What Apple's proposing is the multi-step method depicted on the right, where current and voltage trade off, to charge the battery while being far less harsh on the physical chemistry of the electrodes inside. As you can see in the bottom graph, the multi-step CC-CV cells lose much less of their potential after 300 recharge cycles, but that's not all Apple's cooking up -- the company figures that it can increase the thickness of the electrodes to improve battery life (by as much as 28Wh/L, according to one chart) without negative effect thanks to the softer charge. Sure, we'd rather have plant-eating graphene supercapcitors, but this sounds like a plan for now.
Here is a similar story
ReplyDeleteApple is looking into a new type of technology aimed at prolonging the battery life of your iPhone or iPad device. Read on to find out more.
The need for better battery life in mobile devices is evident. While processor speeds continue to increase at an exponential rate (1GHz! Dual-core! Quad-core!) and touchscreens get ever bigger, brighter and sharper, not much attention has been paid to the thing powering your multitasking wonderphone.
Looks like Apple has taking notes from Powergenix. I Thought Powergenix was failing but hey, got apple's attention.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't new. I remember when hearing about advancement in Lithium Ion technology i was impressed, yet the world doesn't seem to care. But when apple talks now everyone suddenly is interested. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteApple now increasing its efficiency more.
ReplyDeleteMake me a macbook that can charge from solar and give me 24 hours of battery life. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSo, 1000 cycles is not even enough for apple? Are we going for 2000 cycles with 12-14 hours of battery life? OMG! Take MY WALLET!
ReplyDeletePlease tell me they use colors on the lines in the real pictures, because trying to figure out which thin black line goes with thin black line is hard.
ReplyDeleteNot a fan of most of their products after being burned twice, but batteries is one area I would say they have done well. I don't think their patent claim is valid seeing it's a rehash of other patents, but I'd say they have proven themselves with the life of the MacBooks and iPads, even if in the case of the latter they have to impose software and hardware limitations in order to conserve power.
ReplyDeleteIf this is prior art, as some here claim, isn't part of the USPS's job to refuse the patent because it was already covered by another patent? How often does what one thinks is an original idea, turn out to be something some-one thought of before. It might even be obvious to some "gray beard" but neat stuff to some "new guy".
ReplyDeleteA guy I know patented the plastic floppy disk sheet. You know the one that holds floppys in a three ring binder. It might be obvious, but he still gets a check every year, for more than most folks make in a lifetime. Some people, are laughing all the way to the bank.
"A guy I know patented the plastic floppy disk sheet....he still gets a check every year...". Like hell this is a true story. Various small and large companies make these globally, if he really holds the patent to this and is able to cash out from it, there would be 2 things: 1) This would be in the news, 2) He wouldn't be just getting a single check, but loads of them - and that's in the US alone. I call B.S.
ReplyDelete