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A circuit used for determining a cell number of several battery cells. The circuit includes a detection block and a controller, and operates in a first detection mode and a second detection mode. The detection block is coupled to each of the battery cells. In the first detection mode, the detection

A circuit used for determining a cell number of several battery cells. The circuit includes a detection block and a controller, and operates in a first detection mode and a second detection mode. The detection block is coupled to each of the battery cells. In the first detection mode, the detection block provides a terminal voltage signal indicative of a terminal voltage of a battery cell. In the second detection mode, the detection block provides a cell voltage signal indicative of a cell voltage of the battery cell. The controller compares the terminal voltage signal with a first threshold in the first detection mode and compares the cell voltage signal with a second threshold in the second detection mode, and provides a cell count signal indicative of the cell number based on the terminal voltage signal and the cell voltage signal.

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1. A circuit for determining the number of cells in a plurality of battery cells, said circuit comprising: a plurality of nodes selectively coupled to said battery cells;a detection block coupled to said nodes, and configured to provide a terminal voltage signal indicative of a terminal voltage at a

1. A circuit for determining the number of cells in a plurality of battery cells, said circuit comprising: a plurality of nodes selectively coupled to said battery cells;a detection block coupled to said nodes, and configured to provide a terminal voltage signal indicative of a terminal voltage at a first node in said nodes; anda controller coupled to said detection block and operable for controlling a connection to said first node such that said terminal voltage at said first node is at a first level if there is a battery cell of said battery cells corresponding and coupled to said first node and such that said terminal voltage is at a second level different from said first level if there is not a battery cell corresponding to said first node, said controller further operable for comparing said terminal voltage signal with a first threshold, determining whether said battery cell corresponding and coupled to said first node is present based on said comparing, and providing a cell count signal indicative of said number of cells based on said determining. 2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein said detection block comprises an operational amplifier comprising: a first input terminal coupled to said first node via a first switch;a second input terminal coupled to a second node in said nodes via a second switch; andan output terminal configured to provide said terminal voltage signal if said first switch is on and said second switch is off, and to provide a cell voltage signal indicative of a voltage difference between said first and second nodes if said first and second switches are on. 3. The circuit of claim 1, wherein said detection block comprises: an operational amplifier coupled to said battery cell and operable for generating said terminal voltage signal and a cell voltage signal indicative of a cell voltage across said battery cell corresponding and coupled to said first node;a first group of switches configured to couple a plurality of positive terminals of said battery cells to said operational amplifier; anda second group of switches configured to couple a plurality of negative terminals of said battery cells to said operational amplifier. 4. The circuit of claim 1, wherein said detection block is configured to provide a cell voltage signal indicative of a voltage difference between said first node and a second node in said nodes, wherein said controller is configured to compare said cell voltage signal with a second threshold,wherein said controller detects that said battery cell corresponding and coupled to said first node is present if a comparison result of said terminal voltage signal and said first threshold indicates that said terminal voltage is greater than a first reference,and wherein said controller detects that an abnormal condition is present in said battery cell corresponding and coupled to said first node if a comparison result of said cell voltage signal and said second threshold indicates that said voltage difference is less than a second reference. 5. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising: a pre-discharging switch coupled in series to said battery cells, and for discharging a plurality of filter capacitors,wherein each of said filter capacitors is selectively coupled in parallel to a corresponding battery cell. 6. The circuit of claim 4, wherein said controller comprises: a threshold generator operable for generating said first threshold and said second threshold;a comparator coupled to said threshold generator and for comparing said terminal voltage signal and said cell voltage signal with said first threshold and said second threshold, respectively; anda counter coupled to said comparator and operable for providing said cell count signal based on a plurality of comparison results from said comparator. 7. The circuit of claim 1, wherein said detection block comprises an amplifier comprising: a first input terminal coupled to said first node via a first switch;a second input terminal operable for receiving a voltage reference and clamping a voltage level at said first input terminal to said voltage reference,wherein said controller is configured to turn on said first switch to discharge charges at said first node to said first input terminal,wherein if said battery cell corresponding and coupled to said first node is present, said terminal voltage is at said first level and said first level is determined by a voltage at a terminal of said battery cell corresponding and coupled to said first node that is greater than said voltage reference,and wherein if there is not a battery cell corresponding to said first node, said terminal voltage is at said second level and said second level is determined by said voltage reference. 