Fuel cell power source
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorsSteven Duane Pratt, Sivakumar Muthuswamy, Ronald James Kelley, Robert W. Pennisi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel cell power source (100) for use in electronic systems includes a fuel cell system (130) and a control means (150). The control means (150) computes net power requirements of a load device from one or more power functional information sources; and determines an operating point of the fuel cell system (130) by matching the net power requirements with the power characteristics of the fuel cell system (130).
Claims26
A fuel cell power source, comprising:
- a fuel cell system for providing power to a load device;
- and
- a control means coupled to the fuel cell system and coupled to the load device;
- wherein the control means is programmed to:
- compute one or more net power requirements of the load device from one or more power functional information sources, and
- select an operating point of the fuel cell system by matching one or more net power requirements with one or more power characteristics of the fuel cell system.
A fuel cell power source, comprising:
- a fuel cell system for providing power to a load device;
- a control means coupled to the fuel cell system, coupled to the load device and coupled to a fuel storage container controller;
- wherein the control means is programmed to:
- compute one or more net power requirements of the load device from one or more power functional information sources, and
- select an operating point of the fuel cell system by matching one or more net power requirements with one or more power characteristics of the fuel cell system;
- and
- a measuring means coupled to the control means,
- wherein the measuring means is programmed to compute a remaining capacity of the fuel cell power source using one or more net power requirements of the load device and one or more power characteristics of the fuel cell system.
A fuel cell power source, comprising:
- a fuel cell system for providing power to a load device;
- and
- a measuring means coupled to the fuel cell system, coupled to the load device, and coupled to a fuel storage container controller,
- wherein the measuring means is programmed to:
- compute one or more net power requirements of the load device from one or more power functional information sources, and
- compute a remaining capacity of the fuel cell power source using one or more net power requirements of the load device and one or more power characteristics of the fuel cell system.
A method for operating a fuel cell power source, comprising the steps of:
- obtaining one or more power functional information sources and one or more power characteristics of a fuel cell system;
- computing net power requirements of a load device from one or more power functional information sources;
- and
- selecting an operating point of the fuel cell system by matching one or more net power requirements with one or more power characteristics of the fuel cell system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.