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US 7,388,304 B2Granted
Power supply system and electronic device comprising the same
AssigneeCasio Computer Co., Ltd.
InventorHiroyasu Bitoh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power supply system generates drive power and supplies the drive power to a load. The system includes an electric power generating part having at least a power generation section which has a fuel cell that generates electricity generation power by use of a power generation fuel. An external power supply connection section connects an external power supply supplying externally supplied power. An operation control section includes a section for setting the power generation section in a standby state on the basis of the externally supplied power supplied from the external power supply when at least the external power supply is connected to the external power supply connection section.
Claims36
A power supply system for generating drive power and supplying the drive power to a load, comprising:
- a power generation section that includes:
- (a) a fuel reforming section to which a power generation fuel is supplied, wherein the fuel reforming section is set at a predetermined temperature and produces a particular fuel component including hydrogen from the power generation fuel, and (b) a fuel cell which generates electricity-generation power using the particular fuel component;
- an external power supply connection section for connecting to an external power supply which supplies externally supplied power;
- a fuel supply control section which controls supply and shut off of supply of the power generation fuel to the power generation section;
- and
- an operation control section which (a) directs the fuel supply control section to shut off the supply of the power generation fuel to the power generation section, so as to stop the power generation by the fuel cell and set the power generation section in a standby state in which the fuel reforming section is set at one of the predetermined temperature and a lower preheat temperature using the externally supplied power supplied from the external power supply when the external power supply is connected to the external power supply connection section, and (b) directs the fuel supply control section to start supply of the power generation fuel to the power generation section, so as to start the power generation by the fuel cell and set the fuel reforming section to the predetermined temperature using at least part of the electricity-generation power when the connection of the external power supply to the external power supply connection section is released.
3 more elements
An electronic device comprising:
- (i) an electric power generating part which generates drive power, and which comprises:
- a power generation section which includes:
- (a) a fuel reforming section to which a power generation fuel is supplied, wherein the fuel reforming section is set at a predetermined temperature and produces a particular fuel component including hydrogen from the power generation fuel, and (b) a fuel cell which generates electricity-generation power using the particular fuel component;
- an external power supply connection section for connecting to an external power supply which supplies externally supplied power;
- a fuel supply control section which controls supply and shut off of supply of the power generation fuel to the power generation section;
- and
- an operation control section which (a) directs the fuel supply control section to shut off the supply of the power generation fuel to the power generation section, so as to stop the power generation by the fuel cell and set the power generation section in a standby state in which the fuel reforming section is set at one of the predetermined temperature and a lower preheat temperature using the externally supplied power supplied from the external power supply when the external power supply is connected to the external power supply connection section, and (b) directs the fuel supply control section to start supply of the power generation fuel to the power generation section, so as to start the power generation by the fuel cell and set the fuel reforming section to the predetermined temperature using at least part of the electricity-generation power when the connection of the external power supply to the external power supply connection section is released;
- (ii) a fuel package in which the power generation fuel is sealed;
- and
- (iii) an electronic device main unit which has a load which is driven by the drive power,
- wherein the fuel package is removably attached to the electric power generating part.
8 more elements
A method for drive control of a power supply system which supplies drive power to a load, the power supply system comprising:
- (i) a power generation section which includes:
- (a) a fuel reforming section to which a power generation fuel is supplied, wherein the fuel reforming section is set at a predetermined temperature and produces a particular fuel component including hydrogen from the power generation fuel, and (b) a fuel cell which generates electricity-generation power using the particular fuel component, and (ii) an external power supply connection section for connecting to an external power supply, the method comprising:
- generating and supplying the drive power based on the electricity-generation power generated by the power generation section when the external power supply is not connected to the external power supply connection section;
- and
- shutting off the supply of the power generation fuel to the power generation section to set at least the power generation section in a standby state when the external power supply is connected to the external power supply connection section and externally supplied power is supplied from the external power supply, wherein the fuel reforming section is set at one of the predetermined temperature and a lower preheat temperature in the standby state, thereby stopping the power generation by the fuel cell;
- and
- starting the supply of the power generation fuel to the power generation section to start the power generation by the fuel cell and thus to set the fuel reforming section to the predetermined temperature using at least part of the electricity-generation power when connection of the external power supply to the external power supply connection section is released.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.