8. A monitoring system comprising: a detection circuit selectively coupled to a battery pack and capable of detecting that said battery pack comprises N battery cells, wherein said detection circuit comprises: a plurality of nodes comprising M nodes selectively coupled to said N battery cells, wherein M is a positive integer and N=1, 2 . . . M−1;a detection block coupled to said nodes and configured to receive a terminal voltage at a first node in said nodes; anda controller coupled to said detection block and configured to control a connection to said first node such that said terminal voltage at said first node is at a first level if there is a battery cell in said N battery cells corresponding and coupled to said first node and such that said terminal voltage is at a second level different from said first level if there is not a battery cell corresponding to said first node, and said controller further configured to determine whether said battery cell corresponding and coupled to said first node is present according to a comparison between said terminal voltage and a first reference, and configured to generate a cell count signal indicative of said cell number N according to the determining;a plurality of cell monitors comprising M cell monitors, wherein each of said cell monitors is configured to monitor a battery cell; anda switching circuit coupled to said detection circuit and operable for enabling N cell monitors of said plurality of cell monitors and coupling the enabled N cell monitors to said N battery cells respectively. 9. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein said detection block is operable for detecting whether a Kth battery cell is present, where K=1, 2 . . . M−1, and for providing a status signal indicative of whether said Kth battery cell is present, and wherein said controller is operable for calculating said number N based on said number K and said status signal. 10. The monitoring system of claim 9, wherein said status signal indicates that said Kth battery cell is present if a terminal voltage at a node, which is a node of said nodes and corresponding to said Kth battery cell, is greater than said first reference and a cell voltage across said Kth battery cell is greater than a second reference. 11. The monitoring system of claim 9, wherein said detection block detects whether a (K+1)th battery cell is present if said status signal indicates that said Kth battery cell is present, and wherein said number N is equal to K if there is not a (K+1)th battery cell. 12. The monitoring system of claim 9, wherein said detection block detects whether a (K−1)th battery cell is present if said status signal indicates that there is not a Kth battery cell, and wherein said number N is equal to K−1 if said (K−1)th battery cell is present. 13. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein said enabled N cell monitors monitor currents of said N battery cells respectively. 14. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein said enabled N cell monitors monitor temperatures of said N battery cells respectively. 15. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein said detection block comprises an amplifier comprising: a first input terminal coupled to said first node via a first switch;a second input terminal operable for receiving a voltage reference and clamping a voltage level at said first input terminal to said voltage reference,wherein said controller is configured to turn on said first switch to discharge charges at said first node to said first input terminal,wherein if said battery cell corresponding and coupled to said first node is present, said terminal voltage is at said first level and said first level is determined by a voltage at a terminal of said battery cell corresponding and coupled to said first node that is greater than said voltage reference,and wherein if there is not a battery cell corresponding to said first node, said terminal voltage is at said second level and said second level is determined by said voltage reference. 16. A method for determining the number of cells in a plurality of battery cells, said method comprising: receiving a terminal voltage at a first node in a plurality of nodes, said nodes selectively coupled to said battery cells;controlling a connection to said first node such that said terminal voltage at said first node is at a first level if there is a battery cell in said battery cells corresponding and coupled to said first node and such that said terminal voltage is at a second level different from said first level if there is not a battery cell corresponding to said first node;determining whether said battery cell corresponding and coupled to said first node is present based on comparison between said terminal voltage and a first reference; andgenerating a cell count signal indicative of said number of cells based on said determining. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: discharging a plurality of filter capacitors selectively coupled in parallel to said battery cells. 18. The method of claim 16, further comprising: comparing a terminal voltage signal indicative of said terminal voltage to a first threshold; andcomparing a cell voltage signal indicative of a voltage difference between said first node and a second node in said nodes to a second threshold. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: determining that a battery cell is present and coupled between said first and second nodes if a result of said comparing of said terminal voltage signal and said first threshold and said comparing of said cell voltage signal and said second threshold indicates that said terminal voltage is greater than said first reference and said voltage difference is greater than a second reference. 20. The method of claim 16, wherein said controlling said connection to said first node comprises: clamping a voltage at a terminal to a voltage reference;discharging charges at said first node to said terminal;controlling said terminal voltage to said first level if said battery cell corresponding and coupled to said first node is present, wherein said first level is determined by a voltage at a terminal of said battery cell corresponding and coupled to said first node that is greater than said voltage reference; andcontrolling said terminal voltage to said second level by said discharging if there is not a battery cell corresponding to said first node, wherein said second level is determined by said voltage reference.