 
     
     
         9 . The series battery recited in  claim 1 , wherein a charge storage device includes a plurality of battery cells connected together. 
     
     
         10 . A method for electrically including or excluding a first charge storage device and a second charge storage device from a plurality of charge storage devices connected together in series, the method including:
 configuring, using a selection and connection block electrically coupled to the plurality of charge storage devices, a plurality of configurable intradevice connections to connect the first charge storage device and the second charge storage device to the plurality of charge storage devices in series;   receiving, at the selection and connection block, a warning associated with the first charge storage device;   in response to the warning, reconfiguring, using the selection and connection block, the plurality of configurable intradevice connections to electrically exclude the first charge storage device from the plurality of charge storage devices;   determining, using the selection and connection block, whether to electrically exclude the second charge storage device from the plurality of charge storage devices based at least in part on an available capacity associated with the plurality of charge storage devices excluding the first charge storage device and the second charge storage device;   in response to determining to electrically exclude the second charge storage device, configuring, using the selection and connection block, the plurality of configurable intradevice connections so that the second charge storage device is electrically excluded from the plurality of charge storage devices connected together in series; and   in response to determining not to electrically exclude the second charge storage device, configuring, using the selection and connection block, the plurality of configurable intradevice connections so that the second charge storage device is electrically included in the plurality of charge storage devices connected together in series.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first charge storage device and the second charge storage device form a cancellation pair such that a magnetic field associated with the first charge storage device cancels out a magnetic field associated with the second charge storage device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein determining whether to electrically exclude the second charge storage device from the plurality of charge storage devices includes:
 comparing the available capacity to a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining that the available capacity exceeds or equal to the predetermined threshold; and   determining to electrically exclude the second charge storage device.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining that the available capacity is below the predetermined threshold; and   determining to electrically include the second charge storage device.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the warning associated with the first charge storage device indicates that the first charge storage device has failed.