Multi-cell battery packs can be made safer with certain features that mitigate the consequences of cell failure. Parameters of a cell are monitored to determine when the cell should be disconnected from the pack in case of a fault. The battery is reconfigured to continue operating in a safer mode. An over-charging prevention system reduces the maximum voltage that remaining battery pack can be charged to, so that the cells do not overcharge. Additional circuitry allows the disconnected cell to be periodically reconnected to the battery pack to determine if its conditions have sufficiently improved. The cells also include components for self-powering these cell functions while it is disconnected from the rest of the circuit.

The invention discloses a device for collection of tiny charges in the Nano-Coulomb-range and below, comprising at least one capacitor stack build by n capacitors and 2n switches (nϵN), at least one further capacitor outside the capacitor stack as buffer capacity, at least two additional switches and a DC input source. The n capacitors are dedicated to be sequentially charged by the DC input source one after the other, wherein the 2n switches in the capacitor stack couple the n capacitors sequentially to the DC input source. The at least one further capacitor is dedicated to be charged from the n capacitors of the capacitor stack at once. Furthermore, the invention discloses a method for small charge collection, comprising the steps of sequentially charging the n capacitors of the at least one capacitor stack by coupling one capacitor after the other to the DC input source by selectively closing the switches and discharging the n capacitors of the capacitor stack into at least one further capacitor outside the capacitor stack (nϵN). Additionally, the usage of the device or the method according to the invention to collect charges from sources with electrical potentials of a few millivolts is disclosed.

An electronic module for an inhaler includes a printed circuit board and electronic components configured to detect at least a status and/or at least a working parameter of the inhaler when the electronic module is attached to the inhaler. A battery is permanently joined to the printed circuit board. A first terminal and a second terminal are electrically connectable one to the other through a main switch to close a circuit between the battery and the electronic components. In a rest configuration, the first and second terminals are electrically separated by the main switch. In a work configuration, the first terminal and the second terminal are electrically connected one to the other through the main switch.

A wireless data communication circuitry for a drug delivery device is disclosed, wherein the circuitry comprises a wireless communication processor for handling wireless data communication, a battery connector having a positive and a negative terminal, the positive terminal and the negative terminal being connected to respective terminals of the wireless communication processor for supplying the wireless communication processor with electrical energy from a battery connectable to the battery connector, and an arrangement of one or more capacitors, each one of the capacitors being connected in parallel to the positive terminal and the negative terminal of the battery connector and provided for backing up the supplying of the wireless communication processor with electrical energy from the battery connectable to the battery connector.

A device includes: a wireless power receiver configured to receive wireless power from an external device external to a body; a capacitor configured to store therein the wireless power received by the wireless power receiver; a wireless transceiver configured to transmit, to the external device, information associated with stored energy of the capacitor and scheduled energy to be used; and a processor configured to operate with the stored energy of the capacitor and process a biosignal of the body, wherein an operation of the external device and an operation of the device are synchronized, and a wireless power quantity of the wireless power to be received by the wireless power receiver from the external device is determined based on the information transmitted from the wireless transceiver to the external device.

A charging device for a small medical apparatus and a small medical apparatus are provided. The small medical apparatus includes an apparatus body. A first rechargeable battery and an apparatus charging connector electrically connected to the first rechargeable battery are mounted in the apparatus body. The charging device includes a charging base. A second rechargeable battery is disposed in the charging base. A charging base charging connector and a charging base discharging connector for electrically connecting the apparatus charging connector are disposed at the charging base. The charging base charging connector is electrically connected to a charging terminal of the second rechargeable battery. The charging base discharging connector is electrically connected to a discharging terminal of the second rechargeable battery. The small medical apparatus includes the charging device for the small medical apparatus.

Various embodiments comprise systems, methods, architectures, mechanisms or apparatus providing far-field wireless charging of implanted medical devices, Internet of Things (IoT) and the like via a leader radio configured for receiving spread spectrum (SS) modulated radio waves from a plurality of slave radios within an area including the leader radio and a target device, for receiving from the target device backscatter radio energy associated with the (SS) modulated radio waves, and for generating slave radio control signals; the leader radio, in a charging mode of operation, being configured for determining changes in received power associated with backscatter radio energy received from the target device and responsively transmitting control signals toward the slave radios configured to cause the slave radios to modify respective radio wave transmission times such that slave radio wave transmissions are substantially phase aligned when received at the target device.

Methods and systems for a near-field communication. In one aspect, a method of fabricating a relay for a near-field communication system comprises the steps of providing a flexible substrate; and providing an electric circuit on the flexible substrate, wherein the electric circuit comprises a hub inductor pattern configured to receive and transmit via electro-magnetic induction; one or more terminal inductor patterns laterally spaced apart from the hub inductor pattern relative to a surface of the flexible substrate and configured to receive and transmit via electro-magnetic induction; and a connecting trace between the hub inductor and the one or more terminal inductors.

A variety of applications can include wireless power and voltage regulation for wireless power transfer systems. A receiver can receive power wirelessly from a transmitter to provide an output voltage. The receiver can regulate the output voltage with respect to a window defining an upper threshold and a lower threshold and can generate a first signal in response to the output voltage exceeding the upper threshold voltage and a second signal in response to the output voltage reducing below the lower threshold voltage. The receiver can change its input impedance and control reception of the power in response to the first and second signals. A transmitter can sense current in the power transistors or the coil of the transmitter in response to the change of input impedance of the receiver. The sensed current can be used to modify the current to the output of the transmitter to adjust the transmitted power.

An apparatus includes at least one housing configured to be implanted on or within a recipients body. The apparatus further includes first circuitry configured to wirelessly receive power from a device external to the recipients body, second circuitry configured to provide stimulation signals to a portion of the recipients body, and at least one power storage device having a discharged state in which the at least one power storage device is discharged to a voltage below a minimum operating voltage of the at least one power storage device. The apparatus further includes third circuitry configured to, while the at least one power storage device is in the discharged state, controllably distribute the power simultaneously to both the second circuitry and the at least one power storage device.