Fuel cell power source

• US 20030194589A1
• Filed: 04/12/2002
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Muthuswamy, Sivakumar, Pratt, Steven Duane, Kelley, Ronald James, Pennisi, Robert W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,049,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/431
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/31 for starting of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/30 Fuel cells in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04201 Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04619 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04626 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04753 of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0485 of the electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0488 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0491 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0494 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A fuel cell power source (100) for use in electronic systems includes a fuel cell system (130) and a control means (150). The control means (150) computes net power requirements of a load device from one or more power functional information sources; and determines an operating point of the fuel cell system (130) by matching the net power requirements with the power characteristics of the fuel cell system (130).

Claims

1. A fuel cell power source, comprising:

a fuel cell system for providing power to a load device; and

a control means coupled to the fuel cell system and coupled to the load device;

wherein the control means is programmed to;

compute one or more net power requirements of the load device from one or more power functional information sources, and

select an operating point of the fuel cell system by matching one or more net power requirements with one or more power characteristics of the fuel cell system.

2. A fuel cell power source as recited in claim 1, wherein the power functional information sources are selected from the group consisting of at least one dynamic load requirement of the load device and at least one device user'"'"'s usage pattern.

3. A fuel cell power source as recited in claim 1, further comprising an information storage device coupled to the control means and coupled to the load device, for storing one or more parameters associated with the power functional information sources and the power characteristics of the fuel cell system.

4. A fuel cell power source as recited in claim 3, wherein the control means comprises a computing means for calculating one or more parameters associated with the power functional information sources and the power characteristics of the fuel cell system.

5. A fuel cell power source as recited in claim 1, wherein the control means comprises:

a computing means for calculating one or more parameters associated with the power functional information sources and the power characteristics of the fuel cell system, and

an information storage device coupled to the computing means, for storing one or more parameters associated with the power functional information sources and the power characteristics of the fuel cell system.

6. A fuel cell power source as recited in claim 1, wherein the fuel cell system comprises one of more fuel cells coupled together, wherein at least one of the fuel cells is coupled to a fuel source.

7. A fuel cell power source as recited in claim 1, wherein the load device is selected from the group of load devices consisting of a cellular telephone, a portable computer, a personal digital assistant, an entertainment system and a power tool.

8. A fuel cell power source as recited in claim 1, wherein the operating point is selected from the group consisting of a current-voltage relationship of the fuel cell system, a fuel consumption rate, a fuel and air stoichiometry, an electrolyte hydration level, a product water generation rate and a power conversion rate.

9. A fuel cell power source, comprising:

a fuel cell system for providing power to a load device;

a control means coupled to the fuel cell system, coupled to the load device and coupled to a fuel storage container controller;

wherein the control means is programmed to;

compute one or more net power requirements of the load device from one or more power functional information sources, and

select an operating point of the fuel cell system by matching one or more net power requirements with one or more power characteristics of the fuel cell system; and

a measuring means coupled to the control means,

wherein the measuring means is programmed to compute a remaining capacity of the fuel cell power source using one or more net power requirements of the load device and one or more power characteristics of the fuel cell system.

10. A fuel cell power source as recited in claim 9, wherein the power functional information sources are selected from the group consisting of at least one dynamic load requirement of the load device and at least one device user'"'"'s usage pattern.

11. A fuel cell power source as recited in claim 9, wherein the control means comprises:

a computing means for calculating one or more parameters associated with the power functional information sources and the power characteristics of the fuel cell system, and

an information storage device coupled to the computing means, for storing one or more parameters associated with the power functional information sources and the power characteristics of the fuel cell system.

12. A fuel cell power source as recited in claim 9, wherein the fuel cell system comprises one of more fuel cells coupled together, wherein at least one of the fuel cells is coupled to a fuel source.

13. A fuel cell power source as recited in claim 9, wherein the measuring means comprises:

a processing means for measuring a remaining fuel information from the control means and for combining the remaining fuel information with the net power requirements of the load device and the power characteristics of the fuel cell system to estimate the remaining capacity of the fuel cell power source, and

a communication means for transmitting the remaining capacity of the fuel cell power source to the control means.

14. A fuel cell power source as recited in claim 9, wherein the load device is selected from the group of load devices consisting of a cellular telephone, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant, an entertainment system and a power tool.

15. A fuel cell power source as recited in claim 9, wherein the operating point is selected from the group consisting of a current-voltage relationship of the fuel cell system, a fuel consumption rate, a fuel and air stoichiometry, an electrolyte hydration level, a product water generation rate and a power conversion rate.

16. A fuel cell power source as recited in claim 9, further comprising a user interface element that displays the remaining capacity in the fuel cell power source.

17. A fuel cell power source, comprising:

a fuel cell system for providing power to a load device; and

a measuring means coupled to the fuel cell system, coupled to the load device, and coupled to a fuel storage container controller,

wherein the measuring means is programmed to;

compute one or more net power requirements of the load device from one or more power functional information sources, and

compute a remaining capacity of the fuel cell power source using one or more net power requirements of the load device and one or more power characteristics of the fuel cell system.

18. A fuel cell power source as recited in claim 17, wherein the power functional information sources are selected from the group consisting of at least one dynamic load requirement of the load device and an at least one device user'"'"'s usage pattern.

19. A fuel cell power source as recited in claim 17, wherein the measuring means comprises:

a processing means for measuring a remaining fuel information from the fuel storage container controller and for combining the remaining fuel information with one or more net power requirements of the load device and one or more power characteristics of the fuel cell system to estimate the remaining capacity of the fuel cell power source, and

a communication means for transmitting the remaining capacity of the fuel cell power source to the load device.

20. A fuel cell power source as recited in claim 17, wherein the load device is selected from the group of load devices consisting of a cellular telephone, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant, an entertainment system and a power tool.

21. A fuel cell power source as recited in claim 17, further comprising a user interface element for displaying the remaining capacity in the fuel cell power source.

22. A fuel cell power source as recited in claim 21, wherein the load device includes a device user interface element for displaying the remaining capacity in the fuel cell power source.

23. A method for operating a fuel cell power source, comprising the steps of:

obtaining one or more power functional information sources and one or more power characteristics of a fuel cell system;

computing net power requirements of a load device from one or more power functional information sources; and

selecting an operating point of the fuel cell system by matching one or more net power requirements with one or more power characteristics of the fuel cell system.

24. A method as recited in claim 23, wherein the power functional information sources are selected from the group consisting of at least one dynamic load requirements of the load device and at least one device user'"'"'s usage pattern.

25. A method as recited in claim 23, wherein the obtaining step further comprises:

calculating one or more parameters associated with the power functional information sources and the power characteristics of the fuel cell system; and

storing one or more parameters associated with the power functional information sources and the power characteristics of the fuel cell system in an information storage device.

26. A method as recited in claim 23, further comprising the step of setting one or more operating parameters of the fuel cell system selected from the group consisting of a current-voltage relationship of the fuel cell system, a fuel consumption rate, a fuel and air stoichiometry, an electrolyte hydration level, a product water generation rate and a power conversion rate.