HP to use improved Li-ion tech for batteries - implications?

[bill_n_opus]

http://www.informationweek.com/news...cle.jhtml?articleID=212400204&subSection=News

So, not entirely sure what kind of improved technology this is ... but as a comp user (like most of us) i'm interested in how it affects li-ion technology as applied to flashlights and so forth.

There are no specifics ... just claims ... but it's relatively reliable given HP's stature.

Just wondering if this technology could trickle down to our neck of the woods ... AW, Silverfox et al ... are you followin' this?

 

[VegasF6]

Those are indeed some interesting claims. Too bad they don't mention the chemical makeup or anything about capacity. The extended runtimes seem more based on the efficiency of the computer itself. They do call it a "lithium ion" battery, but a 30 minute charge time, probably 2.5C sounds more like the safe lithium technology already being used.

Here is a data sheet:
http://www.boston-power.com/assets/documents/2008-08-19_Sonata_Datasheet.pdf

*edit*
I see that the 30 minute charge time is to 80%, charge rate is only at .7C
I didn't bother to look it up right now, but as I recall from battery university the initial 80% of charging is always the fast part, it is the last 20% at CV that takes the most time. Something like having a charger at X amount of current vs another that was significently higher doesn't increase your charge times to the same amount. (can't think of the technical term for this sorry) At least some of this is just clever marketing.

*edit again*
Ya know, I don't want to be responsible for disseminating false information, so better I link the article to battery U.
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone-12.htm

 

[shadowjk]

This is slightly off-topic, but I recently found a "secret" diagnostic program for my Nokia N810, it shows alot of parameters from their power management chip that they probably also put in their cellphones. The battery is claimed to be Li-Po.

The chip has estimate for total usable capacity of the battery, and the impedance of the battery, among other things. It seems to have over a dozen different charge modes, I don't know the details of them. In one mode it uses a slow PWM to regulate charge current, and monitors the voltage across the battery both when the pwm switch is "closed" and "open" It sometimes goes over 4.3Volt when charging.
There's a value named "model voltage" which to me implies they're running some sort of simulation of the battery to assist in charging...

Most interestingly, however, is that once the charge is complete, and the system load is 100mA or so (with or without charger connected), all the voltage readings show about 4050 mV...

If it's really charging to 4.05 OC voltage, I imagine the battery should last quite many cycles more..

And I wish we could get to see the program for that battery management chip. *drool*