Solar Powered Ipod Charger

[Zephyr]

First question - Which program do you guys use to draw a schematic?

What i'm thinking of is to use a Solar panel to charge an external Lithium Ion (Cheap, high power density) battery, which is used to charge an ipod.

USB is 5 volts at 100 mA - does anyone have any idea what the ipod can accept?

What ICs I have chosen for now is the **broken link removed** to regulate the voltage supply from the solar panel and a **broken link removed** to charge the battery.

Is the MAX757 redundant, seeing as the MAX1551 can accept quite a wide range of voltages?

What is the maximum/minimum voltages an iPod will be willing to accept? 4.8 - 5.5?

With the requisite blocking diode from the solar panel to the MAX1551/MAX757, can I just use their Typical Operating Circuit schematics without any additional electrical equipment?

Aside from a SPDT switch, how can I prevent the iPod from charging directly from the MAX1551 and not the battery? As a solar panel would probably not be very constant, and it would not be good for the iPod battery to be charged, stopped, charged.

Thanks.

 

[Zephyr]

I just thought about it - the regulator would probably be more useful at the battery to Ipod side, to offset NiMH's discharge curve.

Sorry - some help would really be appreciated.