STACK-POWERED FUEL CELL MONITORING DEVICE WITH PRIORITIZED ARBITRATION
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring fuel cells in a fuel cell group, said system comprising:
- a plurality of sensors coupled to the fuel cells in the fuel cell group, each sensor monitoring a different condition of the fuel cells, said sensors being prioritized where lower priority sensors detect lower priority conditions and higher priority sensors detect higher priority conditions;
a plurality of oscillators where a separate oscillator is coupled to each of the sensors, each oscillator operating at a different frequency where higher frequency oscillators are coupled to lower priority sensors and lower frequency oscillators are coupled to higher priority sensors;
a light source receiving frequency signals from the oscillators, said light source switching on and off in response to the frequency signals where lower frequency signals dominate the switching of the light source; and
a light pipe receiving switched light signals from the light source and providing switched light signals at an end of the light pipe.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system that monitors fuel cells in a fuel cell group. The system includes a plurality of voltage sensors coupled to the fuel cells in the fuel cell group, where each sensor monitors a different voltage of the fuel cells and where lower priority voltage sensors monitor higher voltages and higher priority sensors monitor lower voltages. The system also includes a plurality of oscillators where a separate oscillator is coupled to each of the sensors. Each oscillator operates at a different frequency where higher frequency oscillators are coupled to lower priority sensors and lower frequency oscillators are coupled to higher priority sensors. A light source that receives frequency signals from the oscillators and switches on and off in response to the frequency signals. A light pipe receives the switched light signals from the light source and provides light signals at a certain frequency at an end of the light pipe.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring fuel cells in a fuel cell group, said system comprising:
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a plurality of sensors coupled to the fuel cells in the fuel cell group, each sensor monitoring a different condition of the fuel cells, said sensors being prioritized where lower priority sensors detect lower priority conditions and higher priority sensors detect higher priority conditions; a plurality of oscillators where a separate oscillator is coupled to each of the sensors, each oscillator operating at a different frequency where higher frequency oscillators are coupled to lower priority sensors and lower frequency oscillators are coupled to higher priority sensors; a light source receiving frequency signals from the oscillators, said light source switching on and off in response to the frequency signals where lower frequency signals dominate the switching of the light source; and a light pipe receiving switched light signals from the light source and providing switched light signals at an end of the light pipe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for monitoring fuel cells in a fuel cell group, said system comprising:
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a plurality of voltage sensors coupled to the fuel cells in the fuel cell group, each voltage sensor monitoring a different voltage of the fuel cells where voltage sensors that monitor lower voltages are higher priority sensors and sensors that monitor higher voltage are lower priority sensors; a plurality of oscillators where a separate oscillator is coupled to each of the sensors, each oscillator operating at a different frequency where higher frequency oscillators are coupled to lower priority sensors and lower frequency oscillators are coupled to higher priority sensors; a light emitting diode receiving frequency signals from the oscillators, said light emitting diode switching on and off in response to the frequency signals where lower frequency signals dominate the switching of the light emitting diode; a light pipe receiving switched light signals from the light emitting diode and providing switched light signals at an end of the light pipe; and a photodetector for detecting the light signals provided at the end of the light pipe, said photodetector providing voltage signals in response to the switched light signals. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for monitoring fuel cells in a fuel cell group, said system comprising:
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a plurality of voltage sensors coupled to the fuel cells in the fuel cell group, each voltage sensor monitoring a different voltage of the fuel cells where lower priority sensors monitor higher voltage and higher priority sensors monitor lower voltages; a plurality of oscillators where a separate oscillator is coupled to each of the sensors, each oscillator operating at a different frequency where higher frequency oscillators are coupled to lower priority sensors and lower frequency oscillators are coupled to higher priority sensors; a light emitting diode receiving frequency signals from the oscillators, said light emitting diode switching on and off in response to the frequency signals where lower frequency signals dominate the switching of the light emitting diode; a light pipe receiving switched light signals from the light emitting diode and providing switched light signals at an end of the light pipe; a photodetector for detecting signals provided at the end of the light pipe and providing switched voltage signals; and a power converter, said power converter being powered by the fuel cells that are being monitored, said power converter providing a conditioned power signal to the sensors, the oscillators and the light emitting dioide. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification