Patent ID: 7893651

Claim:
A fuel cell system, comprising: a power unit comprising: a fuel cell operable to generate power from a fuel; a power unit control system operable to determine, monitor, manage and/or control a parameter; and a power unit interface comprising: a power unit mechanical interface; and a power unit communications interface; and a fuel storage unit comprising: a removable fuel vessel operable to store the fuel; a fuel storage unit control system operable to determine, monitor, manage and/or control the parameter; and a fuel storage unit interface comprising: a fuel storage unit mechanical interface; and a fuel storage unit communications interface, wherein the power unit mechanical interface and the fuel storage unit mechanical interface are respectively operable to permit holding, retention and/or engagement between the power unit and the fuel storage unit, and a fluid interface therebetween permits fluid communication of the fuel between the fuel storage unit and the power unit, and wherein the communications interface of the power unit and the communications interface of the fuel storage unit are respectively operable to provide communications between the control system of the power unit and the control system of the fuel storage unit; a refill unit comprising: a fluid input port to receive the fuel from a fuel source; a refill unit control system operable to determine, monitor, manage and/or control the parameter; and a refill unit interface comprising: a refill unit mechanical interface; and a refill unit communications interface, wherein the refill unit mechanical interface and the fuel storage unit mechanical interface are respectively operable to permit holding, retention and/or engagement between the refill unit and the fuel storage unit, and a fluid interface therebetween permits fluid communication of the fuel between the refill unit and the fuel storage unit, wherein the refill unit communications interface and the fuel storage unit communications interface are respectively operable to provide communications between the refill unit control system and the fuel storage unit control system; and wherein a transmission and/or reception of the parameter and/or data relating to the parameter between the fuel storage unit control system and the control system of any one of the power unit and/or the refill unit defines a message protocol.