Fuel cell supply including information storage device and control system

• US 7,655,331 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2003
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Energy Limited (Lb-shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Societe BIC
• Inventors: Adams, Paul, Fairbanks, Floyd, Curello, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maples, John S
• Application Number:
  US10/725,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20050118468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,255 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 429/410
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/003 of fuel cells with other electrochemical devices, e.g. capacitors, electrolysers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/30 Fuel cells in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0082 Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04194 Concentration measuring cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04201 Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04208 Cartridges, cryogenic media or cryogenic reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04388 of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04447 of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04604 Power, energy, capacity or load
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04753 of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04798 of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0494 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04992 characterised by the implementation of mathematical or computational algorithms, e.g. feedback control loops, fuzzy logic, neural networks or artificial intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0687 Reactant purification by the use of membranes or filters
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1011 Direct alcohol fuel cells [DAFC], e.g. direct methanol fuel cells [DMFC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1018 Polymeric electrolyte materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a fuel cell system with various features for optimal operations of an electronic device, a battery charger or a fuel refilling device. The fuel cell system includes an information storage device associated with the fuel supply, pump and/or refilling device. The information storage device can be any electronic storage device including, but not limited to, an EEPROM or a PLA. The information storage device can include encrypted information. The information storage device can include software code for confirming the identification of the cartridge before operation of the electronic device and/or refilling device. The information storage device can include instructions for a hot swap operation to shut down properly when the fuel supply is ejected while the electronic device is in operation. The present invention is also directed to system architecture for a fuel cell system that utilizes information storage devices. The system architecture may have flow regulators, which include a regulating valve.

Claims

1. A fuel supply for a fuel cell comprising:

an outer easing containing fuel, and

an information storage device supported by the casing, said information storage device stores encrypted data that is readable by a controller capable of decoding the encrypted data, wherein said data is encrypted by a manufacturer of the fuel supply.

2. The fuel supply of claim 1, wherein the data is encrypted and can be decoded by a symmetric-key technique.

3. The fuel supply of claim 1, wherein the data is encrypted and can be decoded by a public-key technique.

4. The fuel supply of claim 1, wherein the fuel supply is a fuel cartridge.

5. The fuel supply of claim 1, wherein the fuel is contained in a liner and the liner is disposed inside the outer casing.

6. The fuel supply of claim 1, wherein the information storage device comprises an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory.

7. The fuel supply of claim 1, wherein the encrypted data is selected from the group consisting of type of cartridge, date the cartridge was manufactured, lot number for the cartridge, sequential identification number assigned to the cartridge, date the information storage device was manufactured, lot number for the information storage device, sequential identification number assigned to the information storage device, machine identification number for the cartridge and/or storage device, shift during which the cartridge and/or storage device were produced, country where the cartridge and/or storage device were produced, facility code identifying the factory where the cartridge and/or storage device were produced, vibration tolerance for the cartridge and other limits for operating parameter, materials used in manufacturing anti-counterfeit information, fuel information, intellectual property information, safety information, security password, expiration date, shut-down sequence, hot swap procedure, recycling information, reactant information, fuel gage type, fluid sensor information, current fuel level, current ion level in the fuel, number of separations of the cartridge from the fuel cell, number of times that the cartridge was refilled, fuel level on separation of the cartridge from the fuel cell, number of insertions/connections of the cartridge to the fuel cell, fluid level on connection of the cartridge to the fuel cell, maintenance information, marketing information, triggering events, efficiency of the fuel cell and operational history of the fuel cell system.

8. A fuel supply for a fuel cell comprising:

an outer casing containing a fuel, and an information storage device supported by the casing, said information storage device stores data selected from the group of information consisting of a shut-down sequence and hot swap procedure,

wherein the group of information is readable by a controller and

wherein the controller executes the shut-down sequence when an electronic device that the fuel cell powers or the fuel cell is turned off.

9. The fuel supply of claim 8, wherein the information storage device comprises an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory.

10. The fuel supply of claim 9, wherein the group of information is stored on a non-erasable portion of the electrically erasable programmable read-only memory.

11. The fuel supply of claim 8, wherein the controller is located in the fuel cell.

12. The fuel supply of claim 8, wherein the controller is located in an electronic device that the fuel cell powers.

13. The fuel supply of claim 8, wherein the controller is connected to the information storage device by electrical connections.

14. The fuel supply of claim 8, wherein the controller is connected to the information storage device by wireless connections.

15. The fuel supply of claim 8, wherein the fuel supply comprises a fuel cartridge.

16. The fuel supply of claim 8, wherein the fuel is contained in a liner and the liner is positioned inside the outer casing.

17. The fuel supply of claim 8, wherein the fuel supply is connectable to a pump.

18. The fuel supply of claim 17, wherein the pump is located inside the fuel cell.

19. The fuel supply of claim 8, wherein the information storage device is located in the fuel cell.

20. The fuel supply of claim 8, wherein the information storage device is located in an electronic device that the fuel cell powers.

21. The fuel supply of claim 8, wherein the hot swap procedure comprises semaphore.“

lock” and

semaphore.“

unlock”

verbs.

22. The fuel supply of claim 8, wherein the shut-down sequence comprises instructions for reducing fuel at the interface of the fuel supply and fuel cell.

23. A fuel supply for a fuel cell comprising:

an outer casing containing a fuel, and

an information storage device supported by the casing, said information storage device stores data selected from the group of information consisting of a shut-down sequence and hot swap procedure,

wherein the group of information is readable by a controller, and

wherein the hot swap procedure comprises instructions for a controller accessing the information storage device to switch to an alternate power source for an electronic device that the fuel cell powers and to instruct a pump for pumping fuel to the fuel cell to shut down in accordance to a predetermined sequence when a trigger event occurs.

24. The fuel supply of claim 23, wherein the trigger event comprises a removal of a fuel supply containing said fuel for the fuel cell when the electronic device is operational.

25. The fuel supply of claim 23, wherein the alternate power source comprises a battery.

26. The fuel supply of claim 23, wherein the alternate power source comprises a reserve fuel chamber containing fuel for the fuel cell.

27. The fuel supply of claim 23, wherein while using the alternate power the controller writes information to the information storage device.

28. The fuel supply of claim 23, wherein the predetermined sequence comprises running the pump using the alternate power source to pump fuel away from an interface between the fuel cell and a fuel supply containing fuel for the fuel cell.

29. The fuel supply of claim 23, wherein the hot swap procedure comprises semaphore.“

lock” and

semaphore.“

unlock”

verbs.