# US 2014/0191733 A1 · Fuel Cell System Having a Safety Mode > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191733 A1 - Document ID: US20140191733A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/734,857 - Filed: 2013-01-04 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-04 - Assignees: Lilliputian Systems, Inc. - Applicants: Lilliputian Systems, Inc. - Inventors: Bradley C. Kaanta; Jacob P. Lipcon; Alan P. Ludwiszewski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191733A1 ## CPC - H01M 8/04664: Failure or abnormal function - H01M 8/04298: Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems - H01M 8/04604: {Power, energy, capacity or load} - H01M 8/04955: Shut-off or shut-down of fuel cells - H02J 7/34: Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other DC sources, e.g. providing buffering (H02J7/14 takes precedence) - H01M 8/04992: characterised by the implementation of mathematical or computational algorithms, e.g. feedback control loops, fuzzy logic, neural networks or artificial intelligence - H01M 2250/20: Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - H02J 1/00: Circuit arrangements for DC mains or DC distribution networks - H02J 2101/30: Fuel cells - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A fuel cell system for providing power to a load, and having a safety mode, is disclosed. The system includes a fuel cell configured to convert fuel to electrical power and coupled so as to provide electrical power at a fuel cell power output, a system power port having a power connection and a data connection, configured to be reversibly coupled to the load, a power connection controller, coupled to the fuel cell power output and to the system power port, and configured to enable and disable the power connection, and a fuel cell system controller coupled to the fuel cell, the data connection and the power connection controller. The fuel cell system controller has a normal mode and a safety mode. A user selection determines whether the fuel cell system controller is in the normal mode or the safety mode. If the load has a smart power port, the data connection is configured to communicate over the smart power port. In the normal mode, the fuel cell system controller is configured to enable the power connection independent of the data connection. In the safety mode, the fuel cell system controller is configured to enable the power connection only when an approved communication is received over the data connection from the load. A related method for operating the fuel cell system is also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fuel cell system for providing power to a load, and having a safety mode, the system comprising: a fuel cell configured to convert fuel to electrical power and coupled so as to provide electrical power at a fuel cell power output; a system power port having a power connection and a data connection, configured to be reversibly coupled to the load; a power connection controller, coupled to the fuel cell power output and to the system power port, and configured to enable and disable the power connection; and a fuel cell system controller coupled to the fuel cell, the data connection and the power connection controller, the fuel cell system controller having a normal mode and the safety mode, wherein a user selection determines whether the fuel cell system controller is in the normal mode or the safety mode; wherein, if the load has a smart power port, the data connection is configured to communicate over the smart power port; and wherein, in the normal mode, the fuel cell system controller is configured to enable the power connection independent of the data connection, and, in the safety mode, the fuel cell system controller is configured to enable the power connection only when an approved communication is received over the data connection from the load. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A fuel cell system according to claim 1, further comprising a switch having a first switch configuration and a second switch configuration, wherein user selection between the normal mode and the safety mode is determined by the user selection between the first switch configuration and the second switch configuration. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A fuel cell system according to claim 1, where the approved communication is a signal from the load that indicates that the load is in use. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A fuel cell system according to claim 1, where the system power port is of a type compatible with USB standards. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein the approved communication is a handshake signal from the load. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein the approved communication from the load is an identifier of a device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A fuel cell system according to claim 6, wherein the identifier of the device is required by the fuel system controller to correspond with an item on a list of identifiers stored in the system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell system controller is further configured, in the safety mode, to stop operation of the fuel cell when no approved data connection is present. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A fuel cell system according to claim 1, further comprising a visual indicator configured to have a first appearance when the fuel cell system controller is in the normal mode and a second appearance when the fuel cell system controller is in the safety mode. ### Claim 10 A fuel cell system for providing power to a load, and having a safety mode, the system comprising: a fuel cell configured to convert fuel to electrical power and coupled so as to provide electrical power at a fuel cell power output; a system power port having a power connection and a data connection, configured to be reversibly coupled to the load; a power connection controller, coupled to the fuel cell power output and to the system power port, and configured to enable and disable the power connection; a fuel cell system controller coupled to the fuel cell, the data connection and the power connection controller; and a sensor coupled to the fuel cell system controller; the fuel cell system controller having a normal mode and a safety mode, and configured to use information from the sensor to determine whether the fuel cell system controller is in the normal mode or the safety mode; wherein, if the load has a smart power port, the data connection is configured to communicate over the smart power port; and, wherein, in the normal mode, the fuel cell system controller is configured to enable the power connection independent of the data connection, and, in the safety mode, the fuel cell system controller is configured to enable the power connection only when an approved communication is received over the data connection from the load. ### Claim 11 A method of operating a fuel cell system having a safety mode, the fuel cell system having a fuel cell and a fuel cell system controller coupled to the fuel cell and configured to place the fuel cell system in a normal mode or in the safety mode, the fuel cell system providing power to a load, the method comprising: detecting a switch configuration of the fuel cell system, the switch configuration selected from a first switch configuration and a second switch configuration; placing the fuel cell system, via operation of the controller, in the normal mode if the first switch configuration is detected or in the safety mode if the second switch configuration is detected; when the fuel cell system is in the normal mode, enabling the fuel cell system to charge the load; and when the fuel cell system is in the safety mode, enabling the fuel cell system to detect a connection between the fuel cell system and the load; and if the connection is detected, and if an approved communication is received from the load, enabling the fuel cell system to charge the load. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, wherein detecting the switch configuration includes detecting a state of a user settable switch. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, wherein the approved communication is a signal from the load that indicates that the load is in use by a user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, wherein the approved communication is a handshake signal from the load. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, wherein the approved communication from the load is an identifier of a device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15, wherein the identifier of the device is required by the fuel cell system controller to correspond with an item on a list of identifiers stored in the fuel cell system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, further comprising, when the fuel cell system controller is in the safety mode, enabling the fuel cell system controller to stop operation of the fuel cell when no approved communication has been received from the load. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, further comprising activating a visual indicator configured to have a first appearance when the fuel cell system controller is in the normal mode and a second appearance when the fuel cell system controller is in the safety mode. ### Claim 19 A computer program product for operating a fuel cell system having a safety mode, the fuel cell system having a fuel cell and a fuel cell system controller coupled to the fuel cell and configured to place the fuel cell system in a normal mode or in the safety mode, the fuel cell system providing power to a load, the fuel cell system controller implementing the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable and executable program code thereon, the computer readable program code comprising: program code for detecting a switch configuration of the fuel cell system, the switch configuration selected from a first switch configuration and a second switch configuration; program code for placing the fuel cell system in the normal mode if the first switch configuration is detected or in the safety mode if the second switch configuration is detected; program code for enabling the fuel cell system to charge the load when the fuel cell system is in the normal mode; and program code for enabling the fuel cell system to detect a connection between the fuel cell system and the load when the fuel cell system is in the safety mode, and if the connection is detected, and if an approved communication is received from the load, enabling the fuel cell system to charge the load.