Fuel cell power and management system, and technique for controlling and/or operating same
First Claim
1. A fuel storage unit for use in a fuel cell management system comprising a power unit and a refill unit, the fuel storage unit comprising:
- a removable fuel vessel operable to store the fuel;
memory to store data which is representative of at least one operating parameter of the fuel storage unit;
a fuel storage unit control system operable to determine, monitor, manage and/or control the parameter; and
a fuel storage unit interface comprising;
a fuel storage unit mechanical interface; and
a fuel storage unit communications interface,wherein a mechanical interface of the power unit and the fuel storage unit mechanical interface are respectively operable to permit holding, retention and/or engagement between the power unit and the fuel storage unit, and a fluid interface therebetween permits fluid communication of the fuel between the fuel storage unit and the power unit,wherein a communications interface of the power unit and the communications interface of the fuel storage unit are respectively operable to provide communications between a control system of the power unit and the control system of the fuel storage unit;
wherein a mechanical interface of the refill unit and the fuel storage unit mechanical interface are respectively operable to permit holding, retention and/or engagement between the refill unit and the fuel storage unit, and a fluid interface therebetween permits fluid communication of the fuel between the fuel storage unit and the refill unit, andwherein a communications interface of the refill unit and the communications interface of the fuel storage unit are respectively operable to provide communications between a control system of the refill unit and the control system of the fuel storage unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a portable fuel cell power and management system (for example, hydrogen and/or methanol based systems), components and/or elements thereof, as well as techniques for controlling and/or operating such systems. The fuel cell power management system (and method of controlling and/or operating same) actively monitors, manages and/or controls one or more operating parameter(s) of the fuel cell system. For example, the system monitors, manages and/or controls the consumption and/or the rate of consumption of fuel by the system, and in response thereto, may provide and/or alert the user to amount of fuel remaining, consumed, the rate of consumption and/or the time (or estimation thereof remaining until all of the fuel is spent. In this way, the user may schedule or plan accordingly.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A fuel storage unit for use in a fuel cell management system comprising a power unit and a refill unit, the fuel storage unit comprising:
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a removable fuel vessel operable to store the fuel; memory to store data which is representative of at least one operating parameter of the fuel storage unit; a fuel storage unit control system operable to determine, monitor, manage and/or control the parameter; and a fuel storage unit interface comprising; a fuel storage unit mechanical interface; and a fuel storage unit communications interface, wherein a mechanical interface of the power unit and the fuel storage unit mechanical interface are respectively operable to permit holding, retention and/or engagement between the power unit and the fuel storage unit, and a fluid interface therebetween permits fluid communication of the fuel between the fuel storage unit and the power unit, wherein a communications interface of the power unit and the communications interface of the fuel storage unit are respectively operable to provide communications between a control system of the power unit and the control system of the fuel storage unit; wherein a mechanical interface of the refill unit and the fuel storage unit mechanical interface are respectively operable to permit holding, retention and/or engagement between the refill unit and the fuel storage unit, and a fluid interface therebetween permits fluid communication of the fuel between the fuel storage unit and the refill unit, and wherein a communications interface of the refill unit and the communications interface of the fuel storage unit are respectively operable to provide communications between a control system of the refill unit and the control system of the fuel storage unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge for use in a hydrogen-based fuel cell management system, the hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge comprising:
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a hydrogen-based fuel vessel adapted to store hydrogen-based fuel; a valve assembly, coupled to the fuel vessel, to provide exchange of hydrogen-based fuel with an external unit comprising any one of;
a power unit or a refill unit;the valve assembly comprising a bidirectional interface, including an electrical interface to receive data which is representative of at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge from an external unit; and memory to store the data which is representative of at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge; and control system coupled to the memory to determine, monitor and/or control the at least one operating parameter; wherein the hydrogen-based fuel vessel is operable to be coupled at the bidirectional interface to any one of a power unit and a refill unit via an integrated fluid and communications coupling, the power unit comprising a hydrogen-based fuel cell, adapted to receive the hydrogen-based fuel from the hydrogen-based fuel vessel and to generate electrical power therefrom; and the refill unit operable to provide the hydrogen-based fuel to the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge for storage in the fuel vessel. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A hydrogen-based fuel cartridge for storing hydrogen-based fuel, comprising:
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a fuel vessel adapted to store hydrogen-based fuel; a cartridge interface comprising a mechanical interface; a bidirectional cartridge valve assembly; a memory to store data which is representative of a plurality of operating parameters of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge; and a control system adapted to determine, monitor, manage and/or control the plurality of operating parameters; wherein the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge is operable to be coupled to any one of a power unit and a refill unit via an integrated fluid and communications coupling, the power unit comprising; a power unit interface comprising a mechanical interface to mechanically connect to the mechanical interface of the cartridge interface; a power unit valve assembly to engage the cartridge valve assembly and to enable hydrogen-based fuel to flow between the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge and the power unit; a hydrogen-based fuel cell being coupled to the power unit valve assembly to receive the hydrogen-based fuel from the fuel cartridge and to generate electrical power therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification