Replenishing fuel cell powered portable devices

摘要

Portable electronic devices such as portable telephones, portable computers and the like may obtain power from fuel cells that consume fuel from fuel reservoirs of the portable devices. A network of fueling stations permits users of portable devices to main the devices operational by frequently topping up the fuel reservoirs. Payment systems combine payments for fuel with larger payments for other transactions to avoid the overhead of processing individual payments for very small amounts.

主权项

1. A system comprising:
a source of fuel; a connector for connecting to a fuel-cell-powered portable device; a valve system connected to control dispensation of a liquid or gas fuel from the fuel source to a reservoir in a fuel-cell-powered portable device connected to the connector; a controller operative to control the valve system to dispense the liquid or gas fuel to the reservoir in the fuel-cell-powered portable device; a receiver configured to detect a type of the fuel cell powered portable device based upon information retrieved by the fuelling station from the portable device; and a variable rate controlling mechanism to limit the rate at which the liquid or gas fuel flows into the fuel cell powered device to refuel the fuel cell powered device, wherein the variable rate controlling mechanism is configured to choose the rate limit based on a rate that is safe for the type of the fuel cell powered portable device detected; and, wherein the rate-limiting mechanism is configured to set the rate based upon one or more of a user-subscription plan; a threshold temperature of a portable device; a threshold temperature of fuel in a portable device; a pressure in an internal reservoir of a portable device; and a pressure of fuel in a portable device.