Patent ID: 7553571

Claim:
A fuel system, comprising: a fuel processing system including a fuel cell for converting fuel into electrical energy; a fuel canister for storing fuel for the fuel cell, the fuel canister being detachably connected to the fuel cell processing system, wherein the fuel canister includes a container control system for storing information about an identification of the fuel canister, and a communication interface which is detachably coupled to the container control system to provide a communication link between the fuel canister and the fuel cell processing system; a fuel delivery control system having a processor, a memory, and an I/O interface system, wherein the delivery control system is configured to read and to check the infor-mation about the identification of the fuel canister in order to determine if the fuel in the fuel canister is an appropriate type of fuel for the fuel cell; a sensor system for sensing an amount of fuel remaining in the fuel canister and for transmitting this information about the amount of remaining fuel to the container con-trol system; a fuel replenishment source container connected to a fuel supply system which is in communication with the fuel cell, the container control system being configured to control the fuel replenishment source container such as to replenish fuel contained in the fuel replenishment container if the amount sensed is below a set replenishment level; and a replenishment control system coupled to the fuel delivery control system, the replenishment control system having a processor, a memory, a backup battery, a user in-put device, and a display, wherein the memory in the replenishment control system is configured to store information about the fuel replenishment source container.