[Openec] Patented NiMH charging algorithm

[Richard A. Smith]

Rafael Enrique Ortiz Guerrero wrote:

> i agree with this, joel and richard have access to the close code, so 
> they can tell like a flowchart about what the code is doing and trow 
> that information to the open source guys (like me and frieder..), so 

No we can't.  That information is confidential and protected under NDA. 
  Originally I thought we would be able to do that because GoldPeak told 
us that they would allow us to release that info.  Or at least thats 
what we _thought_ they told us. There was a miscommunication in what 
"opening up the technology" meant.

But as Frieder says NiMh technology has been around for 15 years.  I 
suspect that there is lots of info available on charging NiMh batteries. 
   Somebody should start looking and compiling up whats already public. 
  Perhaps there are already patents that have expired.

-- 
Richard Smith  <richard at laptop.org>
One Laptop Per Child