Fuel cell power and management system, and technique for controlling and/or operating same

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.

1 . A hydrogen-based fuel cell management system comprising: 
 a hydrogen-based fuel cartridge to store hydrogen-based fuel, the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge including: 
 a fuel vessel adapted to store hydrogen-based fuel;  
 memory to store data which is representative of at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge; and  
 control circuitry; and  
   a power unit, coupled to the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge, the power unit including: 
 a hydrogen-based fuel cell, adapted to receive the hydrogen-based fuel and generate electrical power therefrom.  
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the control circuitry monitors the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel using an amount of time the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge provides hydrogen-based fuel to power unit.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the control circuitry monitors the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining using data which is representative of the pressure and temperature of the fuel in the fuel vessel.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one operating parameter is the rate of consumption of the hydrogen-based fuel by the power unit.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the control circuitry monitors the rate of consumption of the hydrogen-based fuel by the power unit using one or more sensors that provides data which is representative of the rate of flow of the fuel, the pressure of the fuel in the vessel and the temperature of the fuel in the vessel.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the memory further stores data which is representative of one or more unique characteristics of hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the one or more unique characteristics of hydrogen-based fuel cartridge includes at least one of a serial number of the fuel cartridge, date of manufacture of the fuel cartridge, date of assembly of the fuel cartridge, type of fuel contained in fuel vessel, fuel capacity of the fuel cartridge, and number of refill operations the fuel cartridge has undergone.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the memory further stores data which is representative of general characteristics of hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge further includes a display to visually display information which is representative of the at least one operating parameter.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the control circuitry is a microprocessor or microcontroller.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the control circuitry intermittently, continuously or periodically determines the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge and intermittently, continuously or periodically stores data which is representative of the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge in the memory.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the memory and the control circuitry are disposed on the same integrated circuit device.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the power unit further includes control circuitry to determine the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the control circuitry of the power unit intermittently, continuously or periodically determines the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge and intermittently, continuously or periodically stores data which is representative of the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge in the memory of the fuel cartridge.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the control circuitry of the power unit determines the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel using an amount of time the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge provides hydrogen-based fuel to power unit.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the control circuitry of the power unit determines the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining using data which is representative of the pressure and temperature of the fuel in the fuel vessel.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that has been consumed from the fuel vessel.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge further includes communication circuitry to provide data which is representative of the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge to external circuitry.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the communication circuitry uses wireless communications techniques.  
     
     
         22 . A hydrogen-based fuel cell management system comprising: 
 a hydrogen-based fuel cartridge to store hydrogen-based fuel, the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge including: 
 a fuel vessel adapted to store hydrogen-based fuel;  
 memory to store data which is representative of at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge; and  
 control circuitry;  
   a power unit, coupled to the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge, the power unit including: 
 a hydrogen-based fuel cell, adapted to receive the hydrogen-based fuel and to generate electrical power therefrom; and  
   a refill unit, adapted to connect with the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge, to provide fuel to the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge for storage in the fuel vessel.    
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the power unit includes control circuitry to determine the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel using an amount of time the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge provides hydrogen-based fuel to power unit.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the at least one operating parameter is the rate of consumption of the hydrogen-based fuel by the power unit.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the memory further stores data which is representative of one or more unique characteristics of hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the one or more unique characteristics of hydrogen-based fuel cartridge includes at least one of a serial number of the fuel cartridge, date of manufacture of the fuel cartridge, date of assembly of the fuel cartridge, type of fuel contained in fuel vessel, fuel capacity of the fuel cartridge, and the number of refill operations the fuel cartridge has undergone.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the memory further stores data which is representative of general characteristics of hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge further includes a display to visually display information which is representative of the at least one operating parameter.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the power unit includes control circuitry to determine the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the control circuitry of the power unit intermittently, continuously or periodically determines the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge and intermittently, continuously or periodically stores data which is representative of the at least one operating parameter in the memory of the fuel cartridge.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel and wherein the control circuitry of the power unit determines the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel using an amount of time the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge provides hydrogen-based fuel to power unit.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the control circuitry of the power unit determines the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining using data which is representative of the pressure and temperature of the fuel in the fuel vessel.  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that has been consumed from the fuel vessel.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the refill unit includes control circuitry to determine the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35  wherein the control circuitry of the refill unit intermittently, continuously or periodically determines the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge and intermittently, continuously or periodically stores data which is representative of the at least one operating parameter in the memory of the fuel cartridge.  
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 35  wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel and wherein the control circuitry of the refill unit determines the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel using an amount of time the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge receives hydrogen-based fuel from refill unit.  
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 35  wherein the control circuitry of the refill unit determines the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining using data which is representative of the pressure and temperature of the fuel in the fuel vessel.  
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 35  wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that has been consumed from the fuel vessel.  
     
     
         40 . A hydrogen-based fuel cell management system comprising: 
 a hydrogen-based fuel cartridge to store hydrogen-based fuel, the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge including: 
 a fuel vessel adapted to store hydrogen-based fuel;  
 a cartridge interface including a mechanical interface;  
 a cartridge valve assembly;  
 control circuitry; and  
 memory to store data which is representative of a plurality of operating parameters of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge; and  
   a power unit, coupled to the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge, the power unit including: 
 a power unit interface including 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 from the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge to the power unit; and  
 a hydrogen-based fuel cell, coupled to the power unit valve assembly to receive the hydrogen-based fuel from the fuel cartridge and to generate electrical power therefrom.  
   
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40  wherein at least one of the plurality of operating parameters is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel.  
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 40  wherein at least one of the plurality of operating parameters is the rate of consumption of hydrogen-based fuel by the power unit.  
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the memory stores data which is representative of one or more unique characteristics of hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.  
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 43  wherein the one or more unique characteristics of hydrogen-based fuel cartridge includes at least one of a serial number of the fuel cartridge, date of manufacture of the fuel cartridge, date of assembly of the fuel cartridge, type of fuel contained in fuel vessel, fuel capacity of the fuel cartridge, and number of refill operations the fuel cartridge has undergone.  
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 43  wherein the memory stores data which is representative of general characteristics of hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.  
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge further includes a display to visually display information which is representative of one or more of the plurality of operating parameters of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.  
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the power unit further includes control circuitry to intermittently, continuously or periodically determine one or more of the plurality of operating parameters of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.  
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 47  wherein the control circuitry of the power unit intermittently, continuously or periodically stores data which is representative of one or more of the plurality of operating parameters in the memory of the fuel cartridge.