System and method for distributing fuel to multiple fuel cells

• US 20060251936A1
• Filed: 05/05/2005
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Black, Gregory R., Galeev, Mikhail T., Redding, Brian A., Patel, Deven M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,807,307 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/443
• 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 8/04656 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04753 of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0296 switching to a backup power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A Personal Area Network (PAN) (100) including multiple communication devices (104, 106, 108) is provided. The communication devices are capable of communicating with each other and a connection point. The communication devices derive energy from multiple fuel cells (110, 112, 114). The PAN is capable of distributing fuel to the multiple fuel cells from a common fuel container (116), if the communication devices are attached to the connection point.

Claims

1. A personal area network (PAN) comprising:

a plurality of communication devices configured to operate within the PAN, the plurality of communication devices being capable of communicating with each other, the plurality of communication devices including a plurality of fuel cells, being capable of attachment to, and detachment from, at least one connection point, wherein the PAN is capable of distributing fuel between plurality of communication devices while the plurality of communication devices are attached to the at least one connection point.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a device identifier configured to identify the plurality of communication devices that are attached to the at least one connection point.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a distributed management system configured to distribute fuel between the plurality of fuel cells associated with each of the plurality of communication devices that are attached to the at least one connection point.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising control valves configured to control the flow of fuel.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the control valves are configured to equalize the amount of fuel in each of the plurality of fuel cells.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the control valves are configured such that the flow of fuel is unidirectional.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the distributed management system comprises a controller configured to actively control the control valves.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller comprises a user interface to display the status of each of the plurality of communication devices.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the status comprises the state and position of each of the plurality of communication devices and the fuel distribution in the plurality of fuel cells.

10. A method for distributing fuel to a plurality of fuel cells, the plurality of fuel cells supplying energy to a plurality of communication devices, the method comprising:

identifying the plurality of communication devices that are attached to at least one connection point; and

providing fuel to the plurality of fuel cells associated with each of the identified plurality of communication devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of communication devices and the at least one connection point constitute a PAN.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the fuel comprises providing the fuel from a common fuel container attached to the at least one connection point.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the fuel comprises providing the fuel from one of the plurality of fuel cells to another of the plurality of fuel cells.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the fuel is provided based on the amount of fuel and consumption of fuel by each of the plurality of fuel cells.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the fuel further comprises equalizing the amount of fuel in each of the plurality of fuel cells.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the flow of fuel is unidirectional.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the flow of fuel between the plurality of fuel cells is controlled by a user.

18. A system for distributing fuel to a plurality of fuel cells, the plurality of fuel cells supplying energy to a plurality of communication devices, the system comprising:

a device identifier configured to identify the plurality of communication devices that are attached to a host device, wherein the host device and the plurality of communication devices constitute PAN;

a common fuel container connected to the host device; and

a distributed management system configured to provide fuel from the common fuel container to the plurality of fuel cells associated with each of the identified plurality of communication devices, wherein the fuel is provided on the basis of fuel distribution between the plurality of fuel cells.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising control valves configured to control the flow of fuel.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the distributed management system comprises a controller configured to actively control the control valves.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the controller comprises a user interface to display the type and position of each of the plurality of communication devices and the fuel distribution in the plurality of fuel cells